HELPING KIDS NAVIGATE THEIR TEENAGE YEARS

Parents can do much to help their teenage sons or daughters through a variety of difficult
situations. Depression, violence, substance abuse, and bullying are all serious issues that parents
and teens can work together to help resolve.

Sometimes, however, parents need to confront their own problems before they can help
their teenager. Children who live in violent households, or homes where one of the caretakers
uses drugs or abuses alcohol, often sustain severe emotional trauma that can last a lifetime. Even
if a parent's violent behavior or substance abuse occurred when a child was small, the child may
still suffer repercussions during his or her adolescent years.
 ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Being a teenager and raising a teenager are individually, and collectively, enormous
challenges. For many teens, illicit substance use and abuse become part of the landscape of their
teenage years. Although most adolescents who use drugs do not progress to become drug
abusers, or drug addicts in adulthood, drug use in adolescence is a very risky proposition.

Even small degrees of substance abuse (for example, alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants)
can have negative consequences. Typically, school and relationships, notably family
relationships, are among the life areas that are most influenced by drug use and abuse.
 TEEN DRUG ABUSE AND TREATMENT

Being a teenager is often a confusing, challenging time, which can make teens vulnerable
to falling into a destructive pattern of drug use. While most teens probably see their drug use as a
casual way to have fun, there are negative effects that are a result of this use of alcohol or other
drugs. Even if adolescent drug use does not necessarily lead to adult drug abuse, there are still
risks and consequences of adolescent drug use. These negative effects usually include a drop in
academic performance or interest, and strained relationships with family or friends.

Adolescent substance abuse can greatly alter behavior, and a new preoccupation with
drugs can crowd out activities that were previously important. Drug use can also change
friendships as teens begin to associate more with fellow drug users, who encourage and support
one another’s drug use. For adolescents, these changes as a result of substance abuse signal a
problem in the teen’s environment, and should be seen as a call to action for parents, teachers, or
friends to seek help for their loved one.
 MARIJUANA FACTS FOR TEENS

Marijuana is one of the most popular drugs among teenagers because most teens don’t
consider it to be harmful. This idea that marijuana is harmless is a very common misconception
among teens. Teens use marijuana because it is a great way to relax and just chill out with
friends, but most teens aren’t aware of the risks associated with marijuana use. Teens may think
that marijuana isn’t dangerous because it’s not a “hard” drug like cocaine or heroin, but what
they don’t know is that marijuana has its own set of dangers.

Everyone has heard that marijuana is a “gateway drug” and this idea has been a point of
debate for many years. However, even if marijuana does not lead to the use of other drugs, there
are still negative consequences that result from the use of marijuana on its own. These include
short term and long term consequences that include anxiety, drop in IQ, cancer, and asthma.
Marijuana is not as harmless as many people think it is, and because of this it is important to get
help if you or someone you love is using or abusing marijuana. The following set of questions
and answers can help you to learn more about marijuana and its consequences, and can assist you
in finding help for yourself or a loved one.
 GAY TEENS TURNING TO DRUGS & ALCOHOL

Though overall usage rates have decreased in recent years, drug and alcohol abuse among
teenagers remains a cause for concern in the United States. The problem is particularly acute
among certain high-risk demographic groups – one of which is comprised of lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens.

A study by Dr. Michael P. Marshal of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

revealed that LGBT teens are 190 percent more likely to use drugs and alcohol than are
heterosexual teens, and that the usage rate is even higher among certain subgroups. For example,
Marshal’s study, which was published in the April 2008 edition of the journal Addiction,
documented that the prevalence of drug or alcohol use among bisexual youth is 340 percent
greater than the rate among straight teens. Among lesbian youth, the number rises to 400 percent.

Discrimination & Victimization

Marshal, whose team analyzed data that had been collected during 18 studies between
1994 and 2006, attributed the spike in drug and alcohol use among LGBT teens to the
considerable societal pressures faced by the members of this demographic group.

“Homophobia, discrimination and victimization are largely what are responsible for these
substance use disparities in young gay people,” Marshal said in a March 25, 2008 press release
that was posted on the Addiction website. “History shows that when marginalized groups are
oppressed and do not have equal opportunities and equal rights, they suffer. Our results show
that gay youth are clearly no exception.”

Human Rights Watch, a nongovernmental organization that investigates and reports on

human rights matters throughout the world, analyzed the status of gay youth in the United States
for a report that was released in 2001.
 REPORT: DEATHS FROM DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND SUICIDE
COULD INCREASE BY 60 PERCENT IN NEXT DECADE

About 1.6 million Americans could die from drugs, alcohol and suicide in the next
decade, according to a comprehensive new report out Tuesday.

The figure is a 60 percent increase over the past decade, according to the report, which
was released by the Trust for America's Health and the Well Being Trust. The authors of the
study say the projections could be conservative as the opioid epidemic continues to wreak havoc
on American communities. The report includes an online interactive tool that maps the trends.
In 2015, there were 127,500 deaths from drugs, alcohol and suicide, a number that could reach
192,000 by 2025, according to the analysis, which was conducted by the Berkeley Research
Group.

Drug overdose deaths tripled between 2000 and 2015, with opioid-related deaths in rural
communities ballooning seven-fold. Preliminary data indicates drug overdoses in 2016 could
exceed 64,000, with fentanyl-related incidents accounting for 21,000 of those deaths.

Alcohol-related deaths reached a 35-year high in 2015, according to the report, with
33,200 that year. The figure expands to 88,000 when including alcohol-related violence, motor
vehicle crashes and other incidents, and the analysis shows 5.9 percent of Americans have an
alcohol use disorder.
 BREAKING DOWN THE UPTICK IN ADOLESCENT OVERDOSES

When it comes to acknowledging the opioid epidemic, the U.S. has been faced with some
harsh realities over the past several months. Perhaps most notable is a recent report from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that indicates the leading cause of death for
Americans under 50 is now accidental death by drug overdose. The 2016 count of lives lost
exceeds 64,000, a 19 percent increase from the previous year's 52,000. These figures are
heartbreaking.

Perhaps a more important statistic is that overdose deaths among adolescents (those ages
12 to 17) are up as well, with a strikingly similar 19 percent increase in the past year. This
information is significant, and not just because it's alarming. It also begs a different approach in
how to address the problem. Several governmental actions have been taken to curb the effects of
this devastating crisis. Many states have adopted Good Samaritan laws, which encourage
bystanders to call law enforcement for help if there's concern for a potential overdose, without
fear of prosecution for being involved in illicit activities themselves. There are also federal
regulations with heavy sanctions on misguided prescribers who may be buffering their revenues
by pumping out scripts for prescription opioids. Plus, there's the overdose-reversing drug Narcan
and subsequent funding for free community trainings, with ease of access through your physician
or local pharmacy.
 5 FAST FACTS ON THE U.S. OPIOID ADDICTION CRISIS

U.S. officials are searching for ways to help America's cities and communities escape and
recover from a drug epidemic that is gripping the nation.

Opioids include illegal drugs like heroin and legal drugs like morphine and fentanyl, but
also common prescription painkillers like codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone. Nearly 100
people die each day from opioid misuse, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. President Donald Trump vowed during his campaign to make fighting
addiction a top priority for federal officials, and he continued to make that promise once he
assumed the Oval Office. The White House is expected to declare the epidemic a nationwide
public health emergency. A study released in August by the American Society of
Anesthesiologists suggests that Millennials – people born between 1981 and 1997 – are more
likely to change their habits in response to experiencing chronic pain, as opposed to reaching for
opioid pills. Baby boomers – those born between 1948 and 1964 – were found to be twice as
likely to have used opioids to treat the symptoms. Medical schools and pharmacies have made
changes in response to the opioid epidemic. Medical schools are training future doctors with the
issue in mind, offering lessons, courses and clinical rotations in drug addiction treatment and
pain management. Meanwhile, pharmacies are considering new limits on opioid supplies and
capping daily doses.
 OPIOID CRISIS SPURS CHANGE AT MEDICAL SCHOOLS

Medical schools are responding to the nationwide opioid epidemic by changing the way
they train future doctors.

Over the past 15 years, many U.S. medical schools have begun offering lessons, courses
and clinical rotations in drug addiction treatment and pain management, experts say, and some
schools have added these topics to their required curriculum.

Faculty at schools that require all students to learn about addiction and pain say their goal
is to ensure that graduates understand the differences between situations where an opioid
prescription is an appropriate treatment for a pain condition and when it isn't the best option.

Recent medical school graduates who received this training say it has helped them make
decisions about whether to prescribe an opioid drug. Regarding the lectures on addiction and
pain he's received as a student at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine,
Nadir Bilici said via email, "It has been useful to understand the challenges that patients with
drug addiction face beyond receiving clinical treatment; we have learned how various socio-
politico-economic factors go into making and breaking communities of addiction."
Experts say that it's important for aspiring doctors to learn how to avoid either overprescribing or
underprescribing opioid medications, since this comes up in most areas of medicine, including
surgery and primary care.
 WHERE PARENTS CAN TURN IF A TEEN HAS A
DRUG PROBLEM

About 7,800 people begin using illicit drugs every day, according to the National Institute
on Drug Abuse, and more than half are under the age of 18. Finding out your teen is using drugs
can be a scary and stressful experience.

It’s no surprise that people often try drugs for the first time during their teen years. That’s
why it is so important for parents to address the dangers of drug use with their children. Sadly,
according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 1 in 5 parents of adolescents aged 12
to 17 believe that what they say about drugs will have little influence on whether their children
decide to use drugs. But research has shown that the reverse is true. When you talk openly about
the dangers of drugs and set clear expectations, your children do listen. In fact, you are a
powerful influence in lowering the chances of your teen ever using drugs.

Unfortunately, for some teens, anti-drug messages are not enough; and rather than
resisting the lure of drugs, they gravitate toward them. Ultimately, each teen makes the decision
to use or not to use. As a parent, if you discover drugs or paraphernalia in your home, you may
wonder where you can turn for help. Fortunately, there are many resources at your fingertips to
link you to information, organizations and professionals that can assist you and your child.

However, searching for credible resources online can sometimes feel overwhelming. To
cut through the confusion, here is a list of trustworthy sources that can guide you through the
process of getting your child help. It should be noted that there are many wonderful resources
available online and offline to help you through this process. These are just some places to start.