How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents

March 2, 2010 No Comments

Joseph A. Califano’s new book, “How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid,” is a comprehensive volume featuring state-of-the-art prevention research complemented by data, anecdotes, and practical strategies.

My book review for Project ALERT’s Winter, 2010 ALERT Educator newsletter details the benefits, values and critical chapters that both parents and educators would be most interested in. Please read the entire review, however, to learn more of my thoughts about this 270 page volume, including highlights and a few concerns.

In my opinion, this book belongs on the shelf of every professional in the prevention/intervention and addiction field today.

Click here for the full review from Project ALERT Educator, Winter 2010 Newsletter.

Medical Marijuana: Workplace Issues

February 1, 2010 No Comments

February 1, 2010: As a policy wonk, I was fascinated by today’s blog entry on medical marijuana on an award-winning workers’ compensation website: www.workerscompinsider.com/

Today’s entry “One Toke Over the Line” says: the implications for workers comp diverge substantially from general health issues. A toke may be just what the doctor ordered for pain management, but in the context of the workplace, any such prescriptions are likely to preclude actually reporting to work

.

The article goes on to discuss possible employer/employee issues related to medical marijuana, including:

- What job could be compatible/suitable for a person who is experiencing a marijuana high?
- You cannot operate a motor vehicle or any piece of equipment safely while under the influence of marijuana.
- Imagine the impact on co-workers when a fellow employee lights up a joint.

Sunday’s blog entry at the same blog, “The current buzz on medical marijuana and the workplace” discusses the confused position of each state on medical marijuana and workplace drug testing, worker’s comp issues, etc. Check it out.

I also recommend the brief National Law Journal blog entry
“Employers in a Haze Over Medical Marijuana Use.” It mentions that in Michigan, where a new medical marijuana law went into effect in April, 2009, more than 5,000 Michiganders have registered as medical marijuana users. How do employers deal with medical marijuana, especially if an employee tests positive? So far, no state has delineated their position on this issue. I guess we can expect test cases in the next year or so. Read about this issue here:

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202435610189

Look out! Smokeless tobacco is the future of the business

January 31, 2010 No Comments


Today’s NY Times Business section has a long article about how Altria (Phillip Morris) is positioning their corporate future. Camel Snus and other smokeless tobacco products are coming on strong, promoted at point of sale and with advertising, much of it at counter level.

What’s more, the NY Times says that the company hopes to be able to get the FDA’s approval to advertise smokeless as “safer” than cigarettes. SAFER. These non-burning tobacco products have LOTS of menthol and/or other flavors in them, which would be more appealing to younger and younger children whose taste buds are unsophisticated.

In the past we could sniff for the persistent odor of cigarette smoke on hair, clothes or in the air, and detect smokers. With these smokeless products, no cigarette smoke, no matches, no telltale pack of cigarettes.

Read the Guide to Snusing:
–Snus isn’t dip. It goes in your mouth, but it’s definitely not dip.
–Snus rhymes with moose and goose.

“How to Snus”
1) Pop it under your upper lip
2) wait a few minutes to feel a tingle
3) enjoy the taste for up to 30 minutes

Read the full article to understand the possible implications of this strategy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/business/31altria.html?hpw

Digital Youth

January 28, 2010 No Comments

A brand new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation reveals fascinating trends in the daily lives of youth.

Lots of elementary school children are engaged with media in formats that just 5 years ago they would not have had access to. For instance, among youth ages 8-10, 2/3 own an Ipod or MPs player, and 1/3 own a cell phone. 1 out of 6 owns a laptop computer. While this age groups only talks for about 10 minutes per day on their cell, pre-teens age 11-14 talk daily for 36 min, but spend 1 hr 13 minutes texting daily.

This study also looked at daily media use, which includes TV (in any form), music, computers, video games. It turns out that the youngest cohort, ages 8-10, spent 5.5 hours engaged with any/all of this media. BUT this engagement jumps to a whopping 8+ hours among 11-14 year olds! The sheer number of hours makes me wonder when they have time for school, meals, clubs, sports, etc??? High school students report about 8 hours daily.

Of course, multi-tasking is their life. Youth watch TV (maybe on a computer, maybe on a handheld device) while they text, post online, etc. One-third of all schoolage youth report they usually do their homework while engaged with other media (music, game, texting, etc.). 1 out of 5 says they always do homework as a solo activity, without media engagement.

Who’s paying attention? More parents are.

About 3 in 10 young people say their parents set rules about how much time they can spend watching TV (28%) or playing video games (30%), and 36% say the same about using the computer.

When parents do set limits, children spend less time with media

Youth with any media rules consume nearly 3 hours less media per day (2:52) than those with no parental rules. Once again it shows: parents matter. What can youth do in those additional 3 hours? Play outside, sports, engage in games like cards or board games, join a volunteer group, take music lessons…….

We have the power to command media, literally at our fingertiips. For adults, that power is learned in stages. For children, that power is almost taken for granted as a normal part of life. But as their world transforms, we parents need to keep actively monitoring and making decisions about how the power is used, when it’s used.

Parent power–still relevant in 2010.

Download this report at: http://www.kff.org/entmedia/8010.cfm

Don’t Lose the Personal Touch

December 20, 2009 No Comments

As the year draws to a close, it’s a good time to think about how we are linked to so many other people. Friends, family, co-workers, of course. But how about the cashier at my favorite grocery store, bank teller, parents of friends, those that walk their dogs past my house each day, and others. Isn’t it amazing how many lives we touch–and how many lives touch ours?

Recently I was reminiscing with my younger daughter about a store that used to be in our town. It’s been closed for about 10 years, and barely think of it any more. But we vividly remember the manager, a woman who never cracked a smile, never greeted customers, never even looked up unless she absolutely had to. I’d made it my mission to try to pass on some kindness, some cheer to her, but found it almost impossible. I felt that her life must be painful and maybe a kind word or gesture could lighten her load.

We were regular customers and after 3 or 4 years I expected to be recognized

but she never did. Finally I asked her one day “Do you remember we were here last week?” and she looked up. She said she’d seen us before. OK, this was her cue! But nothing else was said. She looked down to complete the transaction. Personal contact over.

Looking back I have mixed emotions. I was a little angry that someone who was a retail manager lacked social skills and basic courtesy. My efforts to build a bridge to her had failed. Sometimes I didn’t even try. Two or three times a week we passed that store, and each time I thought of the manager with frustration. Ten years later, and we still remember.

Since the store closed the manager hasn’t been seen in town. Maybe she only traveled here for her job. But I wonder how her life is going, and whether she misses anything about the business: regular customers, regular vendors, children, even the pets in the pet store next door?

My daughter works with the public now, and she absorbed the lessons. She strives to smile, to connect, to convey a sense of caring. People recognize her and greet her. She greets familiar clents. It’s not truly a personal relationship, yet it is a connection, a brief bond. A positive encounter sandwiched into a busy day and a busy life. A warm memory.

Wherever she is, I hope the former manager has a few warm memories. Happy holidays to those I know and those I have not yet met!

New York Times: Taking the Fun Out of Popping Pain Pills

October 1, 2009 No Comments

Pain medication

Pain medication

The New York Times Sunday Business section (of all places) printed a half page story about scientists making opiate medications that will be difficult to abuse. (Sept. 20, 2009)
The opening sentences: “How can you get a faster high from sustained -release pain pills like OxyContin? Let me count some of the ways.” And it goes on to detail at least 8 specific methods of abuse.
Why is this article in the Business section? Paragraph 3 tells us that the misuse and abuse of opoids is costing us billions of dollars.
The article offers some strategies to reduce pain medication problems:
1. Doctors should assess each patient for their potential to misuse/abuse meds
2. Doctors should closely track patients who need opioids for chronic pain
3. Educate patients, warn them not to share medications, warn them to safeguard their meds
4. States should monitor databases to look for multiple opoid prescriptions
5. Create and publicize safe methods of disposal of leftover pain medications
Sound advice. Prescription pain medications, including methadone, are increasingly the most sought-after meds of abuse, from youth through adults.
Prevention and early intervention can reduce the risks of abuse of pain medications.
August was Medicine Abuse Awareness Month; Red Ribbon Week is coming up in October. These opportunities would facilitate discussion of this crucial issue.

Unintended Consequences of Drug Prevention Success

February 16, 2009 1 Comment

Drug prevention has had a well-documented success in the past decade: moving people from “street drugs” to medication (prescription drugs, over-the-counter products.)

Wait a minute, did I really say success? In a way, yes.

For twenty plus years we have emphasized the unknown nature of street drugs, getting drugs from dealers and other intermediaries. Longitudinal data now proves that more and more people are turning to medical products as substances of choice, rather than the dirty, possibly contaminated street substances. This change proves that drug prevention works. It also proves that it’s possible to change behavior but not always in a predictable fashion.

Prevention programs are scrambling to find ways to convey a different message to dissuade folks from misusing or abusing medication. It can be done, no doubt. But careful crafting and pilot testing will be necessary to avoid additional unintended consequences.

YouTube for Prevention? Yes, YouTube

January 25, 2009 No Comments

The New York Times reported on Sunday, January 18th, that YouTube is becoming a reference tool. In the drug field, we have known this for a while, unfortunately. Although YouTube has tried to keep drug using demonstrations off its channels, it can be difficult for them to keep up.

Some people have begun to answer the drug videos with videos of their own, mentioning hazards and consequences of drug use, telling cautionary stories, reminding of the need to make good decisions. YouTube and similar services can be vehicles to convey positive messages using music, images and movement.

Facts alone don’t predict behavior. We have to impact attitude on a regular basis, forming the basis of good decision at a young age. So by harnessing the power of YouTube and other image-oriented vehicles, we can work toward a safer society.

Medicine Safety

January 25, 2009 No Comments

A Taste of Our Own Medicine: What Happens When Our Lives Depend on Their Drugs?

Posted by Ruth Levine at 09:43 AM on The Center for Global Development website:
http://blogs.cgdev.org/globalhealth/2009/01/a_taste_of_our_own_m.php

India and China are the dominant — and in many cases sole — suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients and other raw materials for many life-saving drugs needed by U.S. patients, reports Monday’s New York Times. “The critical ingredients for most antibiotics are now made almost exclusively in China and India,” the article states. “The same is true for dozens of other crucial medicines, including the popular allergy medicine prednisone; metformin, for diabetes; and amlodipine, for high blood pressure.” Dr. Yusuf K. Hamied, who runs the large pharmaceutical ingredient supplier Cipla, remarks on the vulnerability of the drug supply chain to disruption: “If tomorrow China stopped supplying pharmaceutical ingredients, the worldwide pharmaceutical industry would collapse.” Noting the limited ability of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to even track the geographic origin of key pharmaceutical inputs let alone fully assure their quality, the article focuses on the potential risks for health in the United States in the event that the source countries have lax safety controls or restrict access to drugs as a means of exerting pressure during political disputes.

Engaging Youth in Prevention

January 7, 2009 1 Comment

It’s a complex world out there and prevention needs to keep up, particularly school-based programs and teaching.

So many curricula emphasize teaching facts and information, easy to test and grade. BUT knowledge does not translate into healthy/safe behaviors. We need to focus on attitudes and skills.

One way of influencing attitudes is to explore stereotypes. Ask the group what an addict looks like. Most think an addict is under 30, wears black clothing, poor grooming, and skulks around the outskirts of society. Why is this the stereotype? Explain how stereotypes are “short hand” memory devices based on quick, repetitive impressions from many sources. In this case, most of their sources are mass media, which portray addicts this way for plot purposes or for quick character recognition–information they should be aware of to be savvy media consumers. This is a good opportunity to discuss the process of addiction and intervention. Review and expand on this topic several times to insure better understanding and recall.

In order to be relevant and engaging, state-of-the-art prevention must be multi-modal. Use short video clips, internet, etc. In fact, some of the best projects can be computer-based if they also include critical thinking and connection to a teen’s life and goals. Dialogue, debate and discussion create critical thought paths from facts to real life, and from facts to personal relevance.

Teens must be active participants in their education, particularly drug prevention education. Didactic methods of one-way information dispersal is not the most effective for the 21st century teen. Today’s teen wants to connect with ideas, wants seek out information and content, and synthesize it into new learning. This is what they’re doing already, following links, building memories and knowledge related to their interests (music, politics, celebrities, etc.)

We need to design a framework for students to take charge of their leaning, then step back and let them dig in for a while. It is fascinating to find out where their research takes them, and they will need adult assistance to separate fact from fiction. In fact, one way to allow them to share what they’ve learned is to ask students to pose 6 or 7 “fact or fiction” questions to the class. The class can guess and explore ideas, then listen to the student researcher tell more about what he/she has learned. Being an expert and explaining ideas helps reinforce self-efficacy, and also sets the student up as a resource for others.

This generation of youth is particularly devoted to improving the planet and social causes. Use those interests to help them harness their energy for positive prevention, health and safety. Individual, small group and class projects can range from writing letters to local politicians to advocacy at local forums and meetings to connecting with national or international groups.

Prevention must move into the 21st century now!

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