ALCOHOL, TOBACCO & OTHER DRUG INFORMATION;

Links to Prevention Pages



photo above: Ernest von Rosen, www.amgmedia.com

Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug Index
    

ALCOHOL INFORMATION
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**Hispanic Youth Exposed to More Alcohol Advertising
The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth reports that Hispanic youth are exposed to more alcohol advertising than their cohorts. The Center's systematic audit found that alcohol and tobacco companies habitually use Hispanic culture and history to market their products to Hispanics -- the fastest growing U.S. minority group.
http://camy.org/research/hispanic0403/>http://camy.org/research/hispanic0403/

APRIL 19, 2001 National Institute on Media and the Family
Frogs Sell Beer to Teens That's "whassup!"
Bigger Ad Budgets Lead to More Adolescent Drinking
Budweiser brand beer has biggest advertising budget and biggest usage among
teens
MINNEAPOLIS - The National Institute on Media and the Family presents
unprecedented research showing that beer advertisements lead to adolescent
drinking. The study was released on Friday April 20th, at the Society for
Research in Child Development biennial meeting.
Applying the premise that advertising has four goals: to (1) build brand
awareness/recognition, (2) build brand preference, (3) influence product
purchase/use, and (4) build brand loyalty, correlation analyses were
conducted to determine whether the amount of money spent by beer companies
to advertise selected beer brands predicts students' brand awareness,
preference, use, and loyalty.
"We believe this is the first study using the advertising industry's own
methods to examine adolescent alcohol attitudes and behaviors," said child
psychologist Douglas Gentile, Ph.D. "Junior and senior high school students
know about, prefer, and drink the most heavily advertised brands of beer."
A survey was given to over 1,500 students in grades 7 - 12. Participants
were recruited from mandatory health classes in several Midwestern suburban
schools and an Eastern urban school. The sample included both male and
female students of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Results are presented in Table 1.

.......................................................
Kids Who Know This Brand Who Drink This Brand
...................................................................Know Brand .......Drink Brand
Brand ..1998-1999....Advertising Budget ..% of 7 - 12thKids..% of 7 - 12Kids

Budweiser/Bud Light ....$492,232,000.000.............. 99% ....................44%
Miller ............................$262,362,400.00................ 97% ....................39%
Coors/Coors Light.........$224,239,800.00 ................90%.................... 22%
Corona/Corona Extra ...$53,503,100.00................... 65%.....................20%
Note: If you cannot read the chart, click on this website:
http://www.mediafamily.org/press/20010419-2.shtml)
"These results are particularly important now, because the hard liquor
industry is starting to advertise on radio and television," said David
Walsh, Ph.D., co-author of the study. "If beer advertisements get kids to
drink, then eventually so will hard liquor ads."
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**Radio Daze: Alcohol Ads Tune in Underage Youth
America's youth heard more radio ads for beer and distilled spirits in 2001 and 2002 than did people of legal drinking age, according to the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University.
http://camy.org/research/radio0303/>http://camy.org/research/radio0303/


Increasing Beer Tax - Good Strategy. Oppose Lowering the tax.

On March 29, 2001, Rep. Philip English (R-PA) introduced H.R. 1305,
legislation that would reduce the federal excise tax on beer to its pre-1991level. Federal excise taxes on beer were raised in 1991 for the first timein 40 years. The tax was raised from $9 per barrel to $18 per barrel (or 16cents per six-pack to 32 cents per six pack.) The 1991 beer tax increase didnot occur because of public health considerations, but was part of theoverall budget deliberations between then-President George Bush and theCongress.
Reducing the beer excise tax is bad public policy. MADD opposes H.R. 1305 because economic research indicates that lower taxes on beer will lead to more deaths among young people in traffic crashes and other alcohol-related problems. MADD not only opposes reducing taxes on beer, we in fact support a substantial increase in these taxes with the increased revenue to be used to fund alcohol abuse countermeasures including enforcement and prosecution
of impaired driving.

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April 24, 2002
Higher Taxes, Minimum-Purchase Laws Said Effective in Reducing Alcohol Consumption
A newly released study shows that raising excise taxes on alcohol and
implementing a minimum purchase age (MPA) law are effective in reducing
alcohol consumption among adults and youth.
"Current alcohol excise taxes are too low, both nationally and in every
state. The rates are far less than the average social cost of each drink
consumed. Raising the excise tax would be in the public interest," said
co-authors Philip Cook, ITT/Sanford professor of Public Policy Studies and
professor of economics and sociology at Duke University's Terry Sanford
Institute of Public Policy. .
For the study, Cook and and Michael Moore, professor of business
administration at the University of Virginia, reviewed their own and
others' economic research regarding alcohol consumption and its
consequences. "One thing that economists agree on is that if the price of
a commodity is increased, the quantity purchased and consumed will
decrease, all other things being equal," the authors said. "The evidence
is clear that alcoholic beverages obey this dictum."
The researchers also determined that higher alcohol taxes and MPA laws
influence drinking decisions among youth. Other effective restrictions
include "dram-shop" laws that hold commercial servers liable for the
damage done by patrons who drink too much at their establishment, and
restrictions on alcohol advertising.

August, 2001

Governor Signs 'Minor In Possession' Bill
The Oregon Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking, a statewide non-profit
organization dedicated to reducing underage drinking through social norms
and public policy announced today that Governor Kitzhaber will publicly sign
into law a new provision that equips courts to act more effectively when
youth fail to appear on a minor in possession of alcohol charge.
The public signing represents a major victory for Oregon substance abuse
prevention advocates who worked throughout the legislative session to secure
passage of the bill.
The bill, sponsored by Representative Tom Butler (R-Ontario) ensures that
juvenile offenders who fail to appear in court on a minor in possession
charge have their drivers licenses suspended.
"This is a significant victory because it will act as a deterrent to
underage drinking in Oregon... youth know that if they choose to drink there
are consequences," said Nina Robart, Executive Director of the Oregon
Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. "We worked with young Oregonians on
this policy, and we are very pleased that it has passed and the Governor
supports this measure."
Advocates are quick to point out that this measure is intended to encourage
youth to appear in court and receive education, counseling and treatment
where needed - and not as a punitive measure. "The goal is to get help for
young people who need it, not to punish kids," said Robart.

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LABELING LIQUOR CONTAINERS

On May 22, 2001, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) issued
an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to amend regulations implementing
the Alcoholic Beverage Labeling Act of 1998 concerning the placement, legibility, and noticeability of health warning statements on alcoholic beverage containers.
At the time of the petition, a brief survey of alcoholic-beverage labels found that warning messages were often inconspicuously placed on a back label or neck ring; printed vertically, rather than horizontally; and/or printed in a color that blends into the background label coloring. All the labels CSPI found were printed entirely in upper-case letters, making them more difficult to read. The petition requested the following label requirements:
* The health warning statement must appear in a prominent place, in a horizontal position, on the front of the container;

* The health warning statement must appear in red or black type on a white background, and be surrounded by a lined border;

* The first two words of the health warning statement (i.e., "GOVERNMENT WARNING") must appear in capital letters and boldface type that is at least 15 percent larger than the remaining text of the statement.

* The text of the remaining portion of the warning statement must be in upper and lower-case lettering.

* A particular type font should be required to maximize legibility; and

* The warning statement must appear together with a red pictorial device or icon to attract consumer attention.

INTERACTIVE TOOLS

Calculator
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/students/calculator/
What is BAC? What is it costing you? How many calories are you consuming?
How does alcohol affect your body? We have compiled a series of calculators
to help college students answer these alcohol-related questions. Take these
calculators for a test drive and see how they can complement your education
and outreach efforts.

Questionnaire
http://www.alcoholscreening.org/screening/index.asp
How much is too much? Use this online questionnaire to assess your own
drinking or the drinking of someone you know. Answering these 12 questions
will take only a few minutes and will generate personalized results based on
your age, gender, and drinking patterns. Your responses are completely
confidential and anonymous. Back to Entire Website Index Back Alcohol / Other Drug Index


http://www.madd.org/rts/
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the GuideOne Foundation released the MADD Rating the States 2002 report card last November. MADD report cards graded the Nation, each of the 50 sates, the District of Columbia,
Guam and Puerto Rico on efforts to combat the most frequently committed
violent crime -- drunk driving and underage drinking -- the number 1 youth drug problem. How does your state compare?

October 10, 2001
Beer Typically the Choice of Underaged Drinkers
People who drink the most alcohol and underaged drinkers tend to choose beer as their drink of choice, Substance Abuse Funding News reported Sept.25.
According to an analysis of data from the 1995-96 National Alcohol Survey,
beer is the drink of choice in most cases of heavy drinking, binge
drinking, drunken driving, and underaged drinking.
The analysis showed that the beer consumed by the 5 percent of beer
drinkers who consume the most beer accounts for 32 percent of all alcohol
drunk in the United States. On the other hand, the wine drunk by the 5
percent of the heaviest wine drinkers represents only 1.5 percent of all
alcohol consumed. In addition, beer is involved in 80 percent of all cases of binge drinking.
Researchers conducting the analysis concluded that beer is the biggest
problem because of the public's perception that it is safe and socially
acceptable. Beer also is the most widely advertised alcoholic drink, and
the least taxed.
The analysis is published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol.

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January 31, 2001
Girls More Likely to Drink Because of Peer Pressure
A new federal study found that teenage girls tend to be pressured
into drinking by their peers moreso than boys, the Associated Press reported Jan. 23.
"Peer pressure was positively associated with drinking for girls and not boys," said Bruce Simons-Morton, who led the study conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The study was based on confidential surveys on drinking and smoking given to 4,200
teens in Maryland's junior-high schools.
A number of experts said it's not surprising that girls are swayed by their friends more easily than boys. "I'm not surprised at all. Girls go through this tremendous emotional and hormonal change as they go to
seventh grade," said Shannon McLinden, an author on the subject and a speaker on teenage confidence. "The change comes at a time when being own person and trying to stand on your own feet is really
important."
The study also found that the main indicator of whether teens began
drinking or smoking is whether they have friends who do. Simons-Morton
said this held true for boys and girls.
"We found that the single most important factor is the behavior of
their five closest friends," he said. "These teens are nine times more
likely to smoke than early adolescents who had no friends that smoke or drink."
In addition, the study revealed that most teens who drink and smoke
think their parents don't care. "Teens who said their parents would be upset if
they were caught drinking or smoking were much less likely to drink
or smoke, and the opposite is also true," Simons-Morton said.
The study was published in the journal Health Education and
Behavior.



April 2, 2001
Teen Athletes More Likely to Binge
A new study found that teenagers who are highly involved in athletics
are more likely to binge drink than non-athletes, the Associated Press reported March 29. The study by the Women's Sports Foundation found that male and female
athletes in grades 9 through 12 who were highly involved in sports were
more likely to drink more than non-athletes. "Highly involved" was
defined as participating in three or more sports. Furthermore, the study showed that male and female teens highly involved in sports were more likely to drink and drive than non-athletes.
In addition, highly involved female athletes were twice as likely as
non-athletes to use steroids, three times more likely to use chewing
tobacco, and more likely to use pathogenic dieting methods.
On the other hand, the study found that male and female athletes were
less likely to use illegal drugs, smoke cigarettes, or be suicidal. In
addition, teen athletes who were not highly involved in sports were
no more likely than non-athletes to drink alcohol or binge drink.

The study's findings were based on an analysis of the 1997 Youth
Risk Behavior Survey, a national survey of 16,262 public and private
school students in grades 9 through 12 developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Media Literacy
New Data Prove Teens Tuning In To Booze-Branded Alcopop Ads, July, 2000

Despite Industry's Self-Enforced Ad "Standards"
America's children are getting surprisingly high exposure to ads for aburgeoning category of liquor-branded malt beverages known as "alcopops,"
according to new polling data released today by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The sweet-tasting drinks trumpet the brand names
of hard liquors like Bacardi, Stolichnaya, Captain Morgan's, and Smirnoff. CSPI and other public-health advocates say that ads for those drinks not only promote alcopops, but are a back-door way for liquor companies to put their brand names in front of young audiences on network television. While the liquor industry claims its voluntary advertising standards
adequately protect kids from liquor advertising, those standards are rendered useless by the reality of kids' television viewing patterns, according to CSPI. The polling data indicate that millions of kids are
watching television when ads for alcopops are broadcast. Considering how new to the airwaves those ads are, kids' unaided recall of ads for drinks like
Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Silver is astonishingly high.
"Even if hard liquor ads aren't running on network television, ads for Smirnoff Ice, Stolichnaya Citrona, Skyy Blue, Captain Morgan Gold, and Bacardi Silver are, and those ads put liquor brand names right in kids' faces," said George Hacker, Director of CSPI's Alcohol Policies Project.
"Marketers position these fruity drinks as kids' first cocktails. They're designed to lead kids straight to the parent brands' hard stuff." CSPI commissioned an independent polling firm, Global Strategy Group, to
survey 750 12- to 18-year olds. Among the survey's findings: 77 percent of teens watch television after 9 p.m. on school nights during the week, and most of those lack adult supervision at least some of the time. That shows, according to CSPI, that the liquor industry's voluntary ad guidelines allow alcopop advertising when millions of teens are certain to be watching television. 73 percent of teens have seen television ads for alcoholic beverages. 62 percent of teens reported seeing ads for Smirnoff Ice, and 40
percent reported seeing ads for Bacardi Silver. 58 percent of teens reported seeing ads for Mike's Hard Lemonade, another alcopop that has been advertised on television for more than a year.
Liquor-industry guidelines specify that ads should target audiences that are primarily adult. But many of the programs carrying alcopop ads clearly have
large youth audiences: Smirnoff Ice, the alcopop bearing the brand name of Smirnoff vodka, and Captain Morgan Gold, the alcopop bearing the brand name of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, have advertised on NBC's Fear Factor. Smirnoff Ice has also advertised on NBC's Friends. Skyy Blue, which bears the brand name of (and similar bottle design to) Skyy Vodka, has advertised on Major League Baseball on CBS, and on National Basketball Association games on ESPN. Stolichnaya Citrona sponsors the CBS reality show Big Brother 3 - whose contestants have swilled Citrona and another alcopop, Sauza Diablo, during the show. Sauza Diablo also advertises prominently on the Big Brother web site.
"In unguarded moments, liquor- and beer-industry insiders have confessed that these drinks are designed to appeal to young, entry-level drinkers
unaccustomed to the taste of alcohol," Hacker said. "Our survey shows that kids think they're being turned on to liquor, and not malt beverages. That
must be music to the liquor industry's ears." "The beauty of this category is that it brings in new drinkers, people who really don't like the taste of beer," Marlene Coulis, Anheuser-Busch's new products director told Advertising Age. Bacardi Silver is Anheuser-Busch's
entry into the alcopop niche. According to Advertising Age, booze companies spent an estimated $77 million advertising alcopops on television in 2001. In 2002, the industry is expected to spend up to $450 million on this sector.
Some, like Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, say it's time for Congress and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take a second, longer
look at whether the industry's voluntary standards are adequately shielding kids from liquor advertising-or whether those "standards" are just providing
a public-relations gloss for the industry's efforts to recruit the next generation of drinkers from the ranks of America's youth.
"Voluntary alcohol advertising standards are a bust," Blumenthal said. "More alcopop ads are reaching more kids- and resonating. If the liquor industry
can't police itself-and stop persistent purposeful appeals to children-action by the FTC and Congress will be necessary."
Note: For a detailed summary of CSPI's poll results, log on to
www.cspinet.org <http://www.cspinet.org./.To interview CSPI Alcohol Policies Project director George A. Hacker, contact Adam Pearson at
202-777-8316.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a nonprofit
health-advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on nutrition, food safety, and public-health oriented alcohol policies.



OTHER DRUGS
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Marijuana Information on
Youth Advocacy Link Above

 

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Club Drugs Affect Brain
October 16, 2001Ecstasy Causes Long-Term Memory Damage
A new study by Dutch researchers shows that use of ecstasy causes
long-term damage to memory function, Reuters reported Oct. 14.
Previous research determined that ecstasy caused temporary injury to brain cells. But after examining memory tests and brain scans of 22 ecstasy users, researchers from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam found long-term memory deficiencies and changes in certain brain cells. In particular, study participants had damage to the cortical neurons,which are linked to memory function. These brain cells suffered a decreased density of receptors for the neurotransmitter serotonin, which
transports messages between cells and affects mood. Scans and memory tests performed on former ecstasy users found that the damage may be irreversible. "We identified that ecstasy use is associated not only with short-term consequences on memory but with long-term consequences as well," said study author Liesbeth Reneman.
The study is published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
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NIDA (National Institutes on Drug Abuse) on
CLUB DRUGS
http://www.clubdrugs.org/
Topics on Page:
The Neurobiology of Ecstasy (MDMA)
MDMA/Ecstasy Research: Advances, Challenges, Future Directions
"In the Mix"
This PBS Series providing "Reality Television for Teens" aired a new episode on Ecstasy in April 2001.
The Initiative
To combat the increasing use of club drugs, NIDA and its partners launched a national research and education initiative, "Club Drugs: Raves, Risks, and Research" in December 1999.
Other Information:
* Research on MDMA (Ecstasy) - Testimony to Congress
* Looking the Other Way: Rave Promoters and Club Drugs
* Ecstasy Abuse and Control
* Statement on Club Drugs (MDMA, Ecstasy)
* Club Drugs aren't "Fun Drugs"

 

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ECSTASY USE COULD TRIGGER PARKINSON'S DISEASE

New research suggests that ecstasy use can cause long-lasting damage to key brain cells and trigger Parkinson's disease later in life, Reuters reported Sept. 26. A study on squirrel monkeys by researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that just a few ecstasy tablets could cause extensive damage to dopamine neurons in the brain. This damage may lead to early onset of Parkinson's disease.
http://www.jointogether.org

THE DARK SIDE OF ECSTASY EXPOSED IN PBS SPECIAL AIMED AT TEENS
***In The Mix* Debunks the Myths about Club Drugs**
No longer confined to raves and clubs, ecstasy and other drugs like K (Ketamine), acid (LSD) and GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate) have found their way into schools and homes, and are used by growing numbers of young teens across the country. *In The Mix - Ecstasy,* hosted by 18 year-old Erika Christensen (the teen addict in the movie *Traffic*), takes a hard look at the realities of what many teens think is just *harmless fun.*
In the program, Dr. Alan Leshner, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), shares the latest research on the short- and long-term effects of ecstasy, debunking the myths about club drugs. The devastating personal and social impact, and the penalties for possessing even small amounts of ecstasy, are also explored during the broadcast.
The special premieres on PBS stations nationwide April 7 and will be repeated throughout the month. To find out when your local PBS affiliate will be airing this *In the Mix* special, go to www.inthemix.org or check your local listings.
According to the NIDA-funded 2000 Monitoring the Future Survey, 1.3 million of the nation's students in grades 8 through 12 have tried ecstasy at least once, and 450,000 are currently using it. The just-released Office of National Drug Control Policy biannual report reveals that availability of ecstasy has increased dramatically, with it being sold at high schools, on the street and in malls. The teens who speak out frankly in the program support these findings.
According to Executive Producer Sue Castle, *In developing the program, we talked with a diversity of teens who stated that ecstasy use is not only widespread, but that it has become the gateway drug to acid, speed and even heroin. They just aren*t aware of the potential dangers, and it*s so important to get the word out.*
The *In the Mix - Ecstasy* special was funded by NIDA. To see video clips, full interviews, resources, viewer experiences and more, visit www.inthemix.org. For more information about club drugs, visit NIDA*s Web site, www.clubdrugs.org. Drug prevention resources for teens are available at www.freevibe.org and resources for parents are available at www.theantidrug.com.
Attitudes About Ecstasy Changing, but Researchers Warn "No
Time to Celebrate"
http://www.jointogether.org/y/0,2521,556572,00.html?U=85340
The Partnership For A Drug-Free America releases the results
of the 2002 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS) on
adolescent alcohol, tobacco and other drug attitudes and use.
  

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Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) announces the availability of "Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem." This 2-page Fact Sheet was written by Nels Ericson, a Writer/Editor in OJJDP's Information Dissemination and Planning Unit.

Research has long shown that the abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs is the single most serious health problem in the United States, straining the health care system, burdening the economy, and contributing to the health problems and deaths of millions of Americans every year. Today, substance abuse causes more deaths, illnesses, and disabilities than any other preventable health condition.
The Fact Sheet describes the report "Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health
Problem." Published by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the report tracks positive and negative trends in adult and youth smoking, drinking, and illicit drug use over the past three decades.
Resources:
"Substance Abuse: The Nation's Number One Health Problem" (FS 200117) is available free from the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse (JJC) in a medium to suit your needs. Please use the document number when ordering. Hardcopies can be ordered online at http://puborder.ncjrs.org/ or by writing JJC at P.O. Box 6000, Rockville, MD 20849-6000.
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Youth Exposure to Violence Linked to Drug Use
3/7/2003
Results from a teen survey show that adolescents who live in violent communities are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs, Reuters reported March 3.
The survey by researchers at Middelheim Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium, included 3,380 teens aged 14 to 17 living in urban regions in Belgium, Russia, and the United States.
The researchers found a link between alcohol and other drug use and teens being either directly threatened with violence or witnessing threats or acts of violence between others. For the survey, violent acts were defined as being mugged or beaten up, attacked with a knife or gun, chased, or wounded.
According to the researchers, the more violence teens witnessed, the more likely they were to smoke cigarettes or marijuana, consume alcohol, or use hard drugs.
Dr. Robert Vermeiren, who led the study, said this trend could be a "worldwide urban phenomenon."
"Prevention and treatment initiatives that target substance use and dependence should focus on the role of community violence as part of their intervention," the authors recommended.
The research is published in the March 2003 issue of the journal <http://www.pediatrics.org/>Pediatrics.
Vermeiren, R., Schwab-Stone, M., Deboutte, D., Leckman, P., & Ruchkin, V. (2003) Violence Exposure and Substance Use in Adolescents: Findings From Three Countries. Pediatrics, 111: 535-540.
end forwarded message
Kassin L. Laverty, M.S.
North Coastal/Bay Area Regional Coordinator
California Healthy Kids Survey
WestEd
300 Lakeside Drive, 18th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
1.888.841.7536
fax 510.302.4269

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Date: Mon, 27 May 2002 15:43:46 +0100
From: "Harvey Weiss, Executive Director" <nipc@io.com>
Subject: UPDATE
To: nipc@io.com
Reply-to: nipc@io.com
Organization: National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
Original-recipient: rfc822;terhune@4j.lane.edu
NIPC / NIPAW UPDATE
Greetings to all --
I wanted to send y‚all a „brief note to thank you for your
participation in this year‚s 10th Annual National Inhalant‚s & Poisons
Awareness Week (NIPAW). It was quite a success. We distributed over
2,700 local coordinator‚s kits. Not only did we have US participants,
but also involvement in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Guyana and
England. Kits were also sent to military bases in the US, Japan,
Germany and Kosovo. Reports and newspaper clips are coming in about
individual, local activities. National media coverage was astounding.
From January to May 1st, we have had over 90,000 visitors to our
website; mail and calls for resources and help have increased
significantly. Calls have come from organizations and individuals
(especially parents) who want to establish inhalant prevention efforts
in their communities. We continue to distribute coordinator kits as
educational resources, while supplies last. On the painful side, since
the middle of March we were informed of over 20 inhalant deaths: the
youngest was an 8 year old Alexandria, VA boy (propane) and the oldest
was a 48 year old computer software executive from the Raleigh, NC area
(helium). Two young men, in their early 20‚s, died together one
afternoon in the Knoxville, TN area (nitrous oxide). One young South
Carolina man was apparently murdered by two youths who were huffing
gasoline. And, tragically, in Chicago, a 17 year old, only child, died
on Mother‚s Day after using butane. Just this morning I was contacted
about the death of young Texas boy on May 10th (Freon). As many of you
are aware, we have a cadre of parents who had lost a child to inhalants
who contact parents who have experienced a recent loss and provide
support. I cannot begin to say how proud I am of these parents who
share their hearts and souls. Every now and then I am copied on an
e-mail and am stuck by the love, compassion and understanding that I
sense. Of the many things that we do, nothing can compare to being
able to reach out and touch people this way.
I would like to take note and thank our funding Partners who made this
year‚s campaign a reality: The National Institute on Drug Abuse, The
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration‚s Center for
Substance Prevention & Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the
Texas Commission on Alcohol & Drug Abuse. These are not faceless
institutions for us - many people there personally helped, supported and
guided us in this year‚s effort (not to mention putting up with me!) -
my heartfelt thanks to each of you. I would also like to say thank you
to individuals in other Federal Agencies and the White House Office of
National Drug Control Policy for their continued support of inhalant
prevention efforts. And to those organizations who were our campaign
promotional Partners - you made a difference and brought many new NIPAW
Partners to this year‚s campaign.
Since our last UPDATE a number of things have happened and additional
resources are available which I would like to cover in this UPDATE:
WISCONSIN INHALANT PREVENTION COALITION FORMS
In early May, Sister Bay was the site of the Wisconsin Inhalant
Prevention Coalition‚s first organizational meeting in. Thirty people
attended the meeting including representatives from prevention and
treatment programs, youth outreach workers, schools, poison control
center, state substance abuse agency, NIPC and health care. Also in
attendance was the district‚s State Representative and two Congressional
Representative‚s staffers. This effort is spear-headed by Laurie Culp,
a mom who lost her son Aaron to inhalants last June. The coalition has
already produced and mailed their first newsletter and a second meeting
is planned for June 22nd. If anyone has colleagues who would be
interested in joining this important initiative, please let me know.

JUST THE FACTS
According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA), since they
initiated their inhalant prevention efforts in 1995, there has been a
21% reduction in inhalant use. This decrease was noted in the Wall
Street Journal (WSJ) the other day and was articulated by Steve
Pasierb, Partnership for a Drug-Free America‚s President & CEO, at our
March news conference. The WSJ used this decrease as an example of
targeted, categorical ads getting results: „There is strong evidence
that media attention to the harmful effects of specific drugs has made a
difference.‰ I believe this. I also believe that attitude and choice
change happens on the local level. So much of what the NIPC and its
local Partners have accomplished has been media-driven at the community
level. The availability and use of high quality ads - PSA and print -
raises awareness, legitimizes an issue and gives support to local
prevention efforts.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
1. MARK YOUR CALENDARS, The Eleventh Annual National Inhalants &
Poisons Awareness Week (NIPAW) will be MARCH 16-22, 2003. A number of
groups have started making their plans for next year.
2. VERY IMPORTANT: We are currently working on an inhalant proposal
submission and could use your help. The proposal will accept letters of
support for our program. If you would like to help us with this, please
forward a letter through the mail. We are also inviting letters of
support and commitment from organizations for targeted, cooperative
inhalant prevention efforts.
3. There will be a satellite inhalant broadcast (which I will be on)
for law enforcement and community coalitions on Thursday, May 30th. For
more information and to sign up go to http://www.DLnets.com then click
on MCTFT CounterDrug Programming.
4. September 9 - 13, I will be conducting training throughout the great
state of Kentucky. Contact me for further information.
5. I have talking with the National Drug Council in the Cayman Islands
about doing a week of training and technical assistance (no, I am not
looking for volunteers to help carry my bags!).
6. Diane Stem, her son Ricky Junior died from inhalants a couple of
years ago, was interviewed for „The Faith and The Family Radio
Broadcast. For more information go to http://www.erlc.com/default.html
7. If anyone has inhalant events they would like me to put in our next
UPDATE, please let me know.

RESOURCES
Several valuable resources are available for inhalant prevention
efforts:
1. The Capitol Area Substance Abuse Council (CT) offers two, teacher
approved, inhalant prevention curricula: „Lets Learn About Inhalants‰
for Grades 6 - 8, and „The Adventures of Sniffy & His Smart Nose‰ for
Grades 3-5. This teacher friendly curricula has self-contained
instructional modules; lessons build on skills required on state mastery
tests; provides parent information sheets and family activities and
includes pre-test and post test instruments. Contact: Lori Zehe at
860/586-8838 or Lzehe@casac.org
2. The Health Network has available: „INHALANTS: THE INVISIBLE THREAT,
a full color, 90 minute slide presentation with 34 slides and a 36 page
discussion guide and script for adults (parents, educators,
professionals and/or community members) Up-to-date information on
abusable products, techniques, effects on the body & brain, treatment
issues, prevention strategies, etc. View sample slides at
http://www.healthnetwork.org Contact: Isabel Burk, 845/638-3569 or
isabel@healthnetwork.org
3. Re-Solv, the UK-wide solvent abuse prevention program has an
excellent on-line inhalant training program available at
http://www.re-solv.org
4. The National Clearinghouse on Alcohol & Drug Information (NCADI) has
available a series of two inhalant prevention postcards (get them while
they last). The postcard production was sponsored by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), based on posters done for the NIPC by ad
agency GSD&M (images are on our website). Contact NCADI at:
800/729-6686 or http://www.health.org
5. Virginia Department of Education, developed a K-12 Inhalants Teachers
Guide which is available on-line at
http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/INSTRUCTION/Inhalantbook.pdf. For more
information contact Arlene Cundiff at 232/225-2871.
6. Project ALERT has a very strong inhalant component in their
curricula. For more information visit their website at
http://www.projectalert.best.org or call 800/ALERT-10.
7. Sandy Cook, Victoria, Australia, reports that a discussion paper on
a comprehensive approach to inhalant abuse is on their website at
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au.dcpc then click on „Current Inquiry.‰
Sandy would like comments; she can be reached at
sandy.cook@parliament.vic.gov.au
NIPAW ACTIVITIES: (Please contact us with information about your NIPAW
activities and send us any newspaper clips, pictures, etc. so we can put
them in our next UPDATE)

Back to Other Drugs Index
MARIJUANA
MARIJUANA

California State University, Fullerton Library
Websites for Research on Marijuana. Go to page:
http://guides.library.fullerton.edu/marijuana_research/#WEB
ACLU Drug Policy
* Addiction Search
* Drug Policy Alliance
* Fact Sheets
* FirstGov [search: marijuana]
* HealthFinder [search: marijuana]
* Marijuana Publications
* National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
* National Institute on Drug Abuse
* NIDA InfoFax
* NIDA Notes: Marijuana
* Office of National Drug Control Strategy
* Pulse Check: Trends in Drug Abuse
* Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
* TRAC: Federal Drug Sentences Substantially Down [for drug crimes]
* Web of Addictions

Index to Detailed Items on NIDA's Marijuana Report:
http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/marijuana/
What is marijuana?
What is the scope of marijuana use in the United States?
How does marijuana affect the brain?
What are the acute effects of marijuana use?
How does marijuana use affect physical health?
How does marijuana use affect school, work, and social life?
Can marijuana use during pregnancy harm the baby?
Is marijuana use addictive?
What treatments are available for marijuana abusers?
Where can I get further scientific information about marijuana?
Glossary and References

Is Treatment Effective on Marijuana Addicts?
http://www.uchc.edu/ocomm/newsreleases01/may01/marijuana.html

Major Review of Marijuana Research
http://www.jointogether.org/sa/news/summaries/reader/0,1854,555032,00.html

Marijuana Research Review, February 1998, Drug Watch Oregon.
http://www.sarnia.com/groups/antidrug/research/mrr.html

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 From the Director, National Institutes of Drug Abuse. October, 2002
In the 1970s, the baby boom generation was coming of age, and its drug of choice was marijuana. By 1979, more than 60 percent of 12th-graders had tried marijuana at least once in their lives. From this peak, the percentage of 12th-graders who had ever used marijuana decreased for more than a decade, dropping to a low of 33 percent in 1992. However, in 1993, first-time marijuana use by 12th-graders was on the upswing, reaching 50 percent by 1997. Although the percentage of 12th-graders who have experience with marijuana has remained roughly level since then, there is still reason to be concerned.1 In 1999, more than 2 million Americans used marijuana for the first time. Two-thirds of them were between the ages of 12 and 17.2 Furthermore, the marijuana that is available today can be 5 times more potent than the marijuana of the 1970s.3
The use of marijuana can produce adverse physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral changes, and - contrary to popular belief - it can be addictive. Marijuana smoke, like cigarette smoke, can harm the lungs.4,5,6 The use of marijuana can impair short-term memory,7,8 verbal skills,9 and judgment10 and distort perception.11,12,13 It also may weaken the immune system14,15,16,17 and possibly increase a user's likelihood of developing cancer.15,18 Finally, the increasing use of marijuana by very young teens may have a profoundly negative effect upon their development.9,19,20,21,22
We hope that this research report will help make readers aware of our current knowledge of marijuana abuse and its harmful effects.
Glen R. Hanson, Ph.D., D.D.S.
Acting Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
NEW HARVARD/NIDA STUDY EXAMINES EFFECT OF MARIJUANA USE IN MID-TEENS OR YOUNGER, Spring 2003

There is evidence that individuals who start to smoke marijuana at an early age-while the brain is still developing-show deficits in cognition that are not seen in individuals who begin use of the drug when they are older.

The reasons for this difference are unclear. Scientists from the Harvard Medical School and from the intramural research program of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found lasting cognitive deficits in those who started to smoke marijuana before age 17.

The researchers analyzed neuropsychological test results from 122 long-term heavy users of marijuana and 87 subjects who had used marijuana only a few times (control subjects). Sixty-nine of the 122 users started using marijuana at age 17 or before. The subjects were between the ages of 30 and 55 at the time of the study, and all had refrained from any drug use 28 days prior to testing.

Individuals who started using marijuana at age 17 or younger performed significantly worse on the tests assessing verbal functions such as verbal IQ and memory of word lists than did those who started using marijuana later in life or who had used the drug sparingly. There were virtually no differences in test results among the individuals who started marijuana use after age 17 and the control subjects.

Youth who use marijuana before their mid-teens may show long-term deficits in certain verbal skills-but the reasons for these deficits are not yet clear. Dr. Harrison Pope and colleagues published the study in the March 2003 issue of the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

To read NIDA's press release, visit
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2003-05/niod-smu050203.php.

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Back to Other Drugs Index

Websites
Websites on Alcohol
Websites on Marijuana
1. Research Political Contributions
e.g., money being donated by Anheuser Busch, Oregon Beverage PAC, Miller Brewing, Distilled Spirits Council of the US and others.
www.followthemoney.org
2. Website for increasing Oregon' s alcohol tax:
www.oregonalcoholtax.org
3. College Drinking News - abstracts
http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov
4. Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws
http://www.udetc.org/
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Alcohol Policies Project
Phone: (202) 332-9110, ext. 385
www.cspinet.org/booze

National Institute on Drug Abuse: Marijuana
http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugpages/marijuana.html

United States Office of National Drug Control Policy
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
/drugfact/marijuana/index.html

Drug Enforcement Administration
Marijuana Facts & Why Not Medical Marijuana
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana.html

Websites on Inhalants
Websites on Club Drugs
K-12 Inhalants Teachers Guide which is available on-line at
http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/INSTRUCTION
/Inhalantbook.pdf
Project Alert Activities on Inhalants
http://www.projectalert.best.org
National Institutes on Drug Abuse
http://www.clubdrugs.org/
Websites with Information on All Drugs
Website on Tobacco

National Center on Addiction & Substance Abuse at Columbia University
http://www.casacolumbia.org
Join Together Online
http://www.jointogether.org
Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
http://www.mentalhealth.org
Lane County, Oregon - Prevention
www.lanecounty.org/prevention
The National Clearinghouse on Alcohol & Drug Information (NCADI)
http://www.health.org
White House Drug Policy
http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.org
Substance Abuse Chartbook", 131 pages, download from
http://substanceabuse.rwjf.org
This is the best presentation of substance abuse
statistics I've seen, both because of its graphic presentation values,
and because it provides context, e.g., among other things it presents
youth substance abuse in the context of adult substance abuse.
Drug Enforcement Administration
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/
pressrel/pr112801.htm
Topics:  Drug Trafficking & Abuse, Drug Information, Drug Trafficking, State Factsheets, Law Enforcement, Recent Cases,
   Major Operations, Intelligence Reports, DEA Fugitives
   Training Opportunities, Drug Policy,Controlled Substances Act,
   Federal Trafficking Penalties, Drug Scheduling

Oregon Tobacco Facts
http://www.healthoregon.org/tobacco
University of Michigan Categories of Tobacco Websites to Search
http://www.umich.edu/~umtrn/websites.html
Tobacco News & Information
Government Organizations
Tobacco Control Organizations
Voluntary and Professional Societies
Cessation Sites
Tobacco Companies
Pro-Tobacco Sites
Journals and Magazines
Sites with Multiple Additional Tobacco Links
Tobacco Document Links
Miscellaneous

The Foundation for a Smokefree America
www.Tobacco.org
Research any tobacco question or issue. Their news database contains daily summaries of every news article concerning tobacco, taken from four US newspapers: USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post and the New York Times. Their database goes back several years, and now contains over 100,000 news articles about tobacco issues. It is very easy to search.

Tobacco Free Coalition of Oregon
http://www.tobaccofreeoregon.org/pages/about.htm

Red Ribbon Works
http://www.redribbonworks.org/preventionresources
/tobaccofacts/


Other Websites on Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs (ATOD)
From: MENDEZ FOUNDATION
http://www.mendezfoundation.org/resources/helpfullinks/general.htm
Very Long List of Resources
NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse Resources)
http://165.112.78.61/Prevention/RESORC.html
Websites, Contact Information, Street Addresses


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Public Service Announcements

Alcohol PSA's
Teen Drinking Affects the Brain. Heavy drinking among adolescents could be dangerous to the still developing brain. One study of heavy drinkers showed less oxygen in the brain where problem solving, planning and judgment occurs compared to non-drinkers. This brain area is still developing until we turn 16. Oxygen is vital to healthy brain function. Are you going to drink and take this risk?
The More A Beer Company Spends on Advertising, the More Adolescents Drink Their Product. For example, Budweiser/Bud Light spent the most by far (over $492 million) and got 44% of the 7-12th graders who drink beer. Next, Miller Beer spent the next most (over $262 million) and got 39% of 7-12th graders to drink their beer.
These Companies believe youth are an easy target. Will you let them persuade you to drink?
Did you know that heavy drinkers are also more likely to use marijuana and other drugs? Why do you think that’s true?
Peer Pressure is Very Strong! Are you someone who can’t say no to a friend? Evidence suggests that if your friends use alcohol, you are also very likely to use alcohol. What will you do when a friend offers you a drink? Will you be a rock or quicksand? Will you keep that friend?
In Eugene about 80% of eighth graders don’t drink alcohol. Isn’t it encouraging to know that you non-drinkers are in the very large majority!!
Eighth graders with better grades report less alcohol use than those with lower graders.
Why do you think students with better grades drink less?
Youth who abuse alcohol may remember 10% less of what they have learned than those who don’t drink. People don’t remember nearly everything they are taught anyway. What if you took another 10% of your memory away?
Eighth grade survey results reveal that more truancy occurs with more alcohol use.
Why would more alcohol use cause students to escape school more often?
One national survey found that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are close to people at school, are a part of their school, and feel that teachers treat students fairly. Get involved. Be a friend. Speak calmly, but clearly to your teachers about fair practices.
The pressure to drink alcohol will expand to more and more students every year.
Get your refusal strategies in line. Seek friends who don’t want negative consequences. Set your eyes on a successful future now.
Are you a young person who thinks drinking alcohol is cool? Think twice. It’s addicting, it ruins good judgment, it interferes with school, it’s against the law, and it causes severe headaches, stomach cramps, and vomiting
Alcohol is legally used by a majority of adults, but it’s still a drug!
It’s addicting. Youth can become addicted sooner that adults. Damage to youth developing systems is more severe. Addicted people have severe withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop drinking.
Do you live with someone addicted to alcohol?
Seek help. Alanon and Alateen are programs designed to help youth with family alcohol problems.
Here’s what Mathew from Michigan wrote about alcohol. “I’ve seen alcohol at work in my family and that’s enough for a lifetime. I’m not drinking.”



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Factors Causing Teens to Have Sex
"A survey of teenagers finds that peer pressure, illicit drugs, and alcohol are the three main factors that push teens toward sex, the Associated Press reported May 20.
The study of youth attitudes about sex, the risk of pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases was released by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
According to the survey of 15- to 17-year-olds, one in five teens said they have had unprotected sex after drinking or using illicit drugs. In addition, eight in 10 teens said most of their peers drink or use illicit drugs before having sex.
The survey found that boys are more likely to feel pressure to have sex from other boys, as opposed to boys pressuring girls. In addition, the pressure to drink alcohol and use drugs was greater for boys than girls."
Data derived from the National Survey of Adolescents and Young Adults: Sexual Health Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences, from the Kaiser Family Foundation. To view the summary or full report online, go to: http://www.kff.org/content/2003/3218/

Credits: Scenic photos on this page from: http://www.freestockphotos.com