Prevent Impaired Driving This Holiday Season

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently kicked off a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving coinciding with the 2011 winter holiday season. New data show drunk-driving deaths declined in 2010 in many parts of the country. However, the data also show that fatalities from alcohol-impaired driving crashes continue to account for one in three deaths on American roadways each year.

"Safety is our focus year round at DOT. But this holiday season, we're stepping up our efforts to get drunk drivers off our roads and reminding Americans 'drive sober, or get pulled over,' " LaHood said in a news release. "We're making gains in our fight against drunk driving, but we cannot and will not let up."

New state-by-state data for 2010 released by the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show a decline in drunk driving fatalities in 32 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Compared with 2009, California and Florida saw the largest reductions — with each declining by more than 100 fatalities last year.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have outlawed driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. Yet NHTSA data show that last year, 10,228 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, including 415 during the second half of December alone.

The education and enforcement effort is the latest push in the Department's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign involving thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country. The winter holiday enforcement crackdown is supported by a $7 million national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over advertisement campaign that started last Friday and goes through Jan. 2. The ads, which first premiered last summer, feature "invisible" law enforcement officers observing alcohol-impaired individuals and then apprehending them when they attempt to drive their vehicles. The ads are designed to raise awareness and support law enforcement activities in every state. They convey the message that law enforcement officers are vigilant in deterring drunk drivers. Due to the number of driving fatalities during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, President Barack Obama has declared December National Impaired Driving Prevention Month and set a national goal of reducing drugged driving by 10 percent by 2015.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Targets Youth in Marijuana Prevention Campaign

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) has launched a marijuana prevention campaign targeting youth in Marshall County. The campaign titled, “Don’t Get Defined,” focuses on youth making smart decisions when confronted with marijuana use.

The campaign includes a 15-second commercial, a billboard, and more than 200 posters distributed to local middle and high schools. John Marshall High School students in a video editing class created the 15-second commercial.

Marijuana remains the most popular drug among teens. Marijuana use increased for the fourth year in a row after a decade of decline. Nearly 7% of high school seniors report smoking marijuana daily, according to "Monitoring the Future," the nation's most comprehensive survey of teenage drug use.

"It's the highest percentage we have seen in about 30 years," said Jon Lewis, Drug Free Communities Coordinator. He added that this growing numbers of teens don't think marijuana is dangerous.

On the other hand, tobacco and alcohol use are at their lowest levels since the survey began in 1975, Lewis said. "Kids consider smoking cigarettes to be dangerous. They are staying away from it and I think this has a lot to do with all of the media campaigns against smoking.”

According to the survey, half of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug at some time, 40% reported using one or more drugs in the past year, and a quarter said they had used one or more drugs in the past month. Among 10th-graders, 38% said they had tried an illicit drug, the survey found.

To combat this growing problem for teens, the MCADC has developed a media campaign to try to educate youth that marijuana is not safe and not a smart decision. In addition to the campaign, the coalition hosted a two-day Highway Drug Interdiction Training last month for local law enforcement officials, and has provided Moundsville Police Department with funds to increase surveillance and patrols. The coalition will be hosting forums to help educate youth about the dangers and legal ramifications of marijuana use next year.

The MCADC is an initiative of the Marshall County FRN. The “Don’t Get Defined,” marijuana prevention campaign was paid for with Federal Drug Free Communities funds.

The MCADC is a non-profit organization working to make Marshall County a safe and drug-free community. For more information on substance abuse prevention or the MCADC, please contact (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

More Teens using Synthetic Drugs

Nearly one in nine high school seniors have gotten high in the past year on synthetic drugs, such as "K2" or "Spice," second only to the number of teens who have used marijuana, a new survey shows.

"Monitoring the Future," the nation's most comprehensive survey of teenage drug use, found 11.4% of the high school seniors had used the synthetic substances, often packed as potpourri or herbal incense and sold in convenience stores, which mimic the effects of marijuana.

"It is astounding," said Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa. "I don't think they have any idea how dangerous these synthetic drugs are."

Latham co-sponsored a bill to outlaw 16 synthetic compounds that mimic marijuana and 15 synthetic hallucinogens after an Indianola teen shot himself after taking K2 in July 2010. Latham's bill passed last week. A Senate bill, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is awaiting action by the full Senate.

K2 and Spice emerged as a problem in 2008, and their popularity appears to be rising. Poison control centers handled 5,741 calls about the drugs in the first 10 months of 2011, nearly double the 2,915 calls received in all of 2010, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. People who smoke the chemical-coated herbs may experience euphoria, but bad reactions are common, including convulsions, anxiety attacks, dangerously elevated heart rates, vomiting and suicidal thoughts.

Federal officials became so alarmed that the Drug Enforcement Administration used its emergency powers in March to outlaw the substances. More than 40 states have also passed laws banning them.

"The next survey we do in spring 2012 will tell us a lot about how this ban has worked," said Lloyd Johnston, the survey's principal investigator.

Marijuana remains the most popular drug among teens. Marijuana use increased for the fourth year in a row after a decade of decline. Nearly 7% of high school seniors report smoking marijuana daily, the survey found.

"It's the highest rate we've seen in 30 years, so something is going on," Johnston said. He added that growing numbers of teens don't see marijuana as dangerous.

"That's a very bad indicator," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "Either we do something to change that, or we will continue to see increases."

Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office on National Drug Policy, said state legalization of marijuana for medical use is influencing teens.

"We're sending young people the wrong message when we call it medicine," he said.

Half of high school seniors reported having tried an illicit drug at some time, 40% reported using one or more drugs in the past year, and a quarter said they had used one or more drugs in the past month, the survey found. Among 10th-graders, 38% said they had tried an illicit drug.

Tobacco and alcohol use are at their lowest levels since the survey began in 1975, Johnston said. "Kids consider smoking (cigarettes) to be dangerous. They aren't even trying it," he said.

The survey, conducted by the University of Michigan, questions 47,000 students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades in 400 public and private schools around the nation. It is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health.

December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

President Barack Obama issued a proclamation naming December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, urging all Americans to make responsible decisions and take appropriate measures to prevent impaired driving:

Though we have made progress in the fight to reduce drunk driving, our Nation continues to suffer an unacceptable loss of life from traffic accidents that involve drugs, alcohol, and distracted driving. To bring an end to these heartbreaking outcomes, we must take action by promoting rigorous enforcement measures and effective substance abuse prevention programs. During National Impaired Driving Prevention Month, we recommit to preventing tragedy before it strikes by ensuring our family members and friends stay safe, sober, and drug-free on the road.

As we strive to reduce the damage drug use inflicts upon our communities, we must address the serious and growing threat drunk, drugged, and distracted driving poses to all Americans. Alcohol and drugs, both illicit and prescribed, can impair judgment, reaction time, motor skills, and memory, eroding a person's ability to drive safely and responsibly. Distracted driving, including the use of electronic equipment behind the wheel, can also put lives at risk. To confront these issues, my Administration is working to decrease the incidence of drugged driving by 10 percent over the next 5 years as part of our 2011 National Drug Control Strategy. We are collaborating with State and local governments to bolster enforcement efforts, implement more effective legislation, and support successful, evidence-based prevention programs. These ongoing initiatives are supplemented by our Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which aims to deter impaired driving during the holiday season.

While enforcement and legislation are critical elements of our strategy, we know that the parents, educators, and community leaders who work with young people every day are our Nation's best advocates for responsible decision-making.

Research suggests that younger drivers are particularly susceptible to the hazards of drugged driving. To help our families and communities build awareness about impaired driving, my Administration released a toolkit that includes information about drugged driving, discussion guides, and tip sheets for preventing driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

Appalachian States See Increase in Marijuana

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Appalachian states have seen an increase in marijuana production, and a federal drug official said Thursday that a sour economy may have turned some people in need of cash to the clandestine crop.

Ed Shemelya, head of marijuana eradication for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's efforts in Appalachia, said helicopter spotters and ground crews found and cut more than 1.1 million plants worth some $2 billion in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia during the 2011 growing season.

That was an increase of more than 100,000 plants over 2010.

Shemelya estimated that local, state and federal authorities rooted out roughly half of the marijuana being grown in the impoverished central Appalachian region where, he said, economic woes are fueling cultivation.

"It is no secret that all three states have been adversely impacted by economic problems," he said. "The only thing that really separates them is the state line. There's not a lot of opportunity, and when things get really, really tough, people gravitate toward marijuana cultivation."

Shemelya said authorities confiscated 550,000 plants in Tennessee, 385,000 in Kentucky and 185,000 in West Virginia. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates the street value of an average mature plant at $2,000.

"It's hugely profitable, and that's why we continue to deal with it year after year," Shemelya said.

Marijuana growers in Appalachia, Shemelya said, can be hard-core criminals or hard-luck entrepreneurs supplementing their income. Most of the crops that authorities find in the region are less than 100 plants, which can easily be tended by a single grower.

The region, a haven for moonshiners during Prohibition, has a near-perfect climate for marijuana cultivation, plus remote forests that help growers to camouflage their crops.

Sociologist Roy Silver, a New York City native who has spent 30 years in central Appalachia, said several factors are at play, including the economy of a region that he said was suffering long before the national recession.

"Generally speaking, if people go to an alternative means of sustaining their family, if there's not employment opportunities, it's more likely that they turn to the illegal underground economy," Silver said.

Authorities point to stricter border controls that have made it more difficult to import pot from Mexico. They say that has pushed up demand for domestically grown marijuana at a time when law enforcement authorities are being pinched by budget cuts.

Shemelya said investigators were being told early in the year that growers believed those budget cuts would mean fewer spotters in the air over Appalachia and fewer cutters on the mountainsides, making this an opportune time for growers to plant.

"All the law enforcement agencies of the three states are feeling the fiscal impacts of our economy," he said. "And I am amazed by the quality of work that's being done. We do our very best to get everything, and work diligently to find it, identify who is cultivating it, and arrest those we can."

Early Intervention Program Reduces Youth Substance Abuse in WV

A pilot program in Logan and Mercer counties is cutting down on youth substance abuse in the Mountain State. WV’s Substance Abuse Early Intervention Program (EIP) targets youth ages 12-18 who have just begun to use alcohol, tobacco, or other substances and/or are engaging in delinquent behavior often associated with substance use. Since its inception in 2010, 65 youth have completed the program, which enhances accurate understanding of the risks of alcohol, tobacco, & other drug (ATOD) use and develops ATOD refusal skills.

The program also provides an alternative option for youth who may be on their way into the juvenile justicesystem. “WV’s Early Intervention Program is appropriate for youth who fall BETWEEN the stages of needing primary prevention services and those who need actual substance abuse treatment,” says Jamie Albert, WV EIP Statewide Coordinator. “Youth in need of counseling, therapy or other treatment services are NOT appropriate candidates for the EIP.” Youth are referred to the local programs by the WV Department of Health & Human Resources (WV DHHR), school personnel, the court system, and parents. EIP Specialists conduct a screening assessment with referred youth to confirm eligibility to participate. Youth who opt to participate and their parents attend separate two-hour orientation sessions. Youth then experience a 12 hour evidence-based prevention education course. Classes are usually six two-hour sessions over a two week period. The curriculum addresses the consequences of substance use and decision making skills. A parenting and wellness workshop
is also available to parents.

WV’s EIP is based on a similar statewide initiative in Kentucky, which has proven to prevent teen substance use. A recent evaluation report on the pilot programs in Logan and Mercer counties confirms increased risk perceptions of substance abuse, increased disapproval substance abuse, and decreased intentions to further use drugs. The report is available at http://www.prevnet.org/earlyintervention/default.aspx.

WV’s EIP is funded by Drug Free WV grants (Purdue Pharma Asset Forfeiture Funds) and a federal Projects of Regional and National Significance grant. The program is administered by the WV Prevention Resource Center, an affiliate of Marshall University. Local contractors facilitate the EIP at the county level.

Chewing Tobacco Not Allowed by Major League Baseball Players

This week, Major League Baseball announced it would no longer allow the use of chewing tobacco when fans are present, ending a longstanding tradition, but pleasing health advocates who say it’s a long overdue social norm change.

Since baseball became a professional sport in the mid-19th century, players and coaches have been tucking tobacco between their gums and cheeks and spitting out brown saliva. It's a ritual that has permeated the game.

Senate leaders and health officials have been calling on Major League Baseball to get tough on tobacco. Dr. Cynthia Simmons, Arlington, Texas’ public health authority, and Pamela Walker, her counterpart in St. Louis, Mo., asked their respective hometown baseball players to refrain from using smokeless tobacco throughout the recent World Series and asked the MLB Players Association to discuss a ban on smokeless tobacco in the 2012 contract negotiations. Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig promised anti-tobacco groups that he would propose a ban on smokeless tobacco during 2012 contract talks.

Prevention advocates say a big part of the problem is that young people aren’t aware of the dangers posed by spit tobacco and many believe it’s safer than smoking cigarettes. However, research shows that spit tobacco can be as harmful as cigarettes. In fact, according to Tobaccofacts.org, a person who uses eight to 10 dips or chews of tobacco a day receives the same amount of nicotine as a heavy smoker who smokes 30 to 40 cigarettes a day. The American Cancer Society notes that oral tobacco can cause cancer of the mouth, pancreas, and esophagus, in addition to many other health problems, such as gum disease, destruction of the bone sockets around the teeth, and tooth loss.

The practice is such a problem among the communities that CADCA member-coalitions across West Virginia have joined forces to launch a campaign that aims to cut down on spit tobacco use—a growing problem in West Virginia. The campaign, "Save Face: Stop Spit Tobacco," counters the tobacco industry’s century-old advertising strategy to market their products by painting barns in rural areas.

Greg Puckett, Executive Director of West Virginia’s Community Connections, says this week’s news of the Major Leagues prohibiting players from using “snuff” is probably the best news he has heard about tobacco in the past several years.

“This is a huge environmental change shift, affecting fans of Major League Baseball and raising the bar for fans and players all the way down to the Little League,” Puckett said.

Rural Teens Who Volunteer, Help Others Have Lower Levels of Substance Use

Young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 report the highest rates of substance use and dependence, according to the National Survey on Drug Use & Health. A new study from the University of Missouri found that rural adolescents who engage in pro-social behaviors, such as volunteering and helping others, are less likely to use substances as young adults.

Gustavo Carlo, Millsap Professor of Diversity in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, examined data from surveys given to a group of rural youths from junior high school to young adulthood. Carlo found that pro-social behaviors serve as protective factors against adolescents engaging in risky behaviors. Thus, teens who engage in more pro-social behaviors are less likely to get drunk or use marijuana as young adults.

"Pro-social behaviors are good for society and communities, but also they are a marker of moral development," Carlo said. "Parents want their kids to be kind, selfless, considerate and respectful. We now have evidence that these pro-social behaviors make adolescents less likely to break moral codes and engage in illegal activities like getting drunk and smoking marijuana."

The study focused on rural youths because previous research indicates they may be more apt to use illicit substances earlier, putting them at risk for developing addiction problems as adults. Rural communities tend to be more spread out, making it difficult for adolescents to get transportation to events and activities. In addition, rural communities often have less access to recreation centers, spaces for meetings, volunteers to run programs and funding for organized activities.

"There is a tendency for youths to take part in risky behaviors if they are not engaged in positive, structured activities," Carlo said. "Many rural communities have suffered from the economic downturn and are unable to offer opportunities for youth activities. Financial stress can also affect the psychological health of parents making them less cognizant of how children spend their time."

Carlo says the research has important implications for substance use prevention and intervention programs aimed at teens.

"Research shows that prevention programs are more effective and economical," Carlo said. "If we can develop programs that foster pro-social behaviors, we know the programs will decrease the likelihood that adolescents will use substances in adulthood.

The study, "The Longitudinal Relationships Between Rural Adolescents' Pro-social Behaviors and Young Adult Substance Use," was published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence.

NIDA Study Finds Sustained Buprenorphine/Naloxone Effective at Treating Painkiller Abuse

People addicted to prescription painkillers reduce their opioid abuse when given sustained treatment with the medication buprenorphine plus naloxone (Suboxone), according to research published in yesterday’s Archives of General Psychiatry and conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health. The study, which was the first randomized large scale clinical trial using a medication for the treatment of prescription opioid abuse, also showed that the addition of intensive opioid dependence counseling provided no added benefit.

"The study suggests that patients addicted to prescription opioid painkillers can be effectively treated in primary care settings using Suboxone," said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. "However, once the medication was discontinued, patients had a high rate of relapse — so, more research is needed to determine how to sustain recovery among patients addicted to opioid medications."

Pain medications are beneficial when used as prescribed, but they have significant abuse liability, especially when taken for non-medical reasons. This study examined whether the FDA-approved medication Suboxone could help combat this growing problem. Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine to reduce opioid craving plus naloxone, which causes withdrawal symptoms in someone addicted to opioids if Suboxone were taken by a route other than orally, as prescribed. This combination was specifically designed to prevent abuse and diversion of buprenorphine and was one of the first to be eligible for prescribing under the Drug Addiction Treatment Act, which permits specially trained physicians to prescribe certain FDA approved medications for the treatment of opioid addiction.

In the study, more than 600 treatment-seeking outpatients addicted to prescription opioids received Suboxone in combination with brief standard medical management, in which physicians evaluated treatment effectiveness and recommended abstinence and self-help participation. Half of the participants also received varying intensities of addiction counseling as provided by trained substance abuse or mental health professionals.

Results showed that approximately 49 percent of participants reduced prescription painkiller abuse during extended (at least 12-week) Suboxone treatment. This success rate dropped to 8.6 percent once Suboxone was discontinued. Reductions in prescription painkiller abuse were seen regardless of whether or not the patient reported suffering chronic pain, and participants who received intensive addiction counseling did not show better outcomes when compared to those who did not receive this additional counseling.

The study can be found online at http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/archgenpsychiatry.2011.121

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Hosts Training for Law Enforcement

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) hosted two Highway Drug Interdiction trainings for law enforcement on October 24 -25 and October 26 – 27 at the Moundsville Training Center. The Highway Interdiction Training Specialists (HITS) based out of Texas presented the trainings.

Law enforcement from across 6 counties attended the training sessions, including; 23 law enforcement that attended the “Criminal Patrol/Drug Interdiction” course on October 24 – 25. As well as, 26 law enforcement in attendance for the “Advanced Roadside Interview Techniques For Patrol Officers” course on October 26 – 27. Each two-day course credited law enforcement attendees with 16 CEU hours for their continued education requirements. “First of all, I would like to thank the Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition for sponsoring this invaluable training for law enforcement officers responsible for the safety of the community,” said Ronnie Stiltner, HITS Training Specialist.

“The training that Highway Interdiction Training Specialists Inc. provided to the officers from Marshall County and the surrounding area will play an instrumental role in how the police continue to impact the drug problem from a patrol perspective. The courses taught to these officers provides them with the training they need in order to detect drug offenses as well as other criminal activity that a person may be trying to conceal when contacted or stopped for a traffic offense,” said Stiltner.

Literally hundreds of thousands of patrol officers throughout the country conduct traffic stops on a daily basis. In fact, traffic enforcement is one of the most important public services performed by uniformed patrol officers. The majority of those motorists that are stopped are productive citizens of the community who have merely committed a traffic infraction. However, the remaining traffic stops involve those who are committing crime. The officer is tasked with conducting positive encounters with motorists as well as challenged with apprehending those who are committing unlawful acts. Many of these unlawful acts are not readily evident and require awareness and interview skills by the officer to uncover or detect the criminal activity; without those skills the officer is apt to unknowingly release those who are committing crime.

“The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition recognizes that there are many ways to help prevent substance abuse in our community. We know that working with law enforcement to better recognize those who may be transporting drugs into our community is an important issue,” said Jon Lewis, Drug Free Communities Coordinator.

Throughout the trainings, officers learned effective ways to communicate with people and to watch for deceptive behavior that allows them to assess someone for criminal activity. They also gained an understanding of the pervasive drug problem and proven techniques that allow them to seize drugs and arrest those responsible for making them available. The techniques and understanding that the officers received provides a professional law enforcement approach to the drug problem in the area.

“Officers will be able to go back to their respective agencies and immediately apply the training that will show for itself with positive results,” said Stiltner. “The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition is a great example of how law enforcement and the community work together to solve problems. I would like to thank everyone for an excellent training session. The officers were outstanding and greatly participated in answering questions and getting involved in the discussions during class.”

The HITS Specialists were paid for with Federal Drug Free Communities funds.

The MCADC is a non-profit organization working to make Marshall County a safe and drug-free community. For more information on substance abuse prevention or the MCADC, please contact (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

NIH Releases Clinician’s Guide for Screening Underage Drinkers

Based on just two questions from a newly released guide, health care professionals could spot children and teenagers at risk for alcohol-related problems. “Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner's Guide,” is now available from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Developed in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics, clinical researchers, and health practitioners, the guide introduces a two-question screening tool and an innovative youth alcohol risk estimator to help clinicians overcome time constraints and other common barriers to youth alcohol screening.

"We know that alcohol is by far the drug of choice among youth," NIAAA acting director Kenneth R. Warren, said. "Underage drinking is also a marker for other unhealthy behaviors and it often goes undetected. This new tool was designed to allow busy practitioners who manage the health and well-being of children and adolescents to conduct fast, effective alcohol screens and brief interventions."

Research has shown that over the course of adolescence, the proportion of youth who have had more than just a few sips of alcohol increases dramatically, from 7 percent of 12-year-olds to nearly 70 percent of 18-year-olds. Binge drinking is dangerous and common, and increases with age. Underage drinking is associated with many adverse outcomes, ranging from immediate consequences such as academic and social problems, injuries, and death, to longer-term consequences including increased risk for alcohol dependence as well as potentially enduring functional and structural changes in the brain.

To develop the shortest possible screening tool with the strongest evidence for predicting current and future alcohol problems in youth, NIAAA convened a working group of researchers to conduct extensive analyses of underage drinking data. Their analyses indicated that just two questions, one that asks about friends' drinking, and another that asks about personal drinking frequency, had the greatest predictive power. Examples of these questions, which vary slightly for elementary, middle, and high school ages, include:

• Friends' drinking: "Do you have any friends who drank beer, wine, or any drink containing alcohol in the past year?"

• Personal drinking: "How about you--in the past year, on how many days have you had more than a few sips of beer, wine, or any drink containing alcohol?"

The friends' drinking question is an early warning signal that strongly predicts future drinking levels, while the personal drinking question is the best predictor of current risk for alcohol-related harm in adolescents who are already drinking. These questions can be asked quickly, an extremely important factor for clinicians and their patients.

In addition to the new two-question screen, the guide presents the first youth alcohol risk estimator chart, which combines information about a patient's age and drinking frequency to give a clinician a broad indication of the patient's chances for having alcohol-related problems. Coupled with what a clinician already knows about a patient, the risk estimator can help determine the depth and content of the clinician's response. The guide outlines different levels of intervention, with tips for topics to cover. It also presents an overview of brief motivational interviewing, an interactive, youth-friendly intervention that is considered to have the best potential effectiveness for the adolescent population.

“Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth: A Practitioner's Guide,” and its accompanying pocket-sized version, can be downloaded or ordered from the NIAAA website. It can also be ordered from NIAAA by calling 301-443-3860.

FRN Launches Smart Disposal Campaign in Region

Moundsville W.Va - The Marshall County Family Resource Network (FRN) has launched a campaign to promote the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Oct. 29. The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal campaign is launching in 16 counties throughout the region as part of the United in Prevention Project. The focus of the effort is to get commonly abused prescription drugs out of circulation.

The campaign focuses on safe and responsible ways to store and dispose of prescription drugs. It also highlights the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Oct. 29 from 10am – 2pm. On this day, the community can take any expired, unused or unwanted prescription drugs to local collection sites for disposal. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.

Marshall County has four collection sites including the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Moundsville Police Department, WV State Police Detachment, and the Cameron Volunteer Fire Department.

“Many people do not know how to properly dispose of their unused medicine, often flushing them down the toilet or throwing them away – this can have harmful effects to our water supply and pose a public safety issue. The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal Campaign encourages participation in the Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and highlights responsible ways to store and dispose of prescription drugs at home,” said Jon Lewis, drug free communities coordinator at the FRN.

More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.

“Many people are unaware that the medicines in their home cabinets are highly susceptible to theft and misuse. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing problem for our youth, and take-back events like this one are an indispensable tool for reducing the circulation of these commonly abused drugs,” said Lewis.

For more information on prescription drug abuse, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, or The Safe Storage. Smart Disposal. Campaign, please visit United in Prevention’s website at www.unitedinprevention.com.

The FRN’s United in Prevention Project includes 16 counties: Brooke, Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Hancock, Harrison, Marion, Marshall, Monongalia, Ohio, Pleasants, Ritchie, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood Counties. This effort is the first of its kind to mobilize these counties in a unified force working for substance abuse prevention programs and practices. United in Prevention is funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.

The Marshall County FRN is a non-profit organization that is helping to make Marshall County a better place to live and work. For more information on the FRN or United in Prevention, please contact the Marshall County FRN at (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition Dedicates Rx Return to Moundsville Police Department

Moundsville, WV – The Marshall County Anti-Drug Coalition (MCADC) dedicated a permanent prescription drug drop off box, named “Rx Return,” to the Moundsville Police Department on Thursday, October 13. The MCADC and the Moundsville Police Department have partnered to provide the community with a safe and responsible way to return unused, unwanted or expired prescription drugs for disposal.

The misuse of prescription medications that are intended for treating many health conditions has become the leading cause of prescription drug abuse—making prescription pain reliever medications one of the leading abused substances nationwide, second only to marijuana. “We are working together to combat this problem. We have a common goal and that is to educate the community on ways to properly dispose of prescription drugs,” said Moundsville Police Chief, Tom Mitchell. “We appreciate the coalition working with us and purchasing the Rx Return for the community.”

Prescription drug abuse has skyrocketed in recent years, affecting people of all ages and demographics. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), treatment admissions for prescription drug abuse had increased by 400% within the past decade, and hospital emergency department visits related to prescription drug misuse rose by 111% in four years. More than half of Americans who abuse prescription drugs received the medications from a friend or family member.

“Unfortunately, these abused medications are quite often easily obtained from the medicine cabinet,” said Jon Lewis, MCADC Coordinator. According to the Partnership for a Drug-free America, many teens believe prescription drugs are a safe way to get high; teens who wouldn't otherwise touch illicit drugs are abusing prescription drugs. “As adults, parents, and caregivers, we need to be mindful of this harmful trend. It is important that we keep track of our medications both location and quantity and dispose of these medications when they are no longer needed,” said Lewis.

The Rx Return is located at the Moundsville Police Department at 608 Tomlinson Ave., Moundsville. Items that are acceptable to return are prescription and over-the-counter medications. Certain items cannot be accepted in the Rx Return, including; needles, aerosol cans, and leaking liquid containers. The Rx Return is open to anyone in the community, no questions asked.

The MCADC is part of the United in Prevention Project, led by the Marshall County FRN and funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention Services and Treatment (SAPT) Grant. United in Prevention is a sixteen county initiative to reduce substance abuse in each community.

The MCADC is a non-profit organization working to make Marshall County a safe and drug-free community. For more information on substance abuse prevention or the MCADC, please contact (304) 845-3300 or visit www.marshallcountyfrn.com.

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CDC Report Shows about 112 Million Annual Incidents of People Drinking and Driving

Adults drank too much and got behind the wheel about 112 million times in 2010—that is almost 300,000 incidents of drinking and driving each day—according to a CDC Vital Signs study released this week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The four million adults who drink and drive each year put everyone on the road at risk,” CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden said in a news release. “In fact, nearly 11,000 people are killed every year in crashes that involve an alcohol–impaired driver.”

For the study, CDC analyzed data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey.

The study also found that:

• Men were responsible for 81 percent of drinking and driving in 2010.

• Young men, ages 21–34, made up only 11 percent of the U.S. population in 2010, yet were responsible for 32 percent of all episodes of drinking and driving.

• Eighty–five percent of drinking and driving episodes were reported by people who also reported binge drinking. Binge drinking means five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women during a short period of time. Linda C. Degutis, director of CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, recommended the following coalition strategies to prevent alcohol–impaired driving:

• Sobriety checkpoints: At sobriety checkpoints drivers are stopped to assess their level of alcohol impairment. According to the Transportation Research Board, more widespread, frequent use of these checkpoints could save about 1,500 to 3,000 lives on the road each year.

• Minimum legal drinking age laws: These laws prohibit selling alcohol to people under age 21 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Keeping 21 as the minimum legal drinking age helps keep young, inexperienced drivers from drinking and driving.

• Ignition interlocks: These devices prevent drivers who were convicted of alcohol–impaired driving from operating their vehicles if they have been drinking. Interlocks are effective in reducing re–arrest rates from drinking and driving by about two–thirds while the device is on the vehicle.

A policy issue brief, "Policy Impact: Alcohol–Impaired Driving," features more information on state policies to prevent alcohol–impaired driving. For a copy of this data brief, visitwww.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/alcoholbrief.

Radio Alcohol Ads Still Reaching Youth

A new study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that youth ages 12-20 were more likely per capita than adults to hear 32 percent of alcohol advertising placements.

According to the study, almost one out of 11 alcohol radio ads in 75 markets across the nation in 2009 failed to comply with the industry's voluntary standard for the placement of advertising. In 2003, trade groups for beer and distilled spirits committed to placing alcohol ads in media venues only when underage youth comprise less than or equal to 30 percent of the audience, since 30 percent of the audience is 20 years old or younger. The CAMY analysis found that 9 percent of the ads in 75 markets that account for almost 50 percent of radio listeners age 12 and older failed to meet the industry standards.

Based on its study, CAMY stated that it supports calls by The National Research Council, the Institute of Medicine and 24 state attorneys general that the industry implements a more stringent standard and meet a “proportional” 15 percent placement standard, given the fact that the group most at risk for underage drinking – 12 to 20 year-olds – is approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population.

“A nine percent failure rate for an already weak standard means that a significant number of young people are being overexposed to alcohol advertising on the radio,” said Dr. David Jernigan, CAMY director in a news release. “Reducing the voluntary standard to 15 percent would go a long way to keeping our young people safe and away from the undue influence of alcohol marketing.”

For this report, CAMY analyzed alcohol advertisements placed on the radio in the 75 local markets in the United States in 2009 for which full-year data from a consistent survey methodology were available. These markets represent 46.5 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and above.

California Becomes First State to Prohibit Sale of Cough Medicines Containing DXM to Minors

This week, California became the first state to prohibit the sale of over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicines containing the active ingredient dextromethorphan (DXM) to minors. The legislation, SB 514, authored by State Sen. Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), was signed into law Wednesday.

DXM is a safe and effective ingredient found in more than 100 OTC cough and cold products. But while millions of Americans rely on DXM-containing medicines for relief from cough symptoms, some teens abuse large amounts of cough medicine containing dextromethorphan – sometimes as much as 25 to 50 times the recommended dose – to get high.

CADCA and its long-time partner, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA), have been trying to educate families and communities about the dangers of abusing DXM for many years, including developing a toolkit about this problem, entitled A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before It Starts, in 2007.

“The makers of over-the-counter cough medicines never want to see products abused or misused in any way. We take very seriously our obligation to educate and raise awareness about cough medicine abuse among teens,” said CHPA President and CEO Scott M. Melville. “This unprecedented action by California lawmakers will help address medicine abuse and sets a high standard that we would ultimately like to see enacted nationwide.”

For more tools about this issue and to get involved in CADCA’s current campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of medicine abuse, CADCA 50 Challenge, visit www.preventrxabuse.org.

CASA Columbia Releases 2011 Teen Survey: National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVI: Teens and Parents

This week, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University released the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVI: Teens and Parents. This year’s survey reveals that teens who regularly use social networking sites are at increased risk of smoking, drinking and using drugs. The survey finds that compared to teens who in a typical day do not spend any time on a social networking site, those who do are five times likelier to use tobacco, three times likelier to use alcohol, and twice as likely to use marijuana.

The CASA Columbia survey also reveals that 40 percent of all teens surveyed have seen pictures on Facebook, Myspace or other social networking sites of kids getting drunk, passed out, or using drugs and kids who have seen such pictures at also at increased substance abuse risk.

This year’s survey explored teen TV viewing habits in relation to teen substance abuse and found that compared to teens that do not watch suggestive teen programming, those who do are likelier to smoke, drink and use drugs.

According to Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA Columbia’s Founder and Chairman and Former U.S. Secretary for Health, Education, and Welfare: “The relationship of social networking site images of kids drunk, passed out, or using drugs and of suggestive teen programming to increased teen risk of substance abuse offers grotesque confirmation of the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. The time has come for those who operate and profit from social networking sites like Facebook to deploy their technological expertise to curb such images and to deny use of their sites to children and teens who post pictures of themselves and their friends drunk, passed out or using drugs. Continuing to provide the electronic vehicle for transmitting such images constitutes electronic child abuse.”

CADCA Responds to National Poll Showing Drug Abuse Ties Childhood Obesity as Top Health Concern

This week, the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital released the results of its 5th annual national poll, in which Americans rated drug abuse and childhood obesity as the top health concerns for our nation’s youth.

“With drug use increasing by 9 percent in one year, it’s only natural that Americans are now waking up to the fact that this is a major public health concern that requires our immediate attention. We’ve always believed that substance abuse can and does have a major impact on children and youth, but this new survey confirms that it’s now on the radar screen of average Americans, said CADCA Chairman and CEO, Gen. Arthur T. Dean, in a media statement.

“This shift in perception is consistent with the findings of various national surveys showing a rise in overall drug use among those 12 and older, and in marijuana use among 12- to 17-year-olds. I hope this sends a message to our nation’s lawmakers that preventing and reducing drug abuse must continue to be a top national priority.”

The poll asked adults to rate 23 different health concerns for kids in our communities, ranging from drug abuse, alcohol abuse and smoking to bullying, internet safety and teen pregnancy. One-third of adults (33 percent) rated drug abuse as “a big problem” for kids, making it the number one health concern along with childhood obesity.

Among the other concerns that ranked in the top ten were smoking and tobacco use (25 percent), teen pregnancy (24 percent) and alcohol abuse (20 percent).

Mid-Year Session Will Consider Social Norms Campaigns for Coalitions

Everyone else is doing it.” At least that is what many youth and young adults believe when they engage in risky behaviors including substance abuse practices, particularly when they live in college communities.

Current research is mixed on the effectiveness of applying marketing practices to social norms campaigns in collegiate environments, and practically no research has been conducted on the efficacy of social norms marketing among middle school and high school students. CADCA, through a course offered by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), helps demystify the research surrounding these interventions and how they fit into a comprehensive set of population-level change strategies in “Community/College Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Misuse” on Thursday, July 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at CADCA’s 2011 Mid-Year Training Institute, July 24-28 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Anaheim, Calif.

Social norms represent people’s attitudes and expectations toward certain behaviors and activities with the context of a specific social environment. According to Bill DeJong Ph.D., professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health and co-trainer for “Community/College Interventions to Reduce Alcohol Misuse,” college students tend to overestimate the use of alcohol among their peers, leaving many unaware of the gap between the actual drinking norms and perceived drinking norms of their community.

Because of this disparity, some research suggests that social norms marketing campaigns and normative feedback interventions can help correct this misperception to reduce dangerous habits among college students by using strong survey data to identify clear patterns of healthy behavioral norms.

“Many young people enter college believing that the vast majority of students drinks heavily,” DeJong said. “The perceptions we carry around about what others do can serve as major drivers of our decisions. Fact-based, social norms interventions can provide students with accurate norms data to help reduce alcohol use and promote safe behaviors among students.”

DeJong believes social norms marketing can be helpful in supporting environmental policy change and that the two approaches must operate together to have a significant impact. He says that the actual number of students that support policy changes is often much higher than most students perceive the number to be, particularly in relation to stricter enforcement of policies around alcohol-related violence. The pairing of multiple strategies provides a comprehensive approach for community-level change.

“Using social norms strategies to make people aware of the fact that the majority does engage in healthy and responsible behavior can set the stage for environmental strategies, especially if we collect data about student support for policy change and other programs,” DeJong said. “Environmental strategies are also a way for the community to declare its expectations.”

While research remains limited outside of higher education institutions, DeJong also believes social norms successes hold positive implications for non-collegiate communities and younger target audiences by using data to get out the message that most young people are making healthy choices. He also indicates that social norms do not need to be narrowly applied to youth, but also parents and other influential community members whose behaviors affect the culture of a community.

“For example, parents may think that, while they wouldn't mind getting a call from a parent whose child has been invited to a party at their home to check on whether adults are monitoring the party, other parents would mind receiving such a call, and therefore they don't check,” DeJong said. “A social norms campaign could be used to correct that misperception and thereby contribute to creating a safer social environment for youth.”

CADCA’s Mid-Year Training Institute is the only intensive, coalition-specific training opportunity of its kind, providing in-depth courses specifically designed to address a community leader’s biggest concerns and obstacles. “CADCA + Coalitions = Formula for Community Change,” the theme of CADCA’s 2011 Mid-Year Training Institute, provides an opportunity for you to attend a variety of lecture and “lab” sessions to expand your knowledge in prevention science and improve your skills in implementing evidence-based strategies. These in-depth courses are relevant for established as well as emerging coalitions. Half-day to two-day courses have been planned.

Study Connects Binge Drinking to Advertising

Advertising effectively promotes alcohol brands to teens, researchers from Dartmouth Medical School and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found in a study published in this month’s issue of the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Dartmouth pediatricians Susanne Tanski, Auden McClure and James Sargent found a correlation between alcohol companies’ annual advertising expenditures and underage drinkers’ preferred brands in the study “Alcohol Brand Preference and Binge Drinking among Adolescents.”

The researchers also found that respondents who said they had a favorite brand were significantly more likely to report having engaged in binge drinking than those who did not specify a favorite. “

Youths chose distilled spirit brands in large numbers, brands preferred by youth have tended to have high advertising expenditures, and choosing a favorite brand was associated with binge drinking,” the researchers concluded.

“The important take-home message is that kids who said they have a favorite brand were far more likely to binge drink,” Tanski said in a Dartmouth news release.

Two-thirds of those surveyed said they had a favorite brand of alcohol, with Smirnoff and Budweiser leading as the first and second favorite brands among women, respectively, and Budweiser and Smirnoff as the first and second favorite brands among men.

The correlation between binge drinking and brand favoritism “suggests that the ‘drink responsibly’ message is being swamped by other advertising messages that associate alcohol brands with partying and drinking to excess,” Tanski said, citing a recent Captain Morgan rum commercial as an example.

Future studies will also measure brand consumption, according to David Jernigan, an author of the study and associate professor at the Bloomberg School. He told The Dartmouth that half of the respondents chose a distilled spirits brand as their drink of choice.