Drugs, Alcohol and Sexuality: What's the Connection?

Logo Credit: Answer Rutgers

Rutgers’ Answer program provides highly interactive online workshops and trainings that allow you to set your own pace while learning about teen sexuality. The upcoming webinar workshop for November is called Drugs, Alcohol and Sexuality: What’s the Connection.  The focus is to discuss one of the risk factors pertaining to underage drinking, drug abuse and unprotected sex.

For more information, click here to register:

Alarming Data on Substance Daily Use by Adolescents

On an average day, 881,684 teenagers aged 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes, according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The report also says that on average day 646,707 adolescents smoked marijuana and 457,672 drank alcohol.

To provide some perspective, the number of adolescents using marijuana on an average day could almost fill the Indianapolis Speedway (seating capacity 250,000 seats) two and a half times.

"This data about adolescents sheds new light on how deeply substance use pervades the lives of many young people and their families," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “While other studies indicate that significant progress has been made in lowering the levels of some forms of substance use among adolescents in the past decade, this report shows that far too many young people are still at risk."

 

Click here to review data

Help Us Stop Urban Outfitters from Selling Product Promoting RX Drugs Abuse

Photo Credit: Urban Outfitters

 

UrbanOutfitters can't stay out of trouble.

 

The latest controversy brewing in connection to the popular retailer is over "prescription"shot glasses and other medical-themed drinking paraphernalia. Urban Outfitters is currently peddling shot glasses, flasks and beer koozies designed to resemble prescription pill bottles, as well as "Syringe ShotShooters" (so you can squirt alcohol into your mouth instead of just drinking it).

 

Tongue-in-cheek products that normalize and promote prescription drug abuse only serve to reinforce the misperception about the dangers associated with abusing medicine and put more teens at risk.

 

Ask Urban Outfitters to remove these products from their stores and website immediately. Feel free to use the information above to help make your point.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR Urban Outfitters:

Send an e-mail to:

Richard A. Hayne; CEO & Chairman
richard.hayne@urbanout.com

 

Write a letter:

Urban Outfitters, Inc.
5000 South Broad St
Philadelphia, PA 19112-1495

 

Sign this Facebook Causes petition:

http://www.causes.com/actions/1749784-stop-urban-outfitters-from-selling-products-that-promote-prescription-drug-abuse

 

When you take action, reply to this e-mail to let us know, share a comment on the blog post – and please forward this message to a friend or colleague.

 

annoucement courtesy of The Partnership at Drugfree.org

 



National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Photo Credit: Drug Free Homes

Consumers across the U.S. will take part to help prevent abuse and misuse of prescription drugs by disposing of any unneeded or unwanted medications during the sixth Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, Saturday, April 27, 2013. On this day, from 10 AM to 2 PM, consumers may safely dispose of unwanted medications at one of thousands of collection sites coordinated by DEA and provided by law enforcement agencies and community organizations in all 50 states and United States jurisdictions.

In addition, here are three tips, courtesy of The Partnership at DrugFree, to dispose your medicines – and protect your child from the dangers of prescription drugs:

• Participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration's National Take-Back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2013. Find a take-back location near you >
• Find a permanent take-back location near you. If you can’t make it to the National DEA Take-Back Day on April 27th, check out the American Medicine Chest Challenge, which has established a national directory of permanent prescription collection sites in 50 states across the country. Find the center  nearest you and dispose of your medicines today > 
• At-Home Prescription Medication Disposal: If you are unable to attend a drug take-back day or cannot get to a permanent prescription collection site, you can still dispose of your medicines. Because it is bad for our environment (the ground, water and air) to flush medicine down the toilet, try mixing unwanted prescription medicines with coffee grounds or kitty litter. This makes pills less appealing and less recognizable to anyone who can see your trash – including your kids. For more information on at-home disposal, check out this FDA guide.

tips courtesy of The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Let Me See Some ID - New York State Crackdown on Fake IDs

Photo Credit: Operachic

New York is pioneering a reportedly “unforgeable” driver’s license. The new driver’s license will be engraved with a ghost image that floats in a transparent window. The state of Virginia introduced a similar card in 2009. This initiative is another step in the crackdown on illegal and undocumented aliens. Since driver’s licenses are a primary form of ID, reducing or eliminating forged licenses will significantly impact fraud, identity theft and illegal employment.

Read more on the article reported by BBC’s Jong Kelly entitled “why fakeID is an American rite of passage” on the impact of this initiative.

NYPD Offers Prescription Drug-Abuse Presentations at Schools

Photo Credit: Pact 360

Responding to a growing epidemic of students misusing and abusing prescription drugs, the New York City Police Department is reaching out to teachers, parents and community organizations to heighten awareness of the threat posed by the drugs, particularly painkillers.

Prescription drugs are now the second most commonly used controlled substance among students in the city, after marijuana.

The NYPD is conducting presentations at secondary schools and PTA meetings as part of its campaign, Prescription Drugs and Your Teenager, which it launched in late November.

If you are interested in scheduling a presentation at your school or at your school’s PTA meeting, call 1-718-730-8550 or email jeanyne.blackwell@nypd.org.

For more information about the types of drugs involved in this epidemic and the dangers they pose, go to the NYPD website.

Info. Source: United Federation of Teachers