Health Care

Great Choice of Business Financing

2012-01-01T07:41:00.000-08:00

Conventional Business Loan that uses collateral especially property is no longer popular. The only reason why its popularity declines drastically is the unstable price of housing industry. There have been many lenders who became victims where the borrowers could not pay back and the collateral which was housing property was not able to cover borrowers’ total loan. Unsecured business line of credit is the type of loan which gains popularity in recent years. It is unsecured loan because it involves higher risk to the lenders because in this type of loan, borrowers do not have to submit any collateral to the lenders.

The maximum amount of Unsecured Business Loans that borrowers can acquire is $1 million. This amount can be acquired if borrowers have full documentation during applying process. With $1 million business loans, business owners can conduct business expansion or cover the financial problem. For small business owners, small business loans from Ezunsecured.com are one of recommended loans for your business. EZ Unsecured is well known among lenders and borrowers. This company has been connecting more than 100,000 borrowers to more than 2,000 lenders in its lending network. The requirements for the unsecured business loans are very simple. Two general requirements include your business must have been running for more than 2 years and your business has at least 680 credit score.

Business Financing is common in running business. Financing is not always related with financial problem but financing can be about business expansion. Whatever target that you want to achieve with financing, get the unsecured loans only from EZunsecured.com. The approval rate offered by this company is higher than its competitors. While other competitors only have an average of 10% approval rate, EZ Unsecured has an average of 60%. Moreover, EZ Unsecured is supported by the famous Lendio loan network.

Most recommended anti aging products

2011-12-13T06:01:00.000-08:00

Women are the most beautiful gem in the world. This label makes them want to look as beautiful as possible when they appear in front of public. Aging is their arch enemy. They do not want to look old although they have to do so. That is why they need anti aging product that can slow down their aging. One most recommended product is Guinot. This product is very good for women because this combining modern technology and natural sources which can produce a perfect product that can be used by people at various ages. This product can also be used by men. This anti aging product can cover a factor that cannot be handled by people themselves that is natural factor. It can slow it down and make your skin look younger than your actual age. The product mentioned afore is not the only product that becomes recommendation from skin experts. Another product that able to control people’s skin aging is Jurlique. The Australian products are very effective in controlling people’s skin aging. It is common knowledge that aging cannot be stopped. The only thing people can do is slowing down its aging by accelerating skin cell regeneration. This product is very effective in regenerating women’s skin cells. Besides those two product, Paris which is known as the center of fashion and beauty also presents its anti aging product. The product names Sothys. The products from Paris are available in many variants. You can find them in a form of cream, serum, or emulsion. The products are also used a combination from modern technology and natural sources which are allowed the consumers get the best result without any negative side effect. Natural sources are the best ingredients for anti aging skin care. To get a perfect result, you have to ensure that your products are made of natural sources.

Tips in getting the right dermatologist

2011-12-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

A lot of people in this world, especially women, need to have a bright and beautiful skin. This will be even more important for artist and film star. Being a film star, these people need to stay beautiful because this is what they sell. No wonder, the best dermatology Austin is the thing that these people are looking for when they want to make their skin more beautiful or just to keep their skin healthy. Fortunately, dermatologist has not been, and it is not supposed to be, monopolized by the artist and film star only. If you want to make your skin healthy or you want to make your skin more beautiful, you can go to the nearest and trusted dermatologist to get your skin treated right. If you have never been in the dermatologist center, there are the things that you need to know about dermatologist and I hope that by knowing this, you will be able to choose the best and the right dermatologist for you.

First of all, when you have a plan to see the dermatologist, what you need to do is to get along with the dermatologist first without even meeting him or her. So, how do you do it? What you have to do for this tip is to search for the dermatologist’s information using the internet. I am sure that the internet will give you bad and good things about the dermatologist that you are about to go to. Second of all, always search for some reference when you are looking for the right dermatologist. The reference should be from the doctor since the doctor will give you any idea about where you should go and what kind of service that you will need to have from that dermatologist you are about to go to.

Focusing on Medical Health Care Concerns

2011-12-08T00:55:00.000-08:00

Almost half of the nearly 5 trillion dollars in medical and health care related activities can be accounted for in the US. It is obvious that our country has well trained professionals, outstanding technology and a vast array of medication designed to address health concerns. Yet, why is medical care so costly and problematic for so many individuals to receive?

The Growth of Medical Care

For most of the worlds more developed countries the medical field is one of their largest industries. If you count the money generated by medication sales, diagnostics, nursing homes, hospitals, physicians, and other ancillary activities it is quite easy to see why the medical industry accounts for 10-20% of a country's gross production.

In the US alone there are nearly 800,000 medical doctors, more than 5000 hospitals and millions of health care workers. One of every dozen US citizens works in health care now and this number is expected to grow. Still there are not enough workers and facilities to handle the 20 million outpatients that are currently being seen every day. This staggering amount of outpatient visits does not include the average daily count of 4 -5 million hospitalized patients.

The vast, complex health care industry in the United States is one that attracts people from around the globe. Switzerland and Germany both have large medical industries, but these countries run their health care differently from the US. Could it be possible that our nation's health care will soon be undergoing a radical type of change?

Answers are Difficult to Find

Is the answer to the current health care dilemma as simple as nationalizing health care for all? Will this possibility only make the situation worse? How will the medical resources be allocated among the various segments of our society? These are only a few of the questions that are waiting to be answered.

Controversial Topic

Today medical health has become a controversial subject among many groups of citizens. There is talk of overhauling the medical system as we now know it. We are also hearing predictions that the government will try to restructure the nation's health care system. Although much of this rhetoric has been publicized for a number of years it seems that people are becoming more polarized by the possible changes that are now constantly making headlines.

The Senior Citizens Have their own Concerns

The elderly population in the US is keeping a close eye on what is being proposed because health care and medication issues are of great concern to them. Medical and insurance coverage for people 65 and older have undergone many changes since the 1980s. Most senior citizens are very vocal about their displeasure with the way Medicare is addressing the problems, and they are also worried about what the future might hold. The costs of health care and medication needs are extremely high for senior citizens as a whole. Every year they are fearful of having their benefits cut even further, and now they have new worries regarding medical care.

Groups at Risk

It has been just a few short weeks since Governor Sara Palin galvanized many citizens with her predictions and comments about "death panels" and nationalized health care. While there were many people who rallied around her statements, the mere possibility of such radical notions began sending shock waves through the nation. This was particularly unnerving to a large percentage of our elderly population. It was also causing concern among advocates for the poor and disabled. Even parents and caretakers of people with physical and mental challenges were becoming alarmed, and feeling threatened.

Future Allocation of Health Care Resources?

Could it be possible that Medical professionals would possibly agree to form commissions that would allocate health care resources to those they deemed most deserving? This thought was both frightening and "Orwellian" in prospect. A careful review showed that there was no written documentation that actually stated such possibilities, but this did not alleviate the fear and worry of many ordinary citizens. Just the idea that access to hospitalization or medication needs might one day be restricted was enough to generate small scale panic in many communities across the nation.

Problems, Problems, Problems

Medical concerns, health care and affordable medication plans are major sources of worry for everyone today. Insurance coverage is very expensive. There is a growing trend among companies to provide less employee and family benefits in order to cut costs. In some cases this is making it difficult for employees to participate in the insurance plans being offered by their employers. However a growing number of families are too cash strapped to afford health insurance premiums on their own. This is creating a "Catch 22" type of environment with people unable to afford the cost of becoming sick as well as the cost of being insured.

No End To Rising Health Care Costs

2011-12-04T11:03:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows the cost of health care is rising every year with no end in site. Many families are burdened with premiums that are eating up a large portion of their budget. Those with health insurance plans through work are seeing their out of pocket costs grow. Some employees are even paying more for benefits at work then they would on their own.

A RAND Corp study, released in September of 2011, examined the health care an the average American family's budget from 1999 to 2009. While the average family saw a 30% increase in their income, much of that was wiped out by greater gains in the cost of medical care. Inflation and higher taxes further decimated the gains.

They found that monthly premiums for health insurance grew by 128% over the decade studied. This is well beyond the rate of inflation. Prices on all goods tend to go up over time due to the devaluation of currency called inflation. But when a price for a good goes up faster then inflation, it becomes relatively more expensive then other goods in the economy. This is precisely what is happening with health care. When people are forced to spend relatively more on a good, they feel they are taking a step backward in terms of the living standard.

Making matters worse, many people who receive their health benefits through their employer are seeing lower wage gains. An employer has to take the total cost of an employee into account, and that includes what the employer spends on health benefits. When health care costs increase for the employer, they have actually increased the amount they spend per employee, only it doesn't feel that way to the worker. The worker is indeed getting a raise, it is just going directly to their health care costs. As health care costs for employers continue to rise, it will put downward pressure on wages.

Health care costs are going up for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, patients now have access to cutting edge - and expensive - medical procedures that were not available before. While these procedures extend people's lives and well being, they are very expensive and have to be paid for. Additionally, with few patients paying the direct cost of medical care, rather paying their insurance company, the market for medical care becomes distorted.

Another reason for the recent surge in health care costs is the recent Affordable Care Act. One of the new requirements is that employer plans now cover children up to the age of 26. While that may help provide insurance to young adults, it comes at a cost. A survey by the Kaiser Family foundation found that the cost for premiums on employer heath insurance plans increased by 9% in 2010. The increase in premiums has put even more downward pressure on wages during the weak economy.

Many employers are now putting some, if not all, of the cost of health care on to their employees. Many workers are now paying part of the monthly premium and often a large deductible as part of their plan. Often times, if they are young and have no pre-existing conditions, they can purchase private health insurance at a lower price then they are paying for their work plan.

There is no end in sight to rising health care costs. Medical advances will continue, the American population is aging, and reforms in Washington do not seem likely to help reduce the cost of health care.

A Concerned Citizen's Opinion on Health Care Reform

2011-12-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

I am not a certified expert on health care or health insurance. I am not political. I am not a doctor. But I am an American Citizen, I pay for health insurance and I use health care. Based on the very high cost of health care in this country, the rising costs of health care insurance and the proposed solutions that are coming out of our nation's capital (from both sides of the aisle), I think I am as much of an expert on health care and health insurance as our politicians are.

The fundamental problems Americans are really having are with health care costs, not health insurance. Why is health insurance being regulated and the actual cost of health care not addressed at all?

The fact that an entire industry (insurance) has been created to act as a replacement for affordable health care costs should clearly indicate the real issue is the cost of health care, not the cost or availability of health insurance.

But, without getting into the economics of the statement above, let's assume that we can't afford health care. If that is the case, what is the cause?

Let's separate the problem into two parts*, 1. Cost of treatment and 2. Cost of drugs. So we have two industries here, the Medical community and the Pharmaceutical industry.

Let's address the Medical Community. Based on simple economics one can deduce that a large part of the problem of medical cost is a matter of supply and demand. There are not enough doctors to take care of the population, thus medical professionals charge more simply because they can.

According to an April 2010 article in the WSJ "Experts warn there won't be enough doctors to treat the millions of people newly insured under the law (Obama Care). At current graduation and training rates, the nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 in the next 15 years, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges..."

If the government is compelled to intervene in the nation's business for the sake of saving lives, then a better governmental solution to the health care dilemma is to create programs that promote the making of more doctors and placing them where they are most needed.

Over the period of one or two (at most) decades we could have enough physicians to not only adequately care for the population, but enough doctors that "supply and demand" would bring medical fees in line with what the general population could afford. Some doctors may have to give up their Porsches' and limit the number of vacations they take, but they shouldn't be in that profession if they are only money motivated anyway.

If there was an area where the government should intervene in order to save lives and in the name of the welfare of this nation, it is in the pharmaceutical industry's business practices.

These are just my thoughts on the matter; I have never heard these ideas intelligently addressed by any politician in all the endless droning regarding health care that has been going on for the last two years. I know there may be some gaps in what I've written and there may be much better solutions than what I quickly jotted down. But the point of this is that we (you) need to really hold our government's feet to the fire and not be sheep. We need our representatives to really confront the issues, not just glibly parrot talking points that either do nothing or make matters worse.

Do your own research, look into matters that concern and affect you personally. Don't let the talking heads on T.V. solely shape your view of the world. If something concerns you, look into it and then write about it.

*Medical tort is a third factor that will have to be addressed to reform medical costs. My opinion on this is simple. Great doctors don't kill or maim people. If we only had great doctors there would be no need for lawsuits. Instead of suing doctors for negligence, simply create a system that takes licenses quickly away from bad doctors. If a doctor kills a patient or ruins the patient's life through negligence, then he/she loses their license-this will ensure doctor's standards are always high and that bad doctors get weeded out of the system.

Free webinar: social marketing, social norms, social media and substance abuse prevention

2011-11-28T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is offering a free webinar as part of their series on environmental strategies for substance abuse prevention:

Social Marketing, Social Norms, Social Media, Social What?
December 13, 2011
3:30-5:00 p.m.

The strategies and evidence that support different prevention practices often get confused, severely limiting the effective implementation of these approaches. Learn about the differences between some of the more common and evidence-based prevention strategies, including social marketing and social norms, as well as how new tools like social media fit in to the mix. This webinar will leave you with new tools, a better understanding of your prevention arsenal and the energy to make positive behavior change a reality.

Key topics will include:
-Social Marketing, including branding strategies
-Social Norms
-How to select the right approach
-Differentiating between a tool and an approach
-How to select the right tools for your approach
-How Social Media fits in most effectively

To register, click here.

911 Good Samaritan Law: making a difference?

2011-11-23T08:49:00.000-08:00

From UW's ADAI:

Drug users and bystanders who witness a drug overdose are often reluctant to call 911 out of fear that they might be arrested for drug possession. Initial results from an evaluation of Washington State's 911 Good Samaritan Law show that 88% of opiate users are now likely to call 911 to get emergency help for drug overdose victims, knowing that they are protected by the state’s Good Samaritan laws.

The study's early findings also indicated that 62% of police surveyed said the law would not change their behavior during a future overdose because they would not have made an arrest for possession anyway, 20% were unsure what they would do, and 14% said they would be less likely to make such an arrest.

Providing parents with tips on how to support healthy decision-making among teens

2011-11-22T08:03:00.000-08:00

One of the Prevention WINS coalition's strategies to prevent youth substance abuse in NE Seattle is outreach and education among parents. The coalition's campaign to help parents support healthy decision-making among their children includes postcards containing parenting tips. These tips echo what parents learn through tested and effective prevention programs like Guiding Good Choices and Strengthening Families, which is offered to Eckstein Middle School families twice a year.

The first round of postcards are in the mail and will go to all families of students attending Eckstein Middle School, Nathan Hale High School and Roosevelt High School.

The coalition's Social Marketing Workgroup, which is developing the campaign, will meet again on Tuesday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. Contact the Prevention WINS coordinator for more information.

Hospital visits involving energy drinks increased tenfold in four years

2011-11-22T07:40:00.000-08:00

Nationwide, the number of hospital emergency department (ED) visits involving energy drinks increased tenfold between 2005 and 2009, according to a recent report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Forty-five percent of energy drink related ED visits were made by young adults aged 18 to 25 and 11% were made by adolescents aged 12 to 17.

Most teenagers who visited the ED suffered adverse effects from the energy drink alone. The rest suffered adverse effects from combining the energy drinks with alcohol (5%) or pharmaceuticals (20%) such as Ritalin.

Funding available for local underage drinking prevention activities

2011-11-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

The Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (RUaD) is offering stipends for community organizations that want to conduct a Let's Draw the Line Between Youth & Alcohol campaign and/or a town hall meeting about underage drinking.

RUaD has been asked by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to submit the names of 100 Washington communities that would like to host town hall meetings. Participants will receive a $500 stipend to underwrite costs of the meetings. Contact RUaD by December 2 if your organization is interested.

Groups can receive a $1000 stipend for conducting a Let's Draw the Line campaign. Groups may sign up on December 1 by visiting http://www.letsdrawtheline.org/.

Changing attitudes about substance abuse takes time

2011-11-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

In an interview, the author of a book about the history of drunk driving makes some interesting comments about attitudes concerning alcohol use in the United States.

Here are a few excerpts from the interview:

When Barron Lerner was writing his book on the history of drunk driving in America — and efforts to control it — he carried out an experiment at home that involved a bottle of vodka, a shot glass and a Breathalyzer. He was the guinea pig.

"I was trying to figure out just how drunk you had to be in order to not drive safely," says Lerner, a professor of medicine and public health at Columbia University, who wrote One for the Road. He decided to drink and test his levels — but he didn't actually get into a car.

"And, as I suspected after doing my research, one can drink an awful lot and be pretty buzzed and still legally drive in the United States."

He goes on to talk about how attitudes about drunk driving have changed significantly in the last sixty years.

One of the things Lerner writes about is the history of public attitudes toward drunk driving. He uses the example of Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone with the Wind, who was crossing the street with her husband in Atlanta in 1949 when she was hit by a drunk driver and died.

According to Lerner, people initially reacted with horror, but then attitudes shifted and there started to be more sympathy for the driver — who had had 22 previous arrests for driving violations, including speeding and drunk driving — than for Mitchell.

"This is such an instructive case about drunk driving in this country," Lerner says. "For years and years, back in that era, people who were killed or victimized by a drunk driver were seen as being in the wrong place at the wrong time — that these things happen. And that was very much the case with Margaret Mitchell. After the initial outrage, people started to say, 'Well, it was her time to go.' I read so many stories like that, and every one was almost more shocking than the next — that we could have had a society that was so passive to a crime that was killing 25,000 people a year for so long."

This is a good lesson for those of us working to prevent youth substance abuse to remember. It may take a long time, but if we are vigilant, attitudes can change. Drunk driving attitudes are a good example. So are attitudes around smoking. Even if people now say "kids will be kids" and that there is nothing we can do to prevent youth substance abuse, those attitudes can change.

Attorneys general urge FTC to limit alcohol content in Four Loko

2011-11-18T09:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, 34 state attorneys general, including Washington's, and the San Francisco city attorney, filed comments responding to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s proposed settlement with the makers of Four Loko regarding deceptive marketing of the flavored malt beverage.

The FTC was commended for recognizing that the marketing of these super-sized drinks as single servings is misleading because one can contains the alcohol equivalent of almost five beers. The FTC was also called on to adopt additional measures to address the safety risks presented by Four Loko, such as limiting its alcohol content to no more than two servings of alcohol per can.

Mercer Island considering social host ordinance

2011-11-17T14:30:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Mercer Island's Communities That Care Coalition, the Mercer Island City Council is considering an ordinance that would fine adults who host underage drinking parties in their homes. These types of laws, called social host ordinances, are an effective method for preventing underage drinking in communities where house parties are a problem. As with most youth substance abuse prevention-related policies, they are especially effective in communities where multiple prevention activities are happening.

For those of you who would like to be present for the second reading and vote on the proposed ordinance, the Mercer Island City Council will take up the matter again during its December 5, 2011 meeting.

City of Seattle proposal to keep bars open past 2 a.m.

2011-11-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

In October, the Washington State Liquor Control Board (LCB) agreed to the City of Seattle's request to open rule-making regarding the hours of alcohol service. The City of Seattle is asking the LCB to consider changing its policy that states that alcohol cannot be served between the hours of 2-6:00 a.m.

To be clear, the petition submitted by Seattle Mayor McGinn asks the LCB to allow "for on-premises liquor service after 2 a.m." in "extended service hours service areas". The proposed rule change would permit certain establishments within those areas to serve alcohol "between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.". This means that some bars could be open 24 hours per day. The City's petition and supporting documentation may be accessed online.

The Citywide Police Advisory Committee is speaking out against increasing hours of alcohol sales. In a recent message from the group, they say, ". . . three of us from the Citywide PAC had an informal coffee with two (of the three) members of the Washington State Liquor Control Board. The perception of the Board was that the City Council's support of this petition was reflective of the community's position. This perception is completely incorrect, for the vast majority of Seattle citizens are against the proposal . . . We do know that the Mayor's Office has not publicized anything about the (LCB) community input process/opportunity."

The LCB is accepting initial comments about the potential rule change until December 1. To do so, contact them at:
Rules Coordinator
Liquor Control Board
P.O. Box 43080
Olympia, WA 98504-3080
rules@liq.wa.gov

After the December 1 deadline, community members can still make comments until January 18, when a public hearing will be held.

Small grocery stores want in on the liquor business

2011-11-14T14:55:00.000-08:00

And so it starts . . . just days after I-1183, the initiative to privatize liquor sales in our state, passed, Publicola reports that small grocers are preparing to ask legislators to reduce the required size of stores selling hard alcohol.

People can call me and other pro-regulation advocates a nanny or a liar all that they want, but the research is clear: increased access to alcohol increases consumption, including consumption among minors. I blogged about it on October 24 and August 18. The coalition website contains links to lessons learned about private liquor sales and public health consequences in the UK. AlcoholPolicyMD.com is one of many great online resources about how public policy can be used to prevent underage drinking.

People can also say that "kids will be kids" and that there is nothing we can do to stop them from drinking but, again, we have research that shows otherwise. Not to mention that our northeast Seattle community has worked together to reduce underage drinking rates over the past five years.

Will strong regulations and policy limiting alcohol marketing and availability alone prevent underage drinking? No. However, it is one tool for communities to use to prevent underage drinking. When one part of an already beleaguered substance abuse prevention system is eliminated, it makes a significant difference in a community's ability to keep kids safe and healthy.

Easing regulations to raise money

2011-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Earlier today, I went through my "to read" folder and posted a bunch of drug and alcohol-related links in the blog entry below. I was going to include one from the New York Times entitled "States Putting Hopes in ‘Bottoms Up’ to Help the Bottom Line" but I thought it deserved its own entry considering all of our local/state initiatives that would ease regulations on alcohol.

Here's an excerpt:

With cities across the country facing their fifth straight year of declining revenues and states cutting services and laying off workers, raising money from people who enjoy a cocktail is becoming an increasingly attractive option.

Since the recession started in earnest in 2008, dozens of states and cities have tinkered with laws that regulate alcohol sales as a way to build up their budgets.

Although some drinkers and government budget writers might like the changes, not everyone is happy.

“Lawmakers are taking a very short-sided view,” said David Jernigan, director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “What they gain in short-term tax revenue they are losing in long-term police costs, emergency room costs and work-force readiness costs in terms of the Monday morning effect.”

Like many public health officials, Mr. Jernigan does not support government efforts that increase the availability of alcohol, but he does support raising sales tax as a way to make people drink less.

As I have noted in previous blog entries, stringent alcohol regulations are one tool communities rely upon to prevent underage drinking. So, as our local and state governments propose increasing access to alcohol as a way to raise tax revenue, communities should consider the costs associated with increased access . At the same time, communities may want to consider advocating for an increase in taxes on alcohol -- a policy that has proven to prevent underage drinking.

In the news . . .

2011-11-08T10:36:00.000-08:00

Community effort brings lasting drop in smoking, delinquency, drug use (Science Daily)

Are today's parents going too soft on kids' using marijuana? (USA Today)

A chance to safely clean out medicine cabinets (Seattle Times)

Teens hear 34 references to brand-name liquor a day in rap and hip-hop (ABC News)

Prohibition's real lessons for drug policy (LA Times)

Councilman: Why so many drug dealers in the morning (Seattle PI)

Friends of teen’s romantic partner can influence drinking habits (American Sociological Association)

Insufficient sleep among high school students associated with drinking, smoking and smoking marijuana (Preventive Medicine)

Liquor store density linked to youth homicides, U.S. studies find (Science Daily)

Alcohol isn’t worth the trouble for some chain restaurants (New York Times)

Teens who eat at family dinners less likely to drink, smoke and use marijuana (CASA Columbia)

NIH study finds hospitalization increase for alcohol and drug overdoses (NIH News)

NIH release clinicians guide to screen for underage drinking

2011-11-08T09:42:00.000-08:00

From a recent NIH news release:

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.

We know that alcohol is by far the drug of choice among youth,” says NIAAA acting director Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D. “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.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says doctors should routinely screen their teenage patients for drug and alcohol use at every visit, and look for signs of dependence or addiction. In a new policy statement, the group provides a guide to help doctors ask adolescents about substance abuse issues.

CDC: drug overdoses may soon overtake car crashes as leading cause of fatal injury

2011-11-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Deaths from prescription painkillers have reached epidemic levels in the past decade. The number of overdose deaths is now greater than those of deaths from heroin and cocaine combined. A big part of the problem is nonmedical use of prescription painkillers—using drugs without a prescription, or using drugs just for the "high" they cause.

November 17: annual King County legislative forum on substance abuse and mental health

2011-11-02T13:04:00.000-07:00

Everyone is welcome to attend . . .

15th Annual King County Community Legislative Forum: Mental Health and Substance Abuse Prevention, Treatment and Recovery and Preparing for Health Care Reform

Thursday, November 17, 2011
6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
St. Mark’s Cathedral, Bloedel Hall
1245 10th Avenue East, Seattle

Learn about local successes and hear from legislators about priorities and perspectives on the upcoming legislative session.

Learn about the relationship between alcohol and crime from the comfort of your own desk

2011-11-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Alcohol and Crime: FREE National Electronic Seminar
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Noon - 1:15 p.m.
Visit www.udetc.org/audioconfregistration.asp to register.

How many crimes are committed in this country where alcohol is a causal factor? If you are a cop on the street you don’t have to be a scientist to figure that out. Cops know the answer based on experience -- it’s a huge percentage. How do we really prove it?

In the spring of 2005, the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police received grant funding from the Wyoming Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Program to collect and evaluate alcohol-related arrest data in ten counties in Wyoming. During this free electronic presentation, a researcher in the field of criminal justice will discuss his conclusions of the study and what can be done to reduce alcohol related crime.

Strong alcohol regulations save us money

2011-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

While researchers continue to find that substance abuse prevention saves money (see yesterday's post), a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study adds to what we know about the high cost of excessive alcohol consumption.

Underage drinking is included in the definition of excessive alcohol consumption. According to the study, 12% of the economic costs of excessive consumption were related to underage drinking. The largest share of underage drinking costs were related to "lost productivity" due to premature death.

Here is part of CADCA's summary of the findings:

Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for an average of 79,000 deaths and 2.3 million years of potential life lost in the United States each year, said CDC Director Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., in a press conference held Monday.

Researchers found the costs largely resulted from losses in workplace productivity (72 percent of the total cost), health care expenses for problems caused by excessive drinking (11 percent of the total cost), law enforcement and other criminal justice expenses related to excessive alcohol consumption (9 percent of the total cost), and motor vehicle crash costs from impaired driving (6 percent of the total cost). The study did not consider a number of other costs such as those due to pain and suffering by the excessive drinker or others who were affected by the drinking, and thus may be an underestimate. Researchers estimated that excessive drinking cost $746 per person in the United States in 2006.

“This research captures the reality that binge drinking means binge spending, not just for the person who drinks but for families, communities, and society,” Dr. Frieden said. “There are substantial costs to all of us in health care, the workplace, and criminal justice systems. Responsible individual behavior combined with the effective policies can decrease unhealthy drinking, reduce health care and other costs, and increase productivity.”

The authors of the study (published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, November 2011) conclude by saying, ". . . this study shows that the economic impact of excessive alcohol consumption is quite comparable to the economic impact of other leading health-risk behaviors, such as smoking and physical inactivity." Among the policies they cite as being effective in preventing excessive consumption are increasing the price of alcohol, limiting alcohol outlet density, and keeping the legal drinking age of 21. In other words, strong alcohol regulations can save us money.

Prevention Summit: holistic prevention saves money

2011-10-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Washington State Prevention Summit provides youth and adults from around the state with resources and information about substance abuse and violence prevention. Handouts from some of the 2011 presentations are now available online.

From my perspective, a common theme among many of the speakers was the importance of prevention activities that address the whole person and the whole community. For example:

During his presentation, Anthony Biglan discussed different strategies for developing nurturing communities including nurturing schools and families.
Heather Larkin discussed a whole person approach to addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES).
Harold Holder described his research around implementing environmental prevention strategies as part of a comprehensive, community-wide approach.
Children's own Leslie Walker talked about creating health equity by reducing the fragmentation of services and considering the family, social, and community issues of each teenager needing help.

Another theme that emerged during the Summit was that, in the long run, prevention saves money. This is an especially important message during these difficult economic times. Stephanie Lee from the Washington State Institute for Public Policy provided specific examples during her presentation. One of the prevention programs she highlighted is Life Skills Training, the prevention curriculum offered at Eckstein Middle School. Here is the slide from her presentation:

I-1183, liquor in our grocery stores and underage drinking

2011-10-24T12:51:00.000-07:00

Don't know what to think about Initiative 1183?

Before I get into all of the studies that show a correlation between alcohol availability and underage drinking, just imagine what our community will look like if stores that are 10,000 square feet or larger can sell hard alcohol. Imagine the large QFC, Safeway, Bartell Drug and Rite Aid stores in our community (most of them) with shelves of hard alcohol. In several stores, I already feel bombarded with wine displays. When we go shopping with our kids, do we want to see vodka and rum displays throughout some stores? Is that what we want in our community?

Now on to the research. When it comes to underage drinking, we know that:

-- a growing number of youth who drink prefer liquor to other forms of alcohol. According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “distilled spirits” are the #1 choice among 12th grade girls who drink and the #2 choice among 12th grade boys who drink.

-- when it comes to minors accessing alcohol, Washington State liquor stores have a 94% no-sale-to-minors compliance rate, the nation’s highest. Private sector compliance rates range from 76% - 84%.

-- there is a correlation between alcohol outlet density (the number of places where people can buy alcohol) and youth alcohol consumption. One of the studies cited in the ADAI fact sheet regarding last year's privatization initiatives found that, "more comprehensive and stringent alcohol control policies, particularly those affecting availability and marketing, are associated with lower prevalence/frequency of adolescent consumption and age of first use."

More information about privatizing/deregulating the sale of alcohol and public health and safety can be viewed on the WASAVP website, the Marin Institute website and the Campaign for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace website.

More on how underage drinkers access alcohol

2011-10-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

In July, I posted data about how underage drinkers in our community get alcohol. The top two ways are "got it from friends" and "got it at a party". While the Prevention WINS coalition is working to figure out exactly where the alcohol comes from, national statistics indicate that high school youth (ages 15-17) get alcohol from:

someone under the age of 21 (22%)
someone not related and over the age of 21 (20%)
giving someone else money to purchase alcohol (19%).

Source: Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, May 2011

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day October 29

2011-10-18T08:48:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement, public health, and environmental professionals stand united in support of medication take-back programs, such as the DEA’s take-back event on Saturday, October 29, as the safest and most responsible way to dispose of old and leftover medicines.  Take-back programs are one way to prevent youth prescription drug abuse.

In our community, the North Precinct will be collecting unused medications on October 29, 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. as part of the DEA's national take-back day. Other Seattle Police precincts are also participating.  In addition to these one-day drop-off sites, local Bartell Drugs and Group Health sites take back medicines all of the time.

In Washington State, the Take Back Your Meds Coalition is advocating for a permanent, state-wide take-back program.  Drug manufacturers are in a unique position to take responsibility and pay for take-back programs as a cost of doing business, just as they already do in other countries. For a couple of pennies per prescription or bottle of cold pills, drug companies could finance and provide a safe ongoing medicine take-back system for our state.

In Olympia, big PHARMA has worked hard to dodge taking responsibility. Sadly, pressure from PHARMA stalled action in the WA Legislature last year. Luckily, this year our representatives again have a chance to pass a bill to create a state wide medicine take-back system by requiring companies selling medicines in the state to provide the program as part of doing business.

Photos from "Celebrate Healthy Youth"

2011-10-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Thanks to coalition member Christine Milton, here are a few photos from our October 10 event celebrating the reduction in local underage drinking rates.

RADD members

Jill Hudson and Chris Cronas

Denise Espania

Kipp Strong and Kelly Kerby

Carolyn Bernhard and Cherylynne Crowther

Ray Hsiao and panel

Gary Hothi

Underage drinking rates decline thanks to community-wide prevention activities

2011-10-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

More than 50 people attended Monday's Celebrate Healthy Youth at Nathan Hale High School and learned about how the community in northeast Seattle came together to reduce underage drinking rates. Following are links to media coverage of the event.

How alcohol use was cut at two Seattle schools (Seattle Times)

Finding: North Seattle teens are drinking less (KOMO)

More about underage drinking in public parks . . .

2011-10-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

From the West Seattle Blog: Teacher’s disturbing discovery in West Seattle park: Hazing. Though the incident took place in West Seattle, it apparently involved Roosevelt and Garfield High School students.

How can a community reduce underage drinking rates?

2011-09-28T13:51:00.000-07:00

You are invited to . . .

View the Celebrate Healthy Youth flyer for more information.

National Geographic: "Beautiful Teenage Brains"

2011-09-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

The October edition of National Geographic magazine contains a fascinating article about the teenage brain. For those of us who are working to prevent youth substance abuse and/or for those of us who have teenage children, the following paragraph reminds us of the importance of parenting.

Yet we [parents] can and do help. We can ward off some of the world's worst hazards and nudge adolescents toward appropriate responses to the rest. Studies show that when parents engage and guide their teens with a light but steady hand, staying connected but allowing independence, their kids generally do much better in life. Adolescents want to learn primarily, but not entirely, from their friends. At some level and at some times (and it's the parent's job to spot when), the teen recognizes that the parent can offer certain kernels of wisdom—knowledge valued not because it comes from parental authority but because it comes from the parent's own struggles to learn how the world turns. The teen rightly perceives that she must understand not just her parents' world but also the one she is entering. Yet if allowed to, she can appreciate that her parents once faced the same problems and may remember a few things worth knowing.

Stop overdoses by calling 911

2011-09-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

Recently, the 911 Good Samaritan Law was passed in Washington, providing legal immunity to people who call for medical assistance for drug users who overdose.

If you think you're witnessing a drug overdose and seek medical help, call 911. If you are in possession of drugs at the time that you call, you will receive immunity from criminal charges of drug possession. The overdose victim you're helping is protected, too.

More Washingtonians die every year from overdoses than from car crashes. Most drug overdoses involve a prescription medication used with other drugs or alcohol. Most of these deaths can be prevented with fast medical help.

Webcast about preventing youth marijuana use available online

2011-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

During last week's general coalition meeting, a few people asked for the link to the recently broadcast webcast, The Blunt Truth: Communities Dealing with Marijuana. It is available "on demand" through the CADCA website.

One of the panelists is Jim Cooper, the president of the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP). One of the goals of WASAVP is to increase awareness about how marijuana policy effects use among youth.

Prevention WINS awarded AMA Foundation grant

2011-09-07T15:11:00.000-07:00

In partnership with Seattle Children’s Hospital, Prevention WINS was awarded a grant from the American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation’s Healthy Living Program. The $5,000 grant will be used to expand the Prevention WINS social marketing campaign and parent education program for Eckstein Middle School families. The project’s goal is to provide parents with the support they need to prevent substance abuse, including prescription drug abuse, among their children.

The AMA Foundation's Healthy Living Program addresses critical healthy lifestyle issues by providing mini-grants to grassroots community organizations. This year, the foundation is funding projects targeting youth and addressing the topics of nutrition and physical fitness, prescription drug safety and violence prevention. Prevention WINS is one of 37 nonprofits across the country that received this grant this year.

CADCA gathering signatures in support of continued DFC funding

2011-09-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is asking substance abuse prevention advocates to help them ensure that the Congressional “super committee,” charged with determining $1.5 million in federal budget cuts by November 23, does not cut funding for the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program for FY 2012.

The super committee is made up of 12 Congressional members, one of which is Senator Patty Murray. As a result, Senator Murray has a significant say in the final recommendations concerning what should be cut. CADCA is asking people to sign a letter to Senator Murray that outlines the DFC program's successes and makes the case to continue funding for the program. Prevention WINS is funded by a DFC grant.

For more information about the letter and how to sign on to it, contact CADCA's Director of Public Policy by September 12.

Washington now has 31 coalitions funded by Drug Free Communities grants

2011-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the recipients of the 2011 Drug Free Communities (DFC) continuation, mentoring, and new grants were announced.

Twenty-eight Washington State Drug Free Communities continuation grantees, including Prevention WINS, were awarded ongoing funding. Additionally, three new DFC grants were awarded in Washington State. Congratulations to the following new grantee coalitions:

1. Kittitas County Community Network Coalition (fiscal agent Kittitas Valley Community Hospital)

2. Pend Oreille County Youth Task Force (fiscal agent Pend Oreille County Counseling Services)

3. Citizens for Safer Yakima Communities (fiscal agent Educational Service District 105)

A mentoring grant was awarded to Prevent! The Substance Abuse Coalition of Clark County (fiscal agent Educational Service District 112).

Across the country, 87 new grants were awarded which brings the total of DFC grants awarded for 2011 to 694, including continuation grants.

Odyssey magazine focuses on addiction

2011-08-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

The September edition of Odyssey, a science magazine for middle school students, focuses on addiction. Among the many articles are:

-- Facing Up to Underage Drinking

-- Bad Bet with the Brain: The Neuroscience of Addiction

-- Are Cell Phones Addictive?

-- Pain Pills?

Youth drug abuse a "big problem" according to adults

2011-08-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

Adults rate drug abuse and obesity as the top health concerns for children, according to a recent study.

After drug abuse and obesity, tobacco use is ranked third and alcohol abuse is ranked eighth.

The report goes on to state, "Drug abuse rises to the top of the list of child health concerns in 2011, with one-third of adults overall rating drug abuse as a big problem . . . Whether this increased concern translates to greater support for drug prevention and/or drug treatment programs remains to be seen."

Prevention news from around the state

2011-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

The latest edition of FOCUS, the Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery's e-newsletter, is now available online. It includes stories about:

-- Washington teenagers advocating for prevention,

-- student prevention groups and their activities,

-- 2010 Healthy Youth Survey results,

-- local campaigns to limit alcohol advertising targeting young people.

Volunteers needed for 2011 Prevention Summit

2011-08-18T15:35:00.000-07:00

Volunteer for the Washington State Prevention Summit and take advantage of the following perks:

• Free conference registration (valued at more than $200)

• Conference meals and beverages (valued at more than $75)

• Participation with colleagues and community leaders

• Access to more than 25 workshops and keynote presentations

To receive free registration, individuals must volunteer for ten or more hours.

Volunteer applications are due by September 1. The 2011 Summit will take place October 27-29 at the Yakima Convention Center.

Prescription drug take-back campaign notes

2011-08-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

The local Take Back Your Meds campaign holds monthly coordinating conference calls and here are my notes from today's call --

-- The DEA is hosting another prescription drug take-back event on October 29. This will probably be the last or second-to-last nationwide event, with the last one possibly to be held in early 2012, since new federal legislation will allow for take-back programs without DEA involvement.

-- "Extended producer responsibility", including the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies to be stewards of their products after they are sold, was the topic of a panel discussion during the National Conference of State Legislators earlier this month. The only non-industry panelist was from the Product Policy Institute and he blogged about his experience.

Liquor privatization: public health costs

2011-08-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

While the Seattle Times "cheers Initiative 1183" because it would generate additional revenue for state and local governments, the Washington State Budget & Policy Center questions whether the additional revenue would offset costs associated with increased public health, safety, and economic implications.

In a recent post to their Schmudget blog, the Budget & Policy Center states that the Washington State Office of Financial Management's (OFM) analysis "does not account for future costs associated with greater consumption of hard liquor. They estimate that hard liquor sales (consumption) would increase by about five percent under I-1183. However, a 2010 report from the State Auditor's Office estimated that consumption of hard liquor could increase by as much as 15 percent under a privatized liquor system similar to that proposed by I-1183. Either way, our state could face increased public health and safety costs under the initiative -- due to higher rates of drunk driving and other alcohol-related crimes."

An increase in underage drinking is one of those public health and safety costs. Increased availability of alcohol through stores means increased problems with underage drinking, according to many research articles (which may be found in the ADAI Library Resource Brief about Privatization of Alcohol Sales, page 4).

"Let's Draw the Line" materials still available for free

2011-08-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking (RUaD) still has free materials available for community's that want to continue activities in support of the Let's Draw the Line campaign. Free materials include window clings like the ones shown below. (Wrist bands are no longer available.) Order forms are available on the campaign website.

Wine & beer at farmers markets

2011-08-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

From the Washington State Liquor Control Board --

The agency on July 27 selected the 10 farmers markets that are invited to participate in a pilot program that allows wine and beer tastings at farmers markets.

As directed in Substitute House Bill 1172, which created the pilot, the markets were selected in a manner to ensure geographic representation.

The pilot runs from Sept. 1, 2011 to Nov. 1, 2012.

The following list (of Seattle markets that will host tastings) is tentative, pending verification that the markets are able to meet the pilot requirements. A confirmed list will be posted on the WSLCB website.

-- West Seattle Farmers Market, 4400 S.W. Alaska St. in Seattle

-- Magnolia Farmers Market, 2550 34th Ave. W. in Seattle

-- Pike Place Market; Street Farmers Market, Pike Place, between Pine and Steward Streets, in Seattle

The Washington Association for Substance Abuse & Violence Prevention opposed the legislation that allows for beer and wine tastings at farmers markets: Consuming beer and wine while running errands (such as grocery shopping) sets a bad example for children as parents and other adults model the causal use of alcohol. If the legislature does not draw the line at this form of three-dimensional advertising, the negative effects are likely to compound over time . . . we wonder what venues will be next.

There are many ways the alcohol industry can promote its products. The open use of alcohol in public markets does not need to be one of them.

Counselor Camp 2011

2011-08-17T09:18:00.000-07:00

From a Prevention WINS coalition member --

Counselor Camp is back and here to stay! Join us this fall at Cispus Learning Center in Randle, WA for an inspiring weekend of seminars and activities for professionals that work with Adolescent Prevention, Intervention, Counseling and Treatment Systems.

This event (September 16-18) is designed to offer the best evidence-based theory and time-tested practice from a variety of professionals from our own backyard.

Opiate use in Washington State

2011-08-16T11:24:00.000-07:00

Washington State, like much of the United States, has seen a tremendous increase in the use and negative consequences of prescription-type opiates over the last 10-15 years, according to a Research Brief released this month by the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute. The brief goes on to state: Prescription-type opiates appear to be a pathway to heroin for many users . . .

The maps below are from the brief and show the increases in the Washington State opiate problem between 2000-2009. (Rx = prescription)

Marijuana laws: a prevention perspective

2011-08-16T10:46:00.000-07:00

From CADCA:

Attitudes about marijuana are changing. Fewer 8th and 10th graders believe smoking marijuana is dangerous. These declines in the perception of harm invariably precede increases in substance use. Despite that, several states have medical marijuana laws on the books and more states are considering putting these types of initiatives on the ballot. During the next CADCA TV program, “The Blunt Truth: Communities Dealing with Marijuana,” representatives from various states will discuss how medical marijuana laws and marijuana legalization efforts are impacting their communities, and what they’re doing to tackle this issue. The show airs August 25.

Locally, the Mercer Island Communities That Care Coalition is hosting a viewing of this national webcast from 10 a.m. to noon on August 25 at the Mercer Island Community Center. After viewing, there will be an hour-long discussion about how the prevention community in Washington is addressing the marijuana issue, options for collaboration, and strategies to educate the public. For more information and to RSVP, please contact the coalition's Project Director.

More about parties in neighborhood parks . . .

2011-08-10T15:41:00.000-07:00

From a post on today's Laurelhurst Blog:

I wanted to let you know that the kids were partying at the play-field on 45th near Laurelhurst Elementary again tonight. The noise was exceptionally loud this evening and peaked around 10:30pm.

My neighbor called 911 and apparently there was already a noise complaint called in. They were sending a police officer out to the park.

As a neighborhood, what can we do to try and deter this behavior? It is so loud and has woken me up on more than one occasion.

This is posted a day after I was told about a recent drunk-driving accident near Golden Gardens that involved a neighborhood high school student.

Online resources for teenagers

2011-08-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, KING5 broadcast a story called Teens go online to get answers on health.

Dr. Leslie Walker, Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Seattle Children's, said parents might not realize their teens are searching online for health answers.

"Out of every ten kids, three of them are saying they're going to the Internet for health information. And that's a lot of kids," she emphasized.

She said for kids who want to know more about topics ranging from diet to fitness to sexual health, there are helpful sites, such as the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Another is the award winning KidsHealth.org, with it's own teen health section.

Following are a few links for teens looking for information specifically about drugs and alcohol:

Above the Influence

NIDA for Teens

The Cool Spot

State by state analysis of adolescent drug use

2011-08-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

When it comes to adolescent substance abuse, how does Washington stack up compared to other states? Below are a bunch of maps showing rates of use among young people ages 12-17. States in red have the highest rates of use and the states in white have the lowest.

Source: State Estimates of Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders from 2008-2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Local communities coming together to promote health

2011-08-04T15:30:00.000-07:00

King County launched a new health education campaign, Let's Do This, earlier this week. The campaign focuses on the relationship between neighborhood and health and inspires residents to become involved. The campaign features Mia, an eleven year old King County resident who wants to be a healthy kid and notices aspects of her neighborhood that make it difficult to be healthy.

The campaign is part of King County's Communities Putting Prevention to Work program.

ER doctors report on effects of caffeinated alcoholic beverages on minors

2011-08-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

A team of emergency room doctors in New York City describes 11 cases of young people who wound up in the ER after drinking Four Loko in a report published in the latest Annals of Emergency Medicine. The median age of the teenagers was 16.4 years. The report starts with:

Premixed caffeinated alcoholic beverages such as Four Loko are promoted for their ability to mask alcohol’s effects and intensify the intoxication. Their brightly colored packaging, low cost, and retail placement mean that they are marketed like a sports or energy drink, appealing to a young consumer. These young drinkers may engage in high-risk behaviors that place them or others in danger, resulting in severe societal consequences.

Four Loko is a top-selling caffeinated alcoholic beverage in the United States. Its popularity followed the surge in energy drink sales during the last several years, largely because of consumer marketing of caffeine’s stimulant and recreational effects. Since early 2011, caffeine has been removed as an ingredient of Four Loko because of governmental warnings. Retail and Internet supplies of the original formulation exist, although manufacturing and distribution have halted . . . The combined use of caffeine and alcohol is increasing, especially among adolescents and college students, leading to increased alcohol related injury.

The report goes on to describe the 11 cases of adolescents who were brought the the ER under the influence of Four Loko and then concludes with a discussion that includes:

Adolescents and young adults who are naive to the effects of alcohol and caffeine may be at higher risk from these combination beverages . . . More than 35% of our patients had blood alcohol levels greater than twice the legal limit. This population is inherently immature, and intoxication with caffeine and alcohol can increase risk-taking behavior. Alcohol and caffeine combinations have been associated with higher rates of alcohol-related consequences, such as medical treatment, sexual assault, drunk driving, and injury.

2011 Prevention Summit update

2011-08-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Washington State Prevention Summit website is now up and running. Information about registration and scholarships is available and further updates will be made soon.

The Summit will take place October 27-29 in Yakima. The goal of the Summit is to provide an enriching and culturally competent training and networking opportunity for youth, volunteers and professionals working toward prevention of substance abuse, violence and other destructive behaviors.

This year, youth groups from Eckstein Middle School and Nathan Hale High School will join other youth groups from around the state and participate in the Summit.

Prescription drug abuse leading to heroin abuse

2011-08-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, KING5 broadcast a story about a teenager who recently died from a heroin overdose.

Dean Shumway died of a heroin overdose just before his 19th birthday. He did not fit the stereotype of a heroin addict, down on his luck and homeless--but perhaps Dean does represent what's becoming the new face of heroin addiction: white middle class teenager.

Frank Couch, a counselor with Science and Management of Addictions (SAMA), says Dean is not an isolated case.

"It's a huge problem out there. It's a huge problem with young folks and adolescents,” said Couch.

Couch says these kids used to smoke Oxycontin, but now that the prescription painkiller has been reformulated, they're turning to heroin.

"It's cheaper, it's more readily available so the trend is moving back to heroin use again," he explained.

Washington Recovery Help Line: a resource for everyone affected by substance abuse

2011-08-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I posted information about a national hotline for parents who are concerned about their child's substance abuse. A more local resource is the Washington Recovery Help Line which provides round-the-clock help for substance abuse problems. The Helpline phone number is: 866-789-1511.

In addition to providing resources for individuals struggling with substance abuse, the helpline provides support to people who are looking for help for a friend or family member, but unsure of how to help them or what resources are available.

Prevention fellowship program accepting applications

2011-08-02T07:52:00.000-07:00

Washington State has been chosen by the federal Center for Substance Abuse Prevention to receive a two year Prevention Fellow for 2011-13. Specific recruitment information is availble online. Applications must be in by August 31, 2011, with a start date of September 26, 2011.

The Fellow will be stationed in Olympia and work with the Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery's Prevention Services Team.

The goal of the Prevention Fellowship Program is to build a workforce of substance abuse professionals. During the 2‐year fellowship program, which combines Web‐based and in-person trainings, fellows improve their skills and their knowledge of prevention practices.

Robberies at WA pharmacies increased seven-fold since 2003

2011-08-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

To follow up with my post from earlier today, below is a chart regarding the rising number of pharmacy robberies in Washington State. According to the report, "Most are for prescription-type opiates, especially OxyContin, and are often committed by organized groups engaging in drug distribution."

Source: Tobacco, Alcohol, & Other Drug Abuse Trends, 2010 Report, Washington State Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery.

In the news: drug-related robberies on the rise

2011-08-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

In July, the Seattle Times ran an opinion piece about the increase in pharmacy robberies that states that between 2008-March 2011, one in six Washington pharmacies was robbed. It goes on to say, "Money is not the target. Addictive prescription narcotics such as Vicodin, amphetamines and OxyContin sell for as much as $80 a pill . . ."

Last week, federal, state, and local law enforcement officials and representatives from the pharmacy community met in Washington, DC to discuss the threat to public safety posed by pharmacy robberies and burglaries.

Also last month, Q13 Fox reported that robberies are escalating at local medical marijuana dispensaries.

August 8 Update

Armed robbery of a pharmacy in North Seattle (SPD Blotter)

Former staff member suspected of narcotics theft at retirement home (Ballard News-Tribune)

On idyllic Cape Cod, Growing drug problem fuels a rise in property crimes (The New York Times)

New parent helpline provides support for teen substance abuse

2011-08-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

From the Join Together Newsroom:

When parents find out their teen is abusing drugs or alcohol, the family’s immediate focus is generally on getting help for the teen. But parents are often in great need of help themselves. They may need advice on what to say to their teen, how to evaluate whether he or she needs professional treatment and where to find the appropriate substance abuse treatment program if one is needed. A new toll-free telephone helpline is providing that assistance.

The Parents Toll-Free Helpline, 1-855-DRUGFREE (1-855-378-4373), is staffed by clinical social workers with practical experience in substance abuse prevention and treatment. The helpline will offer bilingual support (English/Spanish) beginning in mid-August.

“When a child has substance abuse issues, the whole family needs support,” says Ken Winters, PhD, Director of the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota and member of The Partnership at Drugfree.org Science Advisory Board. “Parents may need a counselor to walk them through exactly what they will say to their teenager when they suspect substance abuse. If they have not already done so, parents need to establish rules about alcohol and other drugs, and consequences for breaking those rules. They may also need help figuring out whether their adolescent should get a professional assessment. These are some of the things that a counselor on the helpline can assist them with.”

The debate about the regulation of liquor continues

2011-07-29T08:13:00.000-07:00

Today at noon, KUOW’s The Conversation will focus on the latest liquor privatization initiative. As the debate about the regulation of alcohol in Washington continues, public health and underage drinking-related concerns should be considered. Following are some resources to help inform the debate.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Task Force on Community Preventive Services recently recommended against further privatization.

• The UW Alcohol and Drug Institute (ADAI) developed a brief providing background information on privatization issues.

• Last week, I updated the coalition website to include information about privatization. I will continue to update it as more information becomes available.

The full initiative may be viewed online.

PTA program educates parents about the legal ramifications of serving alcohol to teens

2011-07-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

The Washington State PTA's Parent Pledge program is an awareness campaign designed to educate parents about the legal ramifications as well as the health and safety risks associated with serving alcohol to teens other than their own children.

PTA Parent Pledge resources that are available online are:

Parent Pledge Program Overview
Back to School Checklist
Parent Pledge Directory Information
Parent Letter Example

Parents Who Host Lose the Most is a similar campaign that is used throughout the country with a focus on social host laws. Washington does not have a social host liability law. However, the Washington State Supreme Court did rule that social hosts who serve alcohol to minors can be held liable for resulting harms to the minor who was served but are not liable for injuries the minor may inflict on third parties.

Washington State does prohibit furnishing alcohol to minors. However, parents/guardians may furnish alcohol to their own children.

Want more information? The Alcohol Policy Information System contains detailed information about alcohol policy, including policy related to minors.

Take back your meds bookmarks

2011-07-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

Just in time for National Night Out neighborhood events, the local Take Back Your Meds campaign has made available bookmarks promoting prescription drug take-back programs.

The majority of Roosevelt High School students do not drink alcohol or use marijuana

2011-07-25T14:12:00.000-07:00

Earlier today, I posted information about substance abuse rates among Nathan Hale High School sophomores and seniors. Below are two charts that show the substance abuse rates among Roosevelt 10th and 12th grade students between 2006-10

Since 2006, current alcohol use rates declined significantly among Roosevelt sophomores and seniors. All rates are now below 50% . . . this means that the majority of Roosevelt students do not drink alcohol or use marijuana.

Source: Washington State Healthy Youth Survey

The majority of Nathan Hale High School students do not drink alcohol or use marijuana

2011-07-25T12:49:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post, I reported that underage drinking rates among northeast Seattle high school students (Nathan Hale and Roosevelt High Schools) have decreased significantly since 2006. Below are two charts that show the substance abuse rates among Nathan Hale 10th and 12th grade students between 2006-10.

Among Nathan Hale sophomores, use of all substances and binge drinking declined since 2006. All substance abuse (except for the abuse of prescription painkillers) declined since 2008 among Hale seniors.

All rates are now below 50% . . . this means that the marjority of Hale students do not drink alcohol or use marijuana.

Source: Washington State Healthy Youth Survey

Adolescents' alcoholic beverage preferences are shifting from beer to distilled spirits

2011-07-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Distilled spirits are becoming more popular among adolescent drinkers and are challenging beer as the alcoholic beverage most likely consumed by underage drinkers, especially among youth who report binge drinking, according to a recent Health and Human Services report to Congress. Flavored alcoholic beverages are also popular.

The charts above show the alcoholic beverages of choice among female and male high school seniors who drink. The red line represents flavored alcoholic beverages, the dark blue line represents beer, and the light blue line with squares represents distilled spirits.

According to the report, beverage preferences vary somewhat by state. Data from four states indicated that, among high school students who reported binge drinking, liquor was the most prevalent alcoholic beverage type.

Alcohol marketing influences adolescent binge drinking

2011-07-21T08:30:00.000-07:00

Two-thirds of underage drinkers report having a favorite brand of alcohol, according to the results of a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Hard alcohol brands were identified as favorites as often as beer. "Brands preferred by youth tended to have high advertising expenditures, and choosing a favorite brand was associated with binge drinking."

The article concludes, "The correlation between underage drinkers' brand preference and marketing expenditures suggests a marketing influence on choice of beverage. Moreover, higher rates of binge drinking among adolescents who named a favorite brand suggest that alcohol advertising campaigns may influence the likelihood that alcohol will be consumed at levels that pose a risk to health."

More about alcohol marketing and youth is available at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth's website.

Preventing prescription drug abuse among adolescents

2011-07-21T07:51:00.000-07:00

Join Together recently interviewed a nationally recognized scholar on prescription drug abuse and adolescents. Following are some excerpts from that interview:

In response to a question about why prescription drugs are becoming a problem among teens:

It is not entirely clear why prescription medication misuse and abuse has increased, while other forms of drug use have decreased. However, several issues appear to be interacting to create this problem. These include: increased availability due to increases in prescribing controlled medications to adolescents; perceptions that prescription drugs generally are safer than street drugs; changing attitudes toward the use of medications because of direct-to-consumer marketing (DTC) and the Internet, where adolescents can quickly learn about medications and how to use them to self-treat and get high.

In response to a question about the role parents play in preventing prescription drug abuse:

I believe that parental monitoring is the “key” to reducing the nonmedical use of prescription medications in ages 12 to 17 years. Our data show that general parental supervision is associated with lower rates of marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use; however this is not true for the nonmedical use of prescription medication. We speculate reasons for this: (1) parents are unaware of the potential problem and do not supervise the storage of controlled medications (and thus, they are available to household members) and (2) parents engage in nonmedical use and do not consider it a problem.

In response to a question about the challenges of preventing prescription drug abuse in comparison to preventing illegal drug abuse:

This question is difficult to answer because of a lack of prospective data. It is well established that illicit drug use moves in social and behavioral patterns, with individual drugs gaining and losing popularity among adolescents. However, this ebb and flow is not true for alcohol, which remains a very popular substance.

Because prescription medications share social characteristics with alcohol (e.g. legal for certain groups, relatively safe in small doses, etc.), nonmedical use may be more similar to alcohol misuse/abuse. Our society promotes the legal use of both alcohol and controlled medications; we are one of a very few countries that allow the television marketing of controlled medications.

How do underage drinkers access alcohol?

2011-07-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

The Prevention WINS Retail Outreach Workgroup met earlier this week and continued planning for conducting alcohol purchase surveys (APS). The APS will help the coalition better understand the role grocery stores, convenience stores, and other stores that sell beer and wine play in minor's access to alcohol.

The Washington State Healthy Youth Survey includes a question about alcohol access: During the past thirty days how did you usually get alcohol? (Choose all that apply.) Most northeast Seattle high school students said that they did not get alcohol in the past month. Those students that said that they do drink alcohol, said they got it the following ways:

I got it from friends -- 50.0%

I got it at a party -- 39.3%

I gave money to someone to get it for me -- 23.6%

I got it at home with my parents’ permission -- 15.7%

I bought it from a store -- 15.0%

I took it from home without my parents’ permission -- 12.2%

I got it some other way -- 11.4%

I got it from an older brother or sister -- 9.3%

I got it at a family celebration, ceremony, or party -- 7.8%

Focus groups conducted with northeast Seattle high school students confirm these findings about how teenagers access alcohol. The most common answer focus group participants gave was that teenagers get alcohol from friends who are older and/or look older.

But the answers to the HYS questions do not tell us how the friends got the alcohol; if the person they gave money to is someone they know and if that person is 21 or older; or how the alcohol got to the party. It could be that all three ways cited in the HYS are really only one way: teenagers bring alcohol to parties after buying it with money their friends gave them. Maybe the 15% of kids who say they bought it from a store are supplying most of the alcohol to the rest of the underage drinkers. Our coalition chose to do alcohol purchase surveys, in part, to help us answer some of our questions about access.

A few years ago, our coalition tried to get the liquor license revoked from a convenience store near Eckstein Middle School. The store had a long, documented, history of selling to minors. Knowing that they sold to minors, and hearing from kids in focus groups that there are certain mini-marts that are easy to buy from, the coalition chose the APS strategy to gain more information. (A “reward & reminder” component is included as a prevention strategy.) If it turns out that the convenience store near Eckstein is an anomaly, that the vast majority of convenience stores in our community do not sell to minors, then we can cross off retail access, collect more local access-related data, and start looking at other strategies that have proven to reduce youth access to alcohol.

The Retail Outreach Workgroup will meet again on August 30. All coalition meetings are open to anyone interested in preventing underage drinking and youth substance abuse.

Medical marijuana dispensaries in NE Seattle

2011-07-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, someone asked me how many medical marijuana dispensaries exist in northeast Seattle. A recent post on the Maple Leaf Life blog, From green to gray -- a look at medical marijuana in north Seattle, provides an answer.

Youth drug use at Laurelhurst Park

2011-07-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

A recent post to the Laurelhurst Blog describes the ongoing parties at Laurelhurst Park. Following is an excerpt:

We regularly smell cigarette and marijuana smoke coming from that direction and have seen kids (only boys although that doesn’t mean girls haven’t been there) running up there with backpacks on (often coming on bike or scooter and even out walking their dog in daylight). They tuck deep in the corner and have complete coverage.

Currently there are broken beer bottles, in-tact bottles as well as a strong smell of urine.

If people are missing their junior high boys, I suspect they’d find them here… I’d guess these kids are junior high or early high school.

On Friday, I posted information to this blog about underage drinking parties at Magnuson and Golden Gardens.

Underage drinking research . . . and more research

2011-07-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

Today, I went searching (online) for the journal link to an article I read about teen binge drinking and how it may impair the developing brain.

However, when I visited the Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research website, I was side-tracked by the article entitled: Effects of Energy Drinks Mixed with Alcohol on Behavioral Control: Risks for College Students Consuming Trendy Cocktails.

The article caught my eye mostly because I had just finished reading: Teenagers prefer drinks with caffeine.

To try to get back on track, I re-visited the article about the developing brain but was, again, side-tracked by a link to the Mediline Plus webpage that contains multiple links to underage drinking-related websites.

One of those links is to: Media influence on adolescent alcohol use on the Archives of American Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine's website.

Some say we are living in the Information Age. Considering I am sharing all of this information through a blog, and that I gleaned it within 20 minutes, I tend to agree.

How parents influence adolescent substance abuse

2011-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

While I was doing some research for the Social Marketing Workgroup's (SMW) action plan, I found a report entitled, "Family Ties: How Parents Influence Adolescent Substance Abuse". It clearly explains why certain parenting practices are effective in preventing youth substance abuse.

One of the parenting practices that the SMW will be promoting is monitoring teenage children. According to the report: Support and control have been identified by researchers as two complementary components of parenting (Barnes and Farrell, 1992). The construct of support includes areas such as nurturance, attachment, acceptance, and love, whereas the construct of control includes discipline, supervision, and monitoring. Monitoring has further been defined as parental knowledge of their child’s companions, whereabouts, and activities . . . High levels of parental monitoring are associated with low frequencies of drinking and illicit drug use.

According to community parent surveys conducted by Prevention WINS in 2008 and 2010, while NE Seattle parents talk to their children about not using alcohol and/or marijuana, many do not monitor their teenage children.

Most NE Seattle parents talk to their children about not using drugs and alcohol

2011-07-15T15:02:00.000-07:00

The coalition's Social Marketing Workgroup met earlier this week and, using data from the Healthy Youth Survey and community parent surveys, started identifying possible messages for our campaign targeting parents. Messages need to be refined, but following is what we ware starting with.

1. Most Eckstein Middle School/Hale High School/Roosevelt High School students do not drink or use drugs. Parents can support them by:
• monitoring medications in your home
• telling them that you are proud that they don’t use drugs
• provide them with opportunities to positively contribute to home life

2. Most NE Seattle parents talk to their children about not using drugs and alcohol. Follow up with rewards and consequences. Kids who know there will be rewards for not using and consequences if they do use are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.

3. Most NE Seattle parents think drug and alcohol use by teenagers is not okay. Get to know your child’s friend’s parents – it’s likely they want to know you, too. Talk to them about your family’s rules about drugs and alcohol – it’s likely that they agree with you.

Police report that parties at parks continue

2011-07-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

During the coalition's Advocacy Workgroup meeting earlier this week, a Seattle Police Officer reported that large underage drinking parties continue to occur at Magnuson Park.

On the last day of school, Seattle Police broke up a large party at Magnuson Park. Despite a warning posted at a nearby high school that police would be conducting alcohol emphasis patrols on the last day of school, more than 100 minors were at the party. If stickers on cars can be relied on for identification purposes, most minors were students at the nearby high school. The officer noted that many high school students also participate in underage drinking parties at Golden Gardens. Alcohol has been a factor contributing to recent violent incidents at the park.

The Advocacy Workgroup continues to plan for meeting with local policy makers about the implementation of laws already on the books regarding youth alcohol and marijuana use. Short-term plans include meeting with City and County council members who serve on health and safety-related committees.

Regulating dispensaries in Seattle

2011-07-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

Today, the Seattle City Council's Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee will discuss a bill that would regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in the City. This comes at the heals of Governor Gregoire partially vetoing state legislation regarding medical marijuana.

Save the date to celebrate decreasing underage drinking rates

2011-07-08T12:12:00.000-07:00

Since 2006, underage drinking rates among NE Seattle 10th grade students have decreased by 13-18%. The community is invited to help Prevention WINS celebrate healthy youth on October 10 at Nathan Hale High School. Stay tuned for more information!

Despite CDC recommendation against further liquor privatization, debate continues in WA

2011-07-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

Backers of the latest liquor privatization initiative funded a paid-signature drive and turned in petitions today. I-1183 is similar to two measures to privatize state liquor sales that failed last November. I-1105 was rejected by 63% of voters and I-1100 was tossed out by 53%.

In February, the federal Centers for Disease Control’s Task Force on Community Preventive Services recommended against further privatization of alcohol sales “based on strong evidence that privatization results in increased per capita alcohol consumption, a well-established proxy for excessive consumption.”

"Privatization may be associated with increased alcohol advertising, increases in the number of brands sold, and more lax enforcement of sales regulations, including enforcement of the minimum legal drinking age. In contrast, privatization also has generally been associated with an increase in the price of privatized beverages, which may be expected to lead to a decrease in consumption."

Juice box cocktails

2011-07-08T07:29:00.000-07:00

What's the difference between these two beverages?

They both come in brightly colored aluminum pouches.

They both come with little straws.

They both contain (at least some) fruit juice.

But one of them is a "ready to drink cocktail".

A comment posted on the Marin Institute's web page about this product states that selling alcohol in juice boxes is no different than selling beer in the same kind of cans in which soda-pop is sold.

And, the website about the cocktail says that the manufacturer "does not promote or encourage the use of alcoholic beverages; this alcoholic beverage is not intended for the consumption by minors. We are committed to advertising and promoting the brand in a responsible manner."

What do you think? Is this another example of marketing alcohol to minors or is this beverage being marketed to adults who want the convenience and fun of drinking alcohol through a juice box straw?

In the news . . .

2011-07-07T11:22:00.000-07:00

UW study: Some students tout the benefits of heavy drinking (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Talking to teens may help them cut back on their pot smoking (HealthDay)

New Elway Poll shows support for marijuana legalization, but . . . (Publicola)

Four Initiatives Likely to Make the November Ballot; Costco "Confident" About Liquor Privatization's Chances (Publicola)

Free Washington tobacco Quitline service cancelled (Seattle Times)

Marijuana dispensary taking place of LC's Kitchen? (Maple Leaf Life)

Council member Sally Clark: Regulate pot through zoning (Publicola)

One in five high school students may be addicted, report says (Seattle PI)

Miracle-Gro eyes medical marijuana market (Reuters)

July coalition meetings

2011-07-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

Social Marketing Workgroup Meeting
Monday, July 11, 2011
7-8:30 p.m.
Seattle Children's Hospital, Giraffe Starbucks
4800 Sand Point Way NE

Advocacy Workgroup Meeting
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Noon-1:30 p.m.
Seattle Children's Roosevelt Commons, Room 5520
4300 Roosevelt Way NE

Retail Outreach Workgroup Meeting
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
10:30 a.m. - Noon
Seattle Children's Administration Building
NE 70th & Sand Point Way NE

Other coalition meetings are listed on the Prevention WINS website.

Most people who are addicted to drugs started using drugs as teenagers

2011-06-29T13:43:00.000-07:00

Nine in ten people who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol began to smoke, drink and/or use drugs before the age of 18, according to a report recently released by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The report goes on to state that the earlier teens use any substance, the greater the risk of addiction.

TIME spoke to Dr. Leslie Walker, Chief of Adolescent Medicine at Seattle Children's, about the report: Adolescent health experts say that part of the reason for the upward trends has to do with the mixed messages that both parents and society send to adolescents about drug use. "One of the things you hear is that every teen is going to [try some addictive substance]," says Walker. "So what's the big deal, this is normative, and it's fine. But the data shows that no, we should not accept this as normative for adolescents to use and there's a reason they shouldn't be using, and there are things we can do about it."

Science-based fact sheets about marijuana

2011-06-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

The University of Washington's Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute (ADAI) recently launched a new website that "is intended to serve the Washington public by providing up-to-date science-based information about marijuana."

Currently, the site contains multiple science-based fact sheets that will be updated and added to by UW scientists. Among the fact sheets are:

Free "Proud to be in control" poster available online

2011-06-24T12:54:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month, SAMHSA released a new free poster that showcases a teenager's artwork and communicates a positive message.

Part of the Above the Influence campaign, this poster may be ordered online.

Teenology 101 for parents

2011-06-24T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Adolescent Medicine Division at Seattle Children's launched a new blog this month called Teenology 101. The blog provides useful advice for parents and caregivers of teenagers. The two most recent entries provide guidance about ground rules and prom night.

Research brief available about adult-supervised teenage drinking

2011-06-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

The University of Washington's Social Development Research Group recently released a Research Brief: Adult-Supervised Drinking with Young Teens May Lead to More Unsupervised Alcohol Use and Harmful Consequences. The key findings discussed in the brief include:

-- By 9th grade, teens who drank occasionally with an adult present were more likely to drink without adult supervision.

-- Teens who drank under adult supervision in 8th grade reported experiencing more harmful consequences of alcohol use, such as not being able to stop drinking, getting into fights, or having blackouts in 9th grade.

This study suggests that parents take a "zero tolerance" stance when it comes to underage drinking.

Evaluation Committee to meet next week

2011-06-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Prevention WINS Evaluation Committee Meeting
Thursday, June 30, 2011
9:30 - 11 a.m.
Seattle Children's Administration Building
NE 70th & Sand Point Way NE

Agenda
1. Evaluation Plan
-- Prevention Strategies
-- Coalition Functioning

2. 2010 NE Seattle HYS Results

All coalition meetings are open to anyone interested in preventing youth substance abuse in NE Seattle. For more information please contact the coalition's coordinator.

Video about alcohol deregulation wins innovation award

2011-06-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

The Center for Alcohol Policy's educational video about the dangers of alcohol deregulation has been honored with a gold award in the category of "Media Innovation" by the Association Media & Publishing's 2011 EXCEL Awards. This competition recognizes the best in association and non-profit media and publishing.

The video highlights the contrast between the deregulated system of alcohol controls in the United Kingdom with the more effective system of alcohol regulation in the United States.

Youth substance abuse prevention part of national strategy

2011-06-21T15:25:00.000-07:00

As part of the federal Affordable Care Act (health care reform), the first ever National Prevention Strategy was recently released. The Strategy's goal is to increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life.

One of the Strategy's priorities is preventing drug abuse and excessive alcohol use. Preventing underage drinking is included. Among its recommendations under this priority are:

-- the implementation and enforcement of alcohol control policies. "States with more stringent alcohol control policies tend to have lower levels of binge drinking among adults and college students. Evidence-based policies that decrease excessive alcohol use and related harms include those that prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors and intoxicated persons; reduce days and hours of sale; and limit the number of places that legally sell alcohol."

-- create environments that help young people avoid drugs and alcohol. This includes reducing youth exposure to alcohol marketing.

-- identify drug and alcohol problems early and provide intervention, referral, and treatment.

-- reduce inappropriate access to prescription drugs.

In the news

2011-06-21T14:44:00.000-07:00

Here are a few stories related to youth substance abuse that recently appeared in the media . . .

Draw the line against underage drinking (Bellevue Reporter)

Washington's liquor-store battle is far from over (Crosscut)

Gregoire signs liquor distribution bill in full (Publicola)

Underage drinking is dangerous, even with parental guidance (KING5)

A general in the drug war about NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow (New York Times)

Retail Outreach Workgroup plans for alcohol purchase surveys

2011-06-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Prevention WINS Retail Outreach Workgroup met yesterday and continued planning for upcoming alcohol purchase surveys with a reward & reminder component.

As I blogged previously, the workgroup is looking for people who are 21 years old and older but appear younger to volunteer to conduct purchase surveys. For more information please contact the coalition's coordinator.

The next Retail Outreach Workgroup meeting will take place July 19, 10:30 a.m., at Seattle Children's Administration Building. All coalition-related meetings are posted on the Prevention WINS website.

Save the date: 2011 Prevention Summit

2011-06-20T12:14:00.000-07:00

Look for more information at: http://www.preventionsummit.org/.

Youth substance abuse treatment admissions in Seattle-King County

2011-06-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Marijuana continues to be the primary reason that youth enter treatment, followed by alcohol, according to the recently released 2010 Drug Abuse Trends in Seattle-King County.

Among all people who are admitted for treatment for marijuana, most started using before the age of 15, with the largest number starting between ages of 12-13.

Treatment admissions for prescription opiates increased across the board.

A story about these local drug abuse trends was aired on KPLU:

These figures were compiled from various sources by Caleb Banta-Green, an epidemiologist at the University of Washington's Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute . . . "

He also told me [the reporter] that his biggest concern, looking forward, is what happens to the people who get addicted to painkillers, such as oxycodone.

"Prescription type opiates are pretty potent, but they're also quite expensive. Heroin is much cheaper. So, my concern is that as people run out of resources to afford prescription type drugs, they're going to need to move on to heroin."

Local physicians provide advice about parenting teenage children

2011-06-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

Preventing youth substance abuse was among the many adolescent health-related topics discussed during last night's Children's HealthLink special.

During Part 3 of the show, the three Seattle Children's physicians on the panel stated:

-- marijuana and alcohol are detrimental to the growing brain;

-- parents can teach their children drug/alcohol refusal skills -- role playing is especially effective;

-- parents play an important role in preventing youth substance abuse and should talk to their children early, when they are 11-13 years old, about not using drugs/alcohol.

Earlier in the day, Dr.'s Walker and Breuner appeared on New Day NW and talked about how to keep teenage children safe, healthy and motivated during summer break.

Secrets of the Teenage Mind

2011-06-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

Children's HealthLink Special: Secrets of the Teenage Mind
June 8, 8:00 p.m.
KING5-TV

This one-hour program features Seattle Children's Adolescent Medicine staff discussing a wide range of health topics including:

the teen brain and moods
teen social media habits
signs of severe depression and suicide
concussion signs and prevention tips
sleep habits and disorders
obesity and body image.

The program will include a Q&A session with parents of teenagers.

The show will also air:

June 9, 8:30 p.m. on NW Cable News
June 12, 8:00 p.m. on KONG-TV

New prevention poster for liquor stores

2011-06-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

The Washington State Liquor Control Board has hung these posters in all of their stores. The statewide coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking will make these posters available to communities later this summer.

Needed: volunteers who are 21 and older but look younger

2011-06-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

The coalition's Retail Outreach Workgroup is planning to conduct alcohol purchase surveys (APS) later this summer and in the fall. These surveys involve sending young adults who appear underage into stores to attempt to purchase alcohol. As part of the Workgroup's APS activities, retailers who ask for ID will be rewarded and retailers who do not ask for ID will be reminded to do so.

Volunteers who are 21 years old and older (but look younger) are needed to conduct these surveys in northeast Seattle. For more information and a volunteer application, contact the Prevention WINS coordinator.

Upcoming coalition meetings

2011-06-03T09:59:00.000-07:00

Youth Engagement Committee Meeting
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
8-9:30 a.m.
Eckstein Middle School

Advocacy Workgroup Meeting
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
12-1:30 p.m.
Seattle Children's Hospital

A complete schedule of coalition meetings is available on the Prevention WINS website. All coalition meetings are open to the public. For more information, please contact the coalition's coordinator.

Reports on drug use and health available online

2011-06-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has many downloadable reports about drug use and health. One that recently caught my eye was about State Estimates of Drunk and Drugged Driving. According to the report, Washington has a relatively low rate of drunk driving that has decreased since 2006 but has a relatively high rate of drugged driving.

Other reports include:

Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Aged 12-14

A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update

SAMHSA News: Preventing Suicide on College Campuses

Marijuana policy and youth

2011-05-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

Within the last few weeks, several people have asked me if there has been anything published, from a medical point of view, about marijuana policy and its effect on young people. Here is what I've been sharing, from the June 2004 edition of Pediatrics -- Legalization of Marijuana: Potential Impact on Youth.