NIH release clinicians guide to screen for underage drinking

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.

Marijuana policy and youth

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. 

Pediatrics and underage drinking

From CADCA:

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement underscoring the critical role pediatricians play in discouraging children and teens from drinking alcohol. The policy statement, "Alcohol Use by Youth and Adolescents: A Pediatric Concern," will appear in the May issue of Pediatrics.

Alcohol consumption can interfere with adolescent brain development, and use of alcohol early in life is associated with future alcohol-related problems, because it:

-- Contributes to the leading causes of teen deaths: accidental injury, homicide, and suicide;

-- Increases greatly the chances teens will engage in other risky actions such as substance use, unsafe sex, and violent behavior;

-- Affects developing brains and general health, including possibly harming liver function and ability to fight infections.

The authors recommend additional research into prevention, screening and identification, brief intervention and management, and treatment of alcohol and other substance use by adolescents.