DrugFreeAzKids News

How Young People are Using Social Media to Drug Traffic

The Standard Article; Kingman, AZ

Protecting your child’s safety and exposure to illicit drugs can be challenging when the world is at their fingertips. Social media can be an easy outlet for young people to find and sell drugs, and teenagers are particularly vulnerable to social media drug trafficking because of their high social media usage. Social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook are being utilized by drug trafficking networks in establishing new clientele and meeting the demand more directly and discreetly.

How to Speak to Kids About Marijuana Now That It's Legal

AZ Central Article; Phoenix, AZ

Embrace the awkwardness. That’s one key bit of advice from experts for how parents might start a discussion about marijuana with children now that it is legal and more prevalent in Arizona. Here’s another: Talk to them early, and talk to them often. Thalia Williams, SB&H Director of Prevention Programs, contributed to a feature sharing information and resources for parents.

Alcohol and Coronavirus: What You Need to Know

Used with permission. © Partnership for Drug-Free Kids. Learn more at www.drugfree.org.

More Teens Overdosing on Anxiety Medication

Nationally, there has been a significant increase in anxiety medication overdoses, including Xanax, Valium, and Ativan. Annually, about 70,000 children receive emergency care as a result of medication overdoses. According to a study published in the Clinical Toxicology Journal, there was a 54% increase in the number of cases of benzodiazepine overdoses among 12-18-year olds. What is even more alarming is that nearly half were intentional, whether it was to get high or to attempt suicide.

What's Going on with Vaping Related Illnesses?

Recently there has been a shocking amount of lung injuries and deaths due to e-cigarettes and vaping products. Vapes are commonly disguised to appear like a USB drive, which allows teens to sneak them into school discretely. Popular brands such as Juul, SMOK, Uwell, and Aspire are unaware of the long-term effects from smoking these products. E-cigarettes have been on the market for over a decade; however, it has not been until recent events that there has been a surge in illnesses and even deaths.

If You Suspect Your Child Is Using – Get Help NOW

Having a teenager can be challenging, especially in today’s busy world.  In Arizona, the average age of first time drug use is 13 years old!  We would like to take this time to educate parents on signs to look out for and what you can do if you suspect your child is using drugs.  Every parent should be aware of their child’s uncommon behaviors and intervene immediately.  Noticing drastic changes in their normal behavior can be a sign that your child might be using drugs or alcohol.

Prescribing Opioids to Children: The Dangers and Misconceptions

With the rising opioid epidemic at hand, it’s important to safely and efficiently treat chronic pain conditions, especially when it comes to children. Opioids have a similar chemical structure to heroin and have addicting properties. The misuse of opioids can have frightening effects on the body such as; an increase in blood pressure, heart rate, organ damage, seizures, and potentially death.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are trying to reduce the number of opioids prescribed to eliminate patients with chronic short and long-term pain from becoming addicted.

Coping with School Stress

With summer vacation coming to an end for Arizona teens, it’s important to talk about a serious health threat teens are facing… Stress. Teens experience a variety of stressors in middle school and high school including, discovering who they are, bullying, homework, and social pressures. Stress can lead to many negative health outcomes, but it can also lead to drug and alcohol use. On the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, 36% of teens that had used drugs or alcohol in the past 30 days said they used substances to deal with stress from school.

What Teens are Saying about Substance Use

Have you ever wondered how easy it is for your teen to get substances in your community? Or how often your teen is exposed to substance use? How about whether your teen would be concerned if they knew a friend was using substances? A new survey of over 1,000 teens by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has answered these questions and more for you.

Staying Safe This Summer

It’s officially summer in Arizona and many of our schools have been on break for the past two weeks. Summer vacation is a great time to decompress from a busy and stressful school year, but it’s important that we make sure our youth are relaxing in a healthy and safe way. Summer break means extra free time for youth, which often leads to boredom. When teens are bored, they may experiment with drug or alcohol use. In fact, during the summer months the rate of first time drug use increases significantly for teenagers. Here are a few tips to help ensure your teen stays safe this summer: