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How Much Does Your Teen Know About Drugs and Alcohol?
Teens think they know it all, right? Well, you can put that to the test with the National Drug Facts IQ Test, part of National Drug Facts Week sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. National Drug Facts Week is January 22-28 and during that time your teen can take the free online quiz to test their knowledge about drugs and alcohol.
High schools nationwide are participating in activities in order to raise awareness about drugs and alcohol with students and Weld County High Schools have been encouraged to participate.
“This is the fifth year we have promoted NIDA’s National Drug Facts Week to educators throughout Weld County,” Ketterling said. “NIDA provides a great many resources for teachers to use in the classroom, including a terrific on-line Drug Facts IQ Challenge, that tests student knowledge about alcohol and drugs.”
Parents are encouraged to share the quiz with their teens. “This is a great teaching moment for parents and teens every year,” said Ketterling. “The National Drug Facts Quiz presents an opportunity for parents and teens to discuss drug and alcohol use in a factual manner, without drama. The more conversations parents have about drug and alcohol use, the better. Plus, statistics show that when parents talk to teens about drugs and alcohol, teens are 34% less likely to use them.”
If you’d like your teen to take the National Drug Facts IQ Quiz this week, visit www.wcpreventionpartners.org. The link to the quiz is there on the homepage. |
Marijuana and Vaping Are More Popular Than Cigarettes Among Teenagers
 Cigarette smoking has dropped so sharply among American teenagers that vaping and marijuana use are now more common, according to a national survey of adolescent drug use. The report, sponsored by the federal government's National Institute on Drug Abuse and administered by the University of Michigan, found that 22.9 percent of high school seniors said they had used marijuana within the previous 30 days and 16.6 percent had used a vaping device. Only 9.7 percent had smoked cigarettes. |
Cannabis Linked to Bipolar Symptoms in Young Adults
Researchers at Warwick University Medical School in the UK have linked marijuana use in adolescence to bipolar symptoms in early adulthood.
They analyzed data from 3,370 women participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children and found that those who used marijuana two to three times a week had a risk factor for hypomania at ages 22-23. Hypomania is defined as “elevated mood alongside irritability or an inflated ego, an unrealistic sense of superiority, a reduced need for sleep, and frenzied speech.” Such symptoms frequently occur in those who suffer from bipolar disorder.
“Adolescent cannabis use may be an independent risk factor for future hypomania, and the nature of the association suggests a potential causal link. As such it might be a useful target for indicated prevention of hypomania,” says Dr. Steven Marwaha, a clinical academic psychiatrist and lead investigator in the study. |
Make An Action Plan For Healthy Habits With Your Teen
Looking for a great way to start discussing healthy choices with your teen? Here’s a great three-step plan and all you need is a pencil and paper.
Step 1: Both of you should make a list of three benefits of avoiding alcohol, marijuana or other drugs not prescribed for your teen. Compare lists and then work to create a list of the three most important ones.
Step 2: Talk about pressure points. Certain situations can make it difficult or uncomfortable for teens to avoid marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs and other drugs. Come up with the top four high-pressure situations together.
Step 3: Come up with ways to avoid these types of situations or navigate their way through it. For example, brainstorm what your teen should say if someone offers them drugs or alcohol at a party. It might be, “Hey, I’m an athlete/musician/actor and I want to be at the top of my game.” It might be, “My dad would kill me AND you.”
After you’ve developed your plan of action, make a fun “date” with your teen every month to review it. Ask if your teen has used the Action Plan and how it worked. Discuss whether there are things that need to be added to the list. |
Mark Your Calendars:
 National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is January 22-28. This week-long health observance is sponsored by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Weld County Prevention Partners will be launching a social media campaign to encourage teens to take the National Drug Facts Quiz. Visit our Facebook page or website for more information in January. |
Where Do Teens Look For Drugs And Alcohol?
If you think teens are meeting dealers in dark alleys, you’re wrong. Here are the top ways youth try to find and access alcohol and drugs.
- Medicine cabinets at home and at the homes of friends.
- Liquor cabinets
- Online
- Older siblings and relatives
- Parties, family gatherings and special celebrations
- Use of fake ID
- School
- Older siblings of friends
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Preparing Your Teen For Valentine’s Day
 There’s nothing like a Hallmark holiday to put pressure on teens to stress about their romance or lack thereof. According to new data compiled by social media platform We Heart It and provided to TIME Magazine, teenagers are the most miserable group on Valentine’s Day. Of 21,000 survey responses over 98% were from teenage girls, and they didn’t have a lot of love for the holiday. Only 13% of teenagers under 15 think Valentine’s Day is “painful,” while 22% say it’s “overrated,” and 24% think it’s irrelevant. Teenagers are also the least likely age group to send Valentines, with over 53% saying they’re not sending any at all, compared with 41% of respondents over 25.
Young teens seem to think that social media is essential to the Valentine’s Day experience: 21% of respondents under 15 said social media was “extremely important” on Valentine’s Day, and over 64% said it was “somewhat” important. By contrast, only 10% of respondents over 25 said they thought it was “very important” to Instagram or Tweet their chocolates and flowers.
But all those vicarious Valentines aren’t making teens feel better. Instead, social media makes them feel worse. Only 36% said they thought social media made Valentine’s Day more fun, while 65% said social media either made them feel jealous or stressed out (34% said they got jealous, 31% said they got stressed). By contrast, 54% of respondents over 25 said they thought social media made the day more fun.
Valentine’s Day only heightens the emphasis on love, couples, and romance, which can leave a single person feeling unloved. Instead of letting your teen wallow in misery, give them some ideas for how to refocus Valentine’s Day into a positive thing:
- Make Some Money. Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to babysit! There are so many parents that want to go out to dinner that your teen could easily find someone who needs a babysitter.
- Cheer Up Others. Encourage your teen to share a little love with others who may be feeling sad on this day. Make and decorate Valentine’s Day cookies and bring them to a nursing home or hospital. Serve food to the homeless. Volunteer in some way to make the world a little bit better.
- Give Everyone Valentines. Valentine’s Day is not just about romance – it’s about showing love to the important people in your life. Suggest your teen give a Valentine to their siblings, grandparents or friends – or even a classmate who wouldn’t be likely to receive one. Everyone feels valued when they receive a card!
- Host a Single People Get Together. Your teen is not the only single one at school. Offer to host a get together for all of your teen’s single friends. Your teen could put together a movie night, a dance party, or a chocolate taste test to find the favorite brand and filling.
If your teen is in a relationship, remind your teen that the point of the day is to express love and appreciation for the other person. It’s not about how much you spend or making grand gestures.
You can also plan a special Valentine’s celebration in your home and share the love with just your family. With a little imagination, you can take the stress out of Valentine’s Day! |
Two Middle Schools to Offer Strengthening Families 10-14 Program
 Johnstown, Milliken, Kersey and Gill families with children ages 10-14 have a way to improve communication, reduce family drama and experience more positive interactions, thanks to a program sponsored by Weld County Prevention Partners and North Range Behavioral Health. The Strengthening Families 10-14 program is free to families and funded in part by a grant from Tony Grampsas Youth Services.
“We’re offering a seven-week program at Milliken Middle School and Platte Valley Middle School this spring, “ said Leah Ortiz, Strengthening Families 10-14 Program Coordinator. “The classes are designed to improve the overall family experience, and are taught in both English and Spanish,” she said.
The Strengthening Families 10-14 course at Milliken Middle School begins March 1 and is offered from 5:30-8:00 p.m. on seven consecutive Tuesday evenings. A free meal is served from 5:30-6 p.m. for the families. Class dates are March 1, 8, 15, 22 and April 5, 12 and 19. There is no class on March 29 because of Spring Break.
Families in the Kersey and Gill areas can attend the sessions at Platte Valley Middle School on Monday, March 12, 19, April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. There will be no class on March 26. Free childcare for children ages nine and under will also be provided at both schools.
Youth and parents spend the first hour in separate sessions and the second hour is spent in a family session.
“Families will learn how to solve problems, bond together as a family, grow and have fun through a series of exercises and classroom discussions,” she said. “The program is designed by experts and has a proven track record of success.”
English and Spanish speaking families who wish to participate in the free program should contact Leah Ortiz at (970) 347-1389. Additional information about the course is available at www.wcpreventionpartners.org/strengtheningfamilies. |
Spring Break is Coming!
Spring Break will be here before you know it. Even if you can’t afford to go on vacation, it can still be fun. Involve your family in planning a family stay-cation. Have each member bring a list of three things they’d like to do locally during time off from school. Establish a budget. Then meet as a family and discuss all of the options! When you are doing family activities, have a no-cell-phone policy, so everyone is focused on the moment and truly engaged. |
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