PARENT POWER!!
Kay Glawe and Carrie Stevens
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialists
Some facts we know:
The brain grows fastest during adolescence
than at any other time in life.
Adolescent brain + drug use = bad decisions
and poor impulse control!
Genetic factors account for 40% - 60% of a
person’s vulnerability to addiction.
Environmental Factors:
Family members who abuse alcohol and drugs
increase the risk for addiction.
Peer drug use is the strongest predictor of
adolescent substance use. (Do their friends
use?)
There is a strong correlation between the level
of substance use and the number of peers that
use.
Long term abuse impairs
brain functioning.
The brain produces less Dopamine and reduces the
number of receptors causing decreased ability to
experience pleasure.
This brain adaptation is called tolerance, which
produces a need to use a drug to have normal
Dopamine function.
Sundown Ranch - 2015
A Few Statistics
o Average age of first use of tobacco: 12.
o Average age of first use of alcohol: 12.
o Average age of first use of marijuana: 13.
Tobacco
Over 400,000 people die each year due to cigarette smoking.
3,000 non-smoking Americans die of lung cancer each year due to
second hand smoke and it causes up to 300,000 children to suffer
from lower respiratory-tract infections. 40 chemicals in tobacco
smoke have been identified that cause cancer in humans and animals
according to researchers.
Short term effects
VS
increase in blood pressure
increase in heart rate
causes arteries to narrow
reduces amount of oxygen in blood
Long term
chronic lung disease
heart disease
stroke
cancer (lung, throat,
esophagus…)
Alcohol
 Most teenagers who drink alcohol, drink to get
drunk.
 Teens who begin drinking before the age of 15
are four times more likely to develop alcohol
dependence than those who wait until age 21.
 Youth under the age of 21 drink almost 20% of
the alcohol consumed in the US.
 Adolescents who use alcohol are more likely to
become sexually active, which places them at
greater risk of HIV infection and other sexually
transmitted diseases.
 According to the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 2.6
million young people do not know that a person
can die of an overdose of alcohol. Alcohol
poisoning occurs when a person drinks a large
quantity of alcohol in a short amount of time.
Drug Trends
• The new drug threat for
teens could be in your home
already!
• Abuse of prescription pain
killer medication ranks
second in the USA
(marijuana is first).
• 47% of teens say they get
prescription drugs free
from a relative or friend.
Why do parents need to know this?
• Currently there are more
new users (12 and older) of
prescription drugs than any
other illegal drug.
• Abuse of prescription drugs
is dangerous, even fatal!
(Pharming parties)
• Prescription drugs are easy
to get and often free to
teens.
• Getting prescription drugs
without a prescription is
illegal.
Marijuana
The most used illegal drug in this country.
Short term effects include: Problems with memory
and learning, distorted perception, trouble with
thinking and problem solving, loss of motor
coordination, increased heart rate and anxiety.
Long term effects include: Marijuana smoke
contains some of the same cancer-causing
compounds as tobacco.
 Extended use is associated with AntiMotivational Syndrome and lung damage.
 Over 90% of people that use methamphetamine
and other dangerous drugs have started off
using marijuana.
 Students who smoked marijuana in the past year
were twice as likely to skip class than those who
did not smoke.
Xanax
 Is used to treat anxiety
disorders
 Most students will refer to
Xanax as “bars” or “xanies”
 The state of relaxation and
euphoria induced by
benzodiazepines is the main
reason for their illicit use
 Teens may use this drug in
conjunction with other drugs
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications
 Dextromethorphan (DXM) is a coughsuppressing ingredient found in a variety of
over-the counter cold and cough
medications
 Slang terms include: Dex, Robo, Skittles,
Triple C, Orange Crush, Red Devils
 National reports indicate some teens have
consumed three or four bottles of cough
syrup in one day and taken up to 20-30
tablets of Coricidin at once. There have
been reported cases of overdoses that
have resulted in coma and death.
 Teens have reported stealing “Triple C” off
the shelf at various stores.
Synthetic LSD
COMMON NAMES
 2C-I NBOMEe
 25I-NBOMe
 25I
 N-Bomb
 Smiles
 Legal Acid/ Legal LSD
 Students are under the impression that it’s LSD and
it’s NOT! It’s much more dangerous!!
Drug Slang
 Tabs = Ecstasy
 “Rollin” = Ecstasy high
 Bars = Xanax
 Hydro = Hydrocodone (Opioid Rx pain medication)
 Blunt = A small cigar hollowed out and filled with
marijuana
 Bud = Marijuana
 Dabs/Wax = Marijuana with very high THC
concentrate
 K2/Spice/7H = Synthetic marijuana
 Big C/Blow/White Girl = Cocaine
 Bath Salts = Ivory Bliss, Plant food
 Triple C = Coricidin Cough and Cold
Plano ISD
Substance Abuse Prevention Website
http://k12.pisd.edu/substance-abuse-prevention
The Power of Parents!
• According to the Partnership for
a Drug- Free America, kids who
learn about the risks of drugs at
home are up to 50% less likely
than their peers to use drugs, yet
fewer than a third of teens, just
31 percent, say they are getting
that message from their parents.
of
Warning Signs of
Alcohol or Drug Use
 #1 sign of use is a change in friends or having friends
who drink or use drugs.
 Grades drop for no apparent reason.
 Change in personality (mood, attitude change)
 Giving up extracurricular activities.
 Reduced motivation and interest in previously enjoyed
activities.
 Less interest in being at home.
 Refusing a drug test. (Urine, hair, blood)
More Warning Signs
 Increased rage and aggression.
 Skipping school.
 Finding drugs or paraphernalia.
 They talk a lot about alcohol or drugs.
 Some teens get excited when someone they know has a
medical issue (wisdom teeth removed- pain killers may be
prescribed).
 They have alcohol or drug posters or clothes.
 You see the numbers 420 or 710 on notebooks, clothes, etc.
 They smell like alcohol or act drunk.
 They look or act high.
 You are just concerned - TRUST YOUR GUT!
What to Do if You Suspect Alcohol
or Drug Abuse by a Teen:
 Take it very seriously. Middle and high school today are
not the same as when you were in school.
 Think about health, social and legal ramifications.
 Consequences should get the child’s attention.
 Talk to your substance abuse prevention counselor and/or
school counselor.
 Get an alcohol/drug assessment.
 If use is found, then consider a treatment program. A
simple discussion with your child rarely works.
 Treatment does work and the longer it lasts the better.
What We Want Parents to Know…
 Make sure your teen swallows/consumes medication in
front of you.
 Remove or lock up all prescription medications. Half of all
teens obtain pills from a friend or relative.
 Know their friends. Get to know their parents and talk
with them.
 Check the contact list on your teen’s cell phone.
 Don’t be afraid to search their room and check their
computer and phone.
 Be a parent, not a friend.
 Avoid falling for the line, “I have friends who use but I
don’t.”
 Avoid being lulled into a false sense of security (negative
drug test, my child tells me about all the kids who are
using so I know they are not using).
Remember. . . . . . .
 Your home is not a democracy. You are in charge.
 You need to keep your child safe and should do anything
and everything to ensure that.
Let them know how much you love them and tell
them you’re proud of them!!
 Encourage discussions about your values and expectations
for them.
 Do not ignore alcohol or drug use.
 Do not ignore depression or talk of suicide. Be willing to
talk to your child and get them professional help if
needed.
As parents, we need to try
to. . .
 Be consistent.
 Set a good example.
 Eat dinner together.
 Attend religious services as a family.
 Have critical/crucial conversations with your child
often. Weave into the conversation things that
make you proud of them; when they’ve shown good
judgment and made good choices/decisions.
Being a parent isn’t easy, but it’s worth our
time and effort! PARENT POWER!!
Questions?