Teens Selected for Leadership Training

Members of the Van Buren Youth Leadership Council (YLC) were selected to attend a Leadership training on September 21st and 22nd in Des Moines, Iowa.

Our society holds many biases and stereotypes about young people, when in fact they are often very effective, dedicated community activists in Substance Abuse Prevention. This was an interactive training and 'hands-on' learning experience. This training helped youth understand the concept of environmental strategies and how to implement them in order to make effective changes in their community.

This highly interactive training taught what is required to create and nurture growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions. As a result of the training, youth and adults are better equipped to develop strategic action plans that clearly define the strategies that will be used to address problems that their individual coalition is striving to affect.

Two of the selected youth, Abby Rider and Lydia Heald, have previously attended these trainings in Washington D.C and Phoenix. They were both selected as youth facilitators for this training in Des Moines. The other twelve students to be selected for this event included; Faith Murphy, Cassie Johnson, Drew Nolting, Carson Schuck, Hallie Whitten, Rachel Warrick, Noah Whitten, Maddison Zimmer, Tiffany Beggs, Emily Jester, Libby King and Gloria Nelson.

Upon their return from the training these teens will be sharing what they have learned at an all day training for their peers in Van Buren County to be held at the Roberts Building on October 25th. Be watching for good things to come from these kids in the community!

What We Don’t Know Can Hurt Us

As parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents and other concerned adults, we spend a lot of time helping teens circumvent the challenges that could ruin their lives. Perhaps one of the biggest challenges teens face is substance abuse. We talk to them about the hazards of underage alcohol use, binge drinking, drunk and drugged driving, and the risks of abusing marijuana and other dangerous drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. According to national statistics, we’re making an impact.

According to The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)—a national study conducted each year by the U.S. Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration—showed that overall illicit drug use among youth aged 12-17—from 2002 to 2008—has declined. Monitoring the Future—another noteworthy survey conducted yearly by the University of Michigan also substantiates a gradual decline. That’s great news, but only tells part of the story.

What has not seen a decline is the nonmedical use of prescription medications. Prescription drug abuse has affected media personalities from Marilyn Monroe and Judy Garland to more recently, Michael Jackson, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Brian “Crush” Adams (professional wrestler) and Ken Caminiti (1996 Most Valuable Player-played for Houston Astros, San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves).

Out of the spotlight are the teens who are abusing these drugs to get high, fall asleep, wake up and deal with stress. Did you know that one in five teens or 4.5 million young people have abused Rx drugs, and every day, almost 2,500 teens abuse an Rx medication for the first time (National Council on Patient Information and Education)? The Office of National Drug Control Policy says that the drugs most commonly abused by teens are painkillers; depressants, such as sleeping pills or anti-anxiety drugs; and stimulants, mainly prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Teens find Rx medication abuse as an acceptable and safer alternative to illicit drug use, second only to marijuana. Why—perhaps because we live in a world where there’s a pill for everything. In fact, when we go to the doctor, in seven out of 10 visits we leave with a prescription. It’s no wonder that teens are comfortable with misusing and abusing Rx medications. They also believe that because these drugs are legal, they are safer than marijuana, heroin, cocaine or methamphetamine.

Prescription drugs are easy to get. Fifty-six percent of people who use Rx medications non-medically say they obtain these drugs from friends and relatives (NSDUH 2008), meaning that these drugs are freely shared or taken from medicine cabinets or other accessible places.

So how do we protect the rights of those who need these medications to relieve pain while also preventing their abuse? We’ve got to sound the alarm to parents and adult caregivers that prescription drugs are a source of grave concern. Teens are abusing these drugs and some are even dying because of it. Parents can protect their teens by locking up their meds, keeping track of medication quantities and learning how to properly dispose of medications when they are no longer needed. Lee’s Pharmacy participates in the TakeAway program all year long. They accept medications you are no longer using and you want to get rid of. You can find out more about this program and other participating pharmacies at http://iarx.org/takeaway/. Just a reminder the TakeAway program cannot accept controlled substances at the pharmacy. Contact the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com. You can also check out the coalition on Facebook or on their website: www.vbsafecoalition.com to become a part of the Rx abuse solution or for more information on medication abuse.

Have a Meal Together- September 26th- Family Day – Meals Together Really Do Make a Difference!

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five to seven per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are more than twice as likely to say that they expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners VI, a new report from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University.

The CASA family dinners report reveals that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of teens think that eating dinner frequently with their parents is very or fairly important.

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners, those who have infrequent family dinners are:

                       

·         Twice as likely to have used tobacco;

·         Almost twice as likely to have used alcohol; and

·         One and half times likelier to have used marijuana.

The report found that compared to teens who talk to their parents about what’s going on in their lives at dinner, teens who don’t are twice as likely to have used tobacco and one and a half times likelier to have used marijuana.

“The message for parents couldn’t be any clearer. With the recent rise in the number of Americans age 12 and older who are using drugs, it is more important than ever to sit down to dinner and engage your children in conversation about their lives, their friends, school--just talk. Ask questions and really listen to their answers,” said Kathleen Ferrigno, CASA’s Director of Marketing who directs the Family Day-A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM initiative. “The magic that happens over family dinners isn’t the food on the table, but the communication and conversations around it. Of course there is no iron-clad guarantee that your kids will grow up drug free, but knowledge is power and the more you know the better the odds are that you will raise a healthy kid.”

The report also reveals that teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week are twice as likely to be able to get marijuana or prescription drugs (to get high) in anhour or less. Teens who are having five or more family dinners per week are more likely to say that they do not have any access to marijuana and prescription drugs (to get high).

This year the trend survey found that 60 percent of teens report having dinner with their families at least five times a week, a proportion that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM Family Day is a national movement launched by CASA in 2001 to remind parents that frequent family dinners make a difference. Celebrated on the fourth Monday in September—the 26th in 2011—Family Day promotes parental engagement as a simple and effective way to reduce children’s risk of smoking, drinking and using illegal drugs. What began as a small grassroots initiative has grown to become a nationwide celebration which is expected to once again be proclaimed and supported by the President and all 50 U.S. Governors as well as leading sponsors Stouffer's and The Coca-Cola Company.  More information about Family Day, including conversation starters and a pledge can be found at: http://casafamilyday.org

CASA and its staff of some 60 professionals aim to inform Americans of the economic and social costs of substance abuse and its impact on their lives, find out what works in prevention and treatment of this disease, and remove the stigma of substance abuse and replace shame and despair with hope.

For more information on CASA visit http://www.casacolumbia.org/.

For more information on talking to your kids about drugs or taking a more active role in their lives contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or www.vbsafecoalition.com

Teens Selected for Leadership Training

Members of the Van Buren Youth Leadership Council (YLC) have been selected to attend a Leadership training on September 21st and 22nd in Des Moines, Iowa.

Our society holds many biases and stereotypes about young people, when in fact they are often very effective, dedicated community activists in Substance Abuse Prevention.  This will be an interactive training and 'hands-on' learning experience.  This training will help youth understand the concept of environmental strategies and how to implement them in order to make effective changes in their community. 

This highly interactive training will teach what is required to create and nurture growth of committed leaders and their work within coalitions, As a result of the training, youth and adults will be better equipped to develop strategic action plans that clearly define the strategies that will be used to address problems that their individual coalition is striving to affect.

Two of the selected youth, Abby Rider and Lydia Heald, have previously attended these trainings in Washington D.C and Phoenix. They have both been selected as youth facilitators for this training in Des Moines. The other twelve students to be selected for this event include; Faith Murphy, Cassie Johnson, Drew Nolting, Carson Schuck, Hallie Whitten, Rachel Warrick, Noah Whitten, Maddison Zimmer, Tiffany Beggs, Emily Jester, Libby King and Gloria Nelson.

Upon their return from the training these teens will be sharing what they have learned at an all day training for their peers in Van Buren County to be held at the Roberts Building in October. Be watching for good things to come from these kids in the community!

For more information on this training or any YLC activities please contact the SAFE Coalition at 319-293-6412 or info@vbsafecoalition.com

Did you miss the SAFE Home Pledge at Registration?

SAFE home pledges are back! Pledges were included in registration packets this year at Van Buren Middle/High School and Elementary. If you missed these you still have an opportunity to sign a pledge!

A Safe Home Pledge looks a little different from elementary to middle/high school. At the elementary level the pledge asks parents to start conversations with their kids about the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco and set clear rules and expectations around the use of these substances. At the middle and high school level the pledge states that the parents will not provide alcohol to minors in their home. It also states that the parents are open to communication with other parents about the use of alcohol by their children.

A directory of all parents who have signed a SAFE Home Pledge will be produced and provided to parents after the start of the school year. An updated directory will also be available on the SAFE website at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

You may sign an actual SAFE Home Pledge that you received in your packet or you may sign one online at www.vbsafecoalition.com.

For more information on how to sign a SAFE Home Pledge, the SAFE Coalition or any of their activities you may contact them at 319-293-6412 or via email at info@vbsafecoalition.com. Or check out the website at www.vbsafecoalition.com and the blog at http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/.