The Damaging Effects of Social Isolation

New Jersey Family~BY DEBBIE ROOME

Teen culture is social by nature; young people tend to move around in groups. So a teen who is isolated—by chance or choice—is at a distinct disadvantage and is often treated as an outcast. The effects of isolation on a teenager can be long lasting and create a problem that parents need to address. The first step to solving this problem is understanding what causes it.

Teens Say “Leave Me Alone”

Teens may choose to isolate themselves or it may happen as a result of bullying or exclusion by their peers. Here are some of the common reasons for isolation:

• Isolation can be caused by the way they look, dress, act, or a combination of all these factors.
• Some teenagers may be ostracized by their classmates because they may either excel academically or underachieve. Fitting in is important to adolescents; those who stand out may be pushed to the fringes of social groups.
• Moodiness and erratic or volatile behavior can drive teens away from each other.
• Certain conditions such as Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD are characterized by social weaknesses that can lead to  social isolation.
• Depression is another prime cause of isolation. A depressed teen loses interest in everyday activities and drops out of social groups at school.
• In some cases, a teen may spend too much time on social networking sites and lose touch with peers. He may replace genuine social interaction with chat rooms and conversations with strangers.
• Shyness can be a cause of social isolation in teens.

Isolation Hits Hard

Isolation affects teenagers in a number of different ways and with varying degrees of severity. Think about your teen and consider the possible ways that a lack of social interaction and acceptance can harm your child:

• A lack of peer support can mean teens struggle to process the dramas of their adolescent years. Stacey withdrew into herself, embarrassed by her crooked teeth and the teasing that resulted from them. When she needed a friend to do a geography project with, she couldn’t find one; this made her feel even worse.
• Depression is a Catch-22; it can cause isolation but may also come from a lack of social interaction. It’s important to differentiate between these if you seek professional treatment for your teen. For example, Jack was depressed when his attempts to fit in with the guys in his class always backfired. They were sports-minded, whereas he was more artistic and musical. He was mocked by the boys and eventually stopped hanging 
out with them. Over a period of months, he slumped into a deep depression.
• Teens who interact online lose out on genuine social interaction. Miles was a computer geek who spent hours chatting to strangers online. After months of this, his social skills were under-developed and his understanding of face-to-face interaction was marred by hours of 
Internet use.
• Casey was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at age 9. She had a particular interest in horses; her peers found her incessant talk about them boring. They eventually left her out of social activities, which made her feel socially 
clumsy and unwanted.

Parents Can Help Isolated Teens

Teens may end up in a situation where they struggle to help themselves. If you see this happening, get involved and encourage your child to take positive action to overcome her problems. In the situations mentioned above, parents intervened in the following ways:

• Stacey’s parents saw she was withdrawn. When she couldn’t find a friend to help with the geography project, they sat down with her and asked her what was wrong. They made a plan to get her teeth straightened. As Stacey’s confidence grew, her social life began to improve.
• Jack’s parents took him to a doctor for a physical check-up and assessment of his depressed state. The doctor ruled out biological depression and suggested Jack join some clubs where he would meet teens with similar interests. Within months he was part of a group that painted backdrops for theatrical productions, and he joined a teen band. He eventually had to limit his social life, as he was too busy.
• Miles’ parents took firm action and told their son they would limit his Internet use if he didn’t make more effort to interact face to face with his peers. Miles was angry and reluctant to do so but eventually looked up some old friends. They were willing to spend time with him. Miles soon realized the value of genuine social contact.
• Casey’s parents had taken a proactive approach with her since her diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome. When her adolescent peers shunned her, they arranged for a therapist to help her acquire social skills. Casey persevered and managed to make a couple of friends who understood her difficulties.

Never underestimate the effects of isolation on a teenager. With the right kind of help and support, most young people can improve their social lives. The skills they learn as teens will stand them in good stead when they enter the workplace and have to interact with people of all ages.

Debbie Roome is an award-winning freelance writer and mom to five children; two of them are teens.

For more information visit: http://www.njfamily.com/NJ-Family/February-2012/The-Damaging-Effects-of-Social-Isolation/

Teen Abuse of Cough and Cold Medicine

This content is from an educational collaboration between WebMD Editorial and StopMedicineAbuse.org.

Kristin became addicted to drugs and over-the-counter medicine in high school. After a court-ordered rehab program, she entered college and hopes to graduate in 2013. She wrote this when she was 18.

WebMD Commentary

Reviewed By Laura J. Martin, MD

 I was 15 or 16 when I first tried getting high on cough medicine. I had some issues to work out, and I guess at the time I didn’t want to, so I thought getting messed up would be better.

I kind of knew about cough medicine from TV, so I got a bottle out of our medicine cabinet and I drank like the whole bottle. It was like being really, really drunk. At first, I didn’t do it very often, but I started doing it more frequently -- like a couple of times a week.

In the Beginning, I Took Cough Medicine From My House

Once I realized that I’d be using it more often, I had to go to the store and buy it myself. I was so young then and certain stores wouldn’t sell it to me, so I’d have to have people I knew who were older get it for me.

At the time, I was just starting high school, and my friends who were my age didn’t really know what I was doing. The older kids were the ones who were getting messed up, so I became friends kind of secretly with them. They bought stuff for me, and that’s how I got into other things too. I was drinking a lot, and I started taking Oxycontin and morphine pills.

I started doing badly in school and my grades started going down. I’d been a straight-A student and school was really important to me, but I was almost failing. Then I’d keep pulling my grades back up and keep it from my parents.

I Hid It From My Parents Really Well

They had no idea! I finally had to come clean to them when I got arrested. I stole something from a teacher and she ended up finding out and called the police. When I told my parents I’d been doing drugs for years, they were dumbfounded.

My mom knew that my grades were going down, but I’d be like, “Oh, school’s just getting harder. I’m in high school and it’s tougher.” And then I’d get them back up. I was never home, and I stayed in my room pretty much when I was home. They always thought I was studying with friends.

The judge sent me to a place called the Lexington Center for Recovery to get sober. Now I have to do something called “treatment court.” If I don’t stay sober, they can detain me for three or four days. If I complete the treatment program, they’ll lower some of my charges.

In treatment, I’ve been doing the program for four months now, but I’ve only been sober for five weeks. I’ve cut off all my friends who were using. It’s hard, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

I wish that I had never started in the first place because when you do, once is never enough. It’s not worth it. You’re just going to end up dying or in jail.

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD 

For more information visit: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/teen-abuse-cough-medicine-9/teen-girl-story

Teens and Peer Pressure

©The Partnership at Drugfree.org  For more tips for parents on drug abuse prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery visit www.drugfree.org.

Learn more about Teen Substance Abuse Treatment

Meth Use Effects and Your Teen

From Denise Witmer, former About.com Guide

Methamphetamine, or meth for short, is a stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) survey in 2010, 1.2% 8th grade teens, 1.6% 10th grade teens and 1.0% 12th grade teens reported abusing methamphetamines at least once during the year prior to the survey. While these rates seem much lower than other teen social drugs liketobacco, alcohol or marijuana, they are more alarming as meth can harm irrecoverably or kill a teenager with its first use and every single use thereafter. It is imperative that parents who feel their teen may be using meth need to get help in dealing with the situation immediately.

While I will go on to explain the effects of teen meth use in this article and how it will affect your family – using both the short term effects of meth and the long term effects of meth so that you can look for the signs of use in your home - I want to be very clear about this drug: There is no coming back to your normal family routine once a teen gets addicted until they get the help they need. And meth is highly addictive! While there is always help for teens who abuse drugs, the damage meth can do to the central nervous system is not reversible. This is why it is essential for parents to try not to handle this problem on your own. Seek professional help as soon as you suspect the use of meth in your teen.

Teen Meth Use Short Term Signs and Effects

You can tell if your teen has been using meth and is on a high if they are showing these signs:

• Agitation.
• Excited speech.
• Loss of appetite.
• Increased physical activity levels.
• Dilated pupils.
• High blood pressure.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Occasional episodes of sudden and violent behavior.
• Intense paranoia.
• Hallucinations.
• A tendency to compulsively clean and groom.
• A tendency to repetitively sort and disassemble objects.

Effects of a meth high on a teen can also include:

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure, leading to cardiovascular collapse and death.
• Prolonged insomnia.
• Violent behavior.
• Hyperthermia - An extreme rise in body temperature, which can cause organ damage.
• Convulsions.

Signs of the Effects of Teen Meth Use Your Dentist Will See

Even among young or short-term users of methamphetamines there will be problems with their teeth that your teen's dentist will be able to see as meth causes a phenomena termed 'meth mouth' in the media. Although the causes of meth mouth are not fully understood, here is the best explanation of it that I have found from PBS.org:

"When meth is ingested, it causes the user's blood vessels to shrink, limiting the steady blood supply that the mouth needs in order to stay healthy. With repeated shrinking, these vessels die and the oral tissues decay. Similarly, meth use leads to "dry mouth" (xerostomia), and without enough saliva to neutralize the mouth's harsh acids, those acids eat away at the tooth and gums, causing weak spots that are susceptible to cavities. The cavities are then exacerbated by behavior common in users on a meth high: a strong desire for sugary foods and drinks, compulsive tooth grinding, and the general neglect of regular brushing and flossing."

Every Day Issues of Meth Use

There will be no more every day issues and problems with your teen and their friends or school as they will, within a small amount of time, not care about anything but their addiction to meth. Dealing with late curfews or chores not being done are issues parents of a teen meth users wish they could be dealing with instead of the violent outbursts or agitation that represents the child they love. Getting your teen off of this drug is of paramount importance. Building their future after they have kicked this habit is tough, but not impossible.

Teen Meth Use Long Term Effects

Over time, meth use causes many more harmful effects. By this time, parents should be able to notice the changes in their teen's daily behavior and looks. Tissue damage will make the teen appear much older than their years. Also, acne appears, sores take longer to heal, and the skin loses its luster and elasticity. Some users are covered in small sores, the result of obsessive skin-picking brought on by the hallucination of having bugs crawling beneath the skin, a disorder known as formication.

More long term effects of teen meth use include:

• Lowered resistance to illness.
• Various types of organ damage.
• Stroke.
• Loses the ability to feel pleasure.
• HIV/AIDS (users who inject and share needles).
• Severe impairment in memory, judgment and motor coordination.
• Mood disturbances.
• Weight loss or anorexia.

Do not ignore the effects of meth use on your teen. If your teen is using this drug, the problems it causes will not go away without help. Your teen or young adult will need your support to overcome the obstacle of meth abuse. Seek help as soon as you possibly can.

For more information please visit: 

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/methamphetamine/a/How-Meth-Use-Effects-Your-Teen.htm

Teens and the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Office Of Adolescent Health~Increased public awareness and advancements in medicine over the past three decades have led to  remarkable strides in preventing the spread of HIV and improving the quality of life of those living with HIV or AIDS in the U.S. For instance, because of better screening and access to medication, there are far fewer cases of HIV-positive pregnant women transferring the virus to their newborn babies. Fewer than 100 infants were born with HIV last year, compared to more than 900 in 1992.¹ This and other areas of progress are worth celebrating--yet major challenges remain in combating HIV and AIDS among all Americans.

The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States (NHAS), released in 2010, is the nation’s first-ever comprehensive and coordinated plan for guiding efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The first of four objectives of the NHAS is to reduce the number of individuals infected each year. A focus on preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS among adolescents must be a major part of the effort.  

A Snapshot of HIV in Adolescence

Despite stable rates of HIV diagnosis in older populations, the rate of HIV diagnoses from 2006 to 2009 increased in teens 15-19 and youth 20-24 years of age, and was highest in the 20-24 year-old age group. Undiagnosed HIV cases are thought to be highest among young people. Of the approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV, approximately one in five, or 220,000, doesn’t know they’re infected. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates more than half of all undiagnosed HIV infections are youth ages 13 – 24.³

• Of HIV diagnoses among 13 to 19 year olds, almost 70 percent are to black teens, even though they constitute a much smaller proportion of the adolescent population in the U.S.
• Almost 80 percent of all adolescent infections are to males. Nine out of 10 adolescent male HIV infections result from male-to-male sexual contact. The same proportion of adolescent females is infected from heterosexual contact.
• The highest concentrations of HIV diagnoses among adolescents are in the Southeastern United States and, specifically, Florida, South Carolina, and Louisiana.⁴

Although HIV testing is widely available, self-reported rates of HIV testing have remained flat in recent years.⁵ Forty-six percent of high school students have had sex at least once, yet only 13 percent report ever having had an HIV test.⁶

Did you know?

Although 13-19 year-olds represented only 4.8% of new HIV diagnoses, it is likely that many young adults – those between age 20-30 may have become infected with HIV during their teen years.⁷

Answering the Call to Action

To propel progress in addressing HIV/AIDS among adolescents, the newly launched National Resource Center for HIV/AIDS Prevention among Adolescents (Center) provides tools and resources to assist youth-serving agencies and professionals with implementing evidence-based prevention programs. With funding from the Secretary’s Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative Fund, OAH competitively awarded a cooperative agreement to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to develop and operate the Center. Visit the Center website (www.preventyouthHIV.org) to find the latest HIV/AIDS youth prevention resources, access technical assistance and links to training opportunities, exchange information with colleagues, and join the listserv to stay up to date on developments.

FYI: Screening Recommendations for HIV

Sexually active adolescents at high risk should be tested for HIV.According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, being at risk includes factors such as males who have sex with other males; having unprotected sex with multiple partners; trading sex for money or drugs; using injection drugs or having partners who do; and adolescents having other STDs. At risk also include sexually active adolescents who receive health care in a setting in which HIV prevalence is high.⁸ 

The Affordable Care Act provides for many private insurance plans to offer HIV screening tests for at risk people at no additional cost to them—making it more likely they will get tested and, if necessary, get access to life-saving treatment more quickly.⁹ And starting this year, the law also requires many plans to provide coverage without cost- sharing of HIV and other STI counseling for all sexually active females.¹⁰

What Communities Can Do

• Find out the prevalence of HIV infection in your state and community.AIDSvu displays state and county level data on persons living with HIV infection in the United States.
• Work with schools to implement sexual education programs. Nationally, the percentage of secondary schools delivering HIV/AIDS, other STD, and pregnancy prevention education  in grades 6-8 has declined.¹¹ Curious about the percent of high school students ever taught about HIV/AIDS in your state? Check out OAH’s state fact sheets for information on this and many others facts on your state's teens. Also, check out the new tip sheet from the CDC: HIV Testing Among Adolescents: What Schools and Education Agencies Can Do.   
• Identify effective prevention programs for youth. Several Federal agencies list evidence-based HIV prevention programs on their websites. (The evidence reviews have been conducted for different purposes and so employ different methods, which are on the websites).  CDC’s Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions offers HIV prevention intervention for youth packaged with training guides and implementation tools. In addition, four interventions featured in the OAH evidence-based database are proven to prevent HIV, and several others have positive outcomes, such as condom use or delaying sexual initiation. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices includes programs which address HIV prevention as well as mental health or alcohol and drug use by adolescents.

 

What Parents Can Do

• Talk with their teen about their sexual health and contraception decisions.Talking with Teens, OAH’s site for parents and other caring adults, can help parents start and maintain a conversation with adolescents about their sexual decisions that includesfacts about HIV and AIDS.  Access strategies for talking with adolescents about their dating and sexual behavior, abstinence and contraception, avoiding teen pregnancy,sexually transmitted diseases, and having healthy relationships.
• Allow teens confidential time with healthcare providers. Teens are more likely to be forthcoming about their sexual activity and other risky activities, such as drug use, when alone with healthcare providers.¹²
• Help their adolescent get tested. The HIV/AIDS Prevention & Service Provider Locatoris a first-of-its-kind, easy-to-use, location-based search tool that helps you find testing services, housing providers, health centers and other service providers near your current location. For more national HIV and STD testing resources, visithttp://HIVTest.CDC.Gov.

 

What Healthcare Providers Can Do

• Talk to adolescent patients about their sexual behavior. These discussions should be thorough and non-judgemental in order to identify whether an adolescent is sexually active, and then to screen for high-risk behaviors, like unprotected sex, multiple partners, and drug use.
• Screen sexually active adolescent patients for STDs. The presence of other STDs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and trichomoniasis, increases an individuals susceptibility to contracting and transmitting HIV.¹³  For HIV screening guidance, apolicy statement from the American Academy of Pediatricians includes 13 specific recommendations for how pediatricians can optimize HIV testing in adolescents.
• Test HIV-positive teens for other STDs. Evidence suggests that having additional STDs increases the infectiousness of HIV-positive men. For instance, males infected with both gonorrhea and HIV are more than twice as likely to transmit HIV to a sexual partner than males infected only with HIV.
• Increase frequency of tests for some adolescent males who have sex with other males. Males who have multiple or anonymous partners, and/or who use illicit drugs (particularly methamphetamines) or have partners that do, are encouraged by the CDC to be tested every three to six months.  
• Recommend screening for HIV in early-pregnancy to expecting teen patients. In one study of pregnant women, 93 percent who felt their providers strongly recommended an HIV test were screened.¹⁴ It’s also critical for them to be screened early – females screened at their first obstetrical visit are less likely to pass HIV on to their babies. Another screening during the third trimester is also encouraged.¹⁵

 

Additional Resources

• Get basic information about HIV/AIDS here from AIDS.gov. Information specific to HIV/AIDS in adolescence can be found here. Click here for more information on Federal policies regarding HIV and AIDS. 
• Check out OAH’s database. The database has evidence-based programs that help reduce teen pregnancy and the transmission of STDs among adolescents (including four shown to reduce rates of HIV).
• Find family planning services. Federally funded Title X family planning clinics offer low-cost testing services for income-qualifying patients. Some also accept insurance. The link also describes additional Title X screening and healthcare services
• Access easy-to-read brochures. The CDC has a series of brochures providing facts about various STDs.

Also, the Federal government is working to eliminate HIV and AIDS in adolescence and for all ages. Here are some of the strategies that are helping the country to get there:

• National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States
• HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
• The National Prevention Strategy
• Healthy People 2020’s goals related to HIV and AIDS

For more information visit: http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/june-2012.html

Treatment Could Reduce Costs of Juvenile Crime

Current Systems Costs $14.4 Billion a Year

CASA News Release~Four of every five children and teen arrestees in state juvenile justice systems are under the influence of alcohol or drugs while committing their crimes, test positive for drugs, are arrested for committing an alcohol or drug offense, admit having substance abuse and addiction problems, or share some combination of these characteristics, according to a new report released by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

The 177-page report of the five-year study, Criminal Neglect: Substance Abuse, Juvenile Justice and The Children Left Behind, is the most comprehensive analysis ever undertaken of substance abuse and state juvenile justice systems. The report found that 1.9 million of 2.4 million juvenile arrests had substance abuse and addiction involvement and that only 68,600 juveniles receive substance abuse treatment.

"Instead of helping, we are writing off these young Americans," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA's chairman and president and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare. "We are releasing them without attending to their needs for substance abuse treatment and other services, punishing them without providing help to get back on track. If the Congress, the governors and the presidential candidates are serious about leaving no child behind, we must end the criminal neglect of these children who so desperately need our help."

System Must Address Juvenile Needs

"I have been there. I have witnessed the deplorable conditions forced upon these young people," added Charles W. Colson, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Prison Fellowship, the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims and their families. "The system must be changed to address the needs of these juveniles and prevent them from living a life crime and drug addiction."

The report reveals that drug and alcohol abuse is implicated in 64 percent of violent offenses, 72 percent of property offenses and 81 percent of assaults, vandalism and disorderly conduct.

"Juvenile justice systems were originally conceived as institutions to help young offenders get on the path to law abiding lives," said Califano. "As a result of their failure to address these problems, they have become colleges of criminality, paving the way to further crimes and adult incarceration for many of their graduates. We have 51 different systems of juvenile injustice with no national standards of practice or accountability."

92 Percent Tested Positive for Marijuana

Other notable findings in this report include:

• At least 30 percent of adults in prison for felony crimes were incarcerated as juveniles.
• Ninety-two percent of arrested juveniles who tested positive for drugs, tested positive for marijuana; 14.4 percent, for cocaine.
• Up to three-quarters of incarcerated 10 to 17 year-olds have a diagnosable mental health disorder.
• As many as eight out of 10 incarcerated juveniles suffer from learning disabilities.
• Compared to juveniles who have not been arrested, those who have been arrested once in the past year are: more than twice as likely to have used alcohol; more than 3.5 times likelier to have used marijuana; more than three times likelier to have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes; more than seven times likelier to have used Ecstasy; more than nine times likelier to have used cocaine and more than 20 times likelier to have used heroin.
• The arrest rate for female juveniles increased almost 7.4 percent between 1991 and 2000 while the arrest rate for male juveniles decreased almost 18.9 percent.
• The arrest rate for black juveniles is more than 1.5 times the rate for white juveniles.

Based on the report's findings, the CASA report calls for a complete overhaul of the juvenile justice system to assure that each child receives a comprehensive assessment of needs, substance abuse treatment and other appropriate services.

The CASA report, Criminal Neglect: Substance Abuse, Juvenile Justice and The Children Left Behind, is based on 2000 arrestee and juvenile court data, the most recent available in sufficient detail for this analysis. The report found that juvenile justice systems cost society $14.4 billion a year just in law enforcement, courts, detention, residential placement, incarceration, substance abuse treatment and federal block grants.

If other costs, such as those for probation, physical and mental health, child welfare and family services, school and victims are included; the price would more than double. A $5,000 investment in substance abuse treatment and getting other appropriate services for each juvenile who would otherwise be incarcerated would pay for itself in the first year if only 12 percent stayed in school and remained drug and crime free.

Moreover, the report found, if we could prevent crimes and incarceration of 12 percent of substance-involved adult inmates with juvenile records, we would have 60,480 fewer inmates and 5.9 million fewer crimes, and we would realize $18 billion in avoided criminal justice and health costs and in employment benefits.

Standards, Training Needed

The CASA report recommends:

• Creating a model juvenile justice code to set a standard of practices and accountability for states in handling juvenile offenders.
• Training all juvenile justice system staff, including juvenile judges, law enforcement and other court personnel how to recognize and deal with substance-involved offenders.
• Extending to juveniles diversion programs such as drug courts.
• Making available treatment, healthcare, education and job training programs to children in juvenile justice systems.
• Expanding Federal grant programs for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention and conditioning such grants on reform of state systems.
• Developing state and national data systems to judge progress in meeting the needs of these children.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University is the only national organization that brings together under one roof all the professional disciplines needed to study and combat all types of substance abuse as they affect all aspects of society.

For more information visit: http://www.casacolumbia.org/templates/Home.aspx?articleid=287&zoneid=32

And

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/teens/a/blcasa041007_2.htm

11 Facts About Teens And Drug Use

1. 
   
2. DoSomething.org~More teens die from prescription drugs than heroin/cocaine combined.
    
3. More than 60 percent of teens said that drugs were sold, used, or kept at their school.
    
4. 1 in 9 high school seniors has tried Spice/K2 (synthetic marijuana).
   • And 1.3 percent of seniors have used bath salts – which is incredibly disturbing given its adverse side effects.
      
5. Young people who drink alcohol are 50 times more likely to use cocaine than teens who never drink.
    
6. About 64 percent of teens surveyed who have abused pain relievers say they got them from friends or relatives.
    
7. In 2012, 15 percent of high school seniors used prescription drugs. However, 35 percent feel regular use is risky.
    
8. Around 28 percent of teens know a friend or classmate who has used ecstasy, with 17 percent knowing more than one user.
    
9. Adderall use (often prescribed to treat ADHD) has increased among high school seniors from 5.4 percent in 2009 to 7.6 percent.
   • Only 35 percent of 12th graders believe that using Adderall occasionally is risky.
      
10. By the 8th grade, 29.5 percent of adolescents have consumed alcohol, 15.5 percent have smoked cigarettes, and 15 percent have used marijuana.
     
11. Teens whose parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don't. However, only a quarter of teens report having these conversations.
     
12. 6.5 percent of high school seniors smoke daily, up from 5.1 percent five years ago. Meanwhile, only 20.6 percent of 12th graders think occasional use is harmful, while 44 percent see regular use as harmful (lowest numbers since 1983).

Test your drug facts IQ with this quiz.

Raise awareness about this issue by creating a wall of pledges at your school. GO

Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse