Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Instead of making a moral judgment about the person involved, talk about how the brain responds to even the smallest amount of alcohol with diminished ability to self-correct mistakes.
Imagine driving in a heavy rainstorm and seeing a sign that the road ahead is dangerously flooded. Would you heed the warning, turn around, and find another route? "Of course," you say. "Who wouldn't?" Sadly, this answer and your behavior are likely to be different if you have consumed a few drinks. Despite rationally knowing the potential consequences of ignoring the flood alert, you will probably continue driving forward at the same speed while mumbling that such signs always exaggerate conditions. Perhaps soon you get stuck in high water, and a good samaritan is able to push your car to dry ground. Does this brush with danger convince you to change your route or rate of speed? As long as you have alcohol in your body, the answer is …
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Jason's death was a shock to his family, friends, and the South Brunswick community. No one thought that this intelligent, industrious, family-oriented young man would ever be one to abuse illegal drugs.
On December 17, 2003, South Brunswick residents Linda and Mark Surks' phone rang with the news every parent dreads. It was St. Michael's Medical Center, saying their 19-year-old son Jason had been brought into the emergency room very ill and that they needed to come immediately. When they arrived, the hospital staff had a grim update. Jason had passed away from an accidental overdose of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax, a medication his parents knew he had never been legally prescribed. It has been eight years since that day and Linda's memory remains vivid. "We drove to Newark in silence, each deep in our own thoughts of what we could be facing. That day was the first time I became aware of Jason's drug use." Linda and Mark later learned …
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
It is not surprising that marijuana use is on the rise for teens and that they question the harmfulness of periodically smoking a joint. After all, they argue, it isn't like heroin or cocaine, where taking it once might kill me.
Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in America and a prime candidate for legalization in the not-so-distant future. Given these twin facts, it is not surprising that marijuana use is on the rise for teens and that they question the harmfulness of periodically smoking a joint. After all, they argue, it isn't like heroin or cocaine, where taking it once might kill me. It is also understandable that many adults -- especially those who experimented with marijuana in their youth – feel uncomfortable discussing this drug with their child. My hope is that parents will use the information below to talk with their teen about abstinence and/or harm reduction if drug use has already begun (e.g., not driving and/or engaging in …
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
It is this lack of inoculation of the current generation with regard to the risks of LSD that makes them vulnerable if the drug returns to popularity. Be proactive; have the conversation.
How much do your sons, daughters, or grandchildren know about LSD? If they are like the majority of 8th through 12th graders, they will not be well informed about how this drug works. LSD has not been popular since the mid-1990s, and school prevention efforts have come to focus more on current drugs of choice, such as marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes. This gap in awareness is in contrast to the knowledge of their grandparents. Most senior citizens and baby boomers will remember the youth culture in the 1960s, with its high regard for tie-dyed clothing, strobe lights, and integration of LSD into the hippie movement and counterculture music. Names like Timothy Leary, the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, or the Beatles will evoke stories …
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Significant rates of huffing occur as early as fourth grade, and deaths resulting from this practice have been reported for 10-year-olds.
Do you have a felt-tip marker, deodorant spray, air freshener, or container of paint thinner in your home? How about gasoline, glue, or hair spray? Do you use compressed air to clean your computer or spray your frying pan with oil before cooking? "Of course" is the usual reply. When used appropriately, these items allow us to accomplish a variety of routine daily tasks. Sadly, these inexpensive and readily obtainable items are also used by young teens to get high by "huffing." This practice involves the deliberate inhaling of chemical vapor products, such as those listed above, in order to obtain a rapid buzz that resembles alcohol intoxication. Unfortunately, even one-time experimentation may disrupt heart rhythms, lower oxygen levels, …
Judy Shepps Battle
10:40 am on Thursday, September 15, 2011
Ray, thank you for that sad but true commentary on the unexpected and tragic results of over consumption of alcohol from an EMT perspective. No one anticipates that alcohol will impair their judgment or decision-making. Rather, drinking makes us feel good, buzzed, and at a distance from everything that is problematic in our lives. And most people, aside from making a fool of themselves and … more ›