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Page 4 of 15 Spurred by Son's Addiction, Educator Pushes Random Drug Testing in Schools The Salem, Mass. Superintendent of schools, Herbert Levine, totally missed the powerful drug addiction of his son. Joel Levine could not get through most days without inhaling OxyContin. Two of his friends called his parents to bluntly tell them that their son was in trouble. Superintendent Levine is created a task force of school and community leaders to consider ways to combat the increasing drug problems in Salem. He has suggested that Salem schools start randomly testing students for drug use. ++++++++++ Meth Colorado Alliance for Drug Endangered Children – DEC’s web site presents a collection of documents. They include medical evaluation of children removed from clandestine labs, protocol for investigating child protection referrals involving the operation of clandestine labs, methamphetamine and pregnancy, meth research, and FAQs. National Synthetic Drugs Action Plan – ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) makes this publication available for download on its web site. The action plan is the federal government’s response to the production, trafficking, and abuse of synthetic drugs and diverted pharmaceutical products. Insurers Refusing to Pay for Meth Treatment – Join Together Online reports that Wisconsin insurers are refusing to pay treatment costs for methamphetamine. The reasons given are that success rates are so low and “that the drug is not the same as other substances.” Minnesota Unveils Broad Meth Battle Plan – State leaders have unveiled a proposal that would: - Limit the sale of over-the-counter cold pills
Require locks on tanks of anhydrous ammonia Investigate whether the state can sue distributors - Request an audit of meth addiction treatment programs and explore what works.
Renew funding for the Gang Strike Task Force.
Meth got its start in Minnesota in rural areas and has now infiltrated cities and suburbs. ++++++++++ San Francisco’s Youth Treatment and Education Court (YTEC) (Sometimes this link works. Sometimes it doesn't. If it doesn't, get in touch with me and I'll get you to it.) The court is a community-based juvenile drug court collaborative founded in 1997. YTEC’s model is unique among youth drug courts nationwide. It integrates treatment with education to support court and drug involved youth in addressing their academic, emotional, substance abuse and delinquency issues in the least restrictive environment. To graduate from treatment a participant must, at minimum, achieve six months clean and sober. The court is noted for an outstanding creative arts program too. +++++++++++ AMA Report Says Teen Girls are Drinking More and Attributes it to "Chick Drinks" The AMA publicly blames the increase in drinking by female teens to “chick drinks” -- sweet, fruity alcoholic beverages known as “alcopops.” An AMA report said that an Internet poll of 741 teens found the average age they try their first alcoholic drink is 13. By age 18, one in three had tried alcopops. The Internet poll found that the percentage of girls who drink is on the rise faster than boys. Additional information at this link. ++++++++++ High Schoolers Who Take Steroids Risk Depression, Aggression and Suicide For teenagers who use steroids side effects may begin with severe acne and run through hair loss, infertility, male breast development, violent mood swings and paranoia. Steroids can also stunt growth and cause injuries that could end the career they were intended to enhance. Some teens have committed suicide. The annual “Monitoring the Future” survey suggests that the rate of steroid use by high-school students increased throughout he 1990s before dropping off slightly in 2003. A Newsweek analysis of the data indicates that last year more than 300,000 students between the 8th and 12th grades used steroids -- and they’re not all jocks. As many as one third were girls and there are a growing number of boys attempting to emulate sinewy, rock-jawed models from the pages of catalogs. This is a three-part story from MSNBC. ++++++++++
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