CHILD SAFETY
How Inhalants Can Kill, Even the Very First Time They Are Used
The article explains the lethal risks associated with inhalant abuse, especially prevalent among young people due to the accessibility of these common household items. Felt tip pens, markers, nail polish remover, paint—any of these substances and hundreds more can intoxicate or kill. Statistics reveal the alarming incidence of inhalant abuse among students and how and why their abuse can lead to sudden death.
Prescription Drug Take Back Day Provides Opportunity to Make Homes Safer
One of the most common ways young people experiment with prescription drugs for the first time is by finding the drugs in the family medicine cabinet and consuming them. Parents might not think there’s any harm in keeping certain pharmaceuticals in the home, but in light of the American opioid epidemic – which was partly started by the abuse of prescription painkillers – parents must recognize the risk of keeping unused medication in the home. Parents should dispose of unused medications during the upcoming Prescription Drug Take Back Day event.
Why Locking Up Drugs and Alcohol Could Save a Loved One’s Life
To prevent your home from becoming a source of addictive substances for a young person or susceptible family member, it’s important to know all the types of drugs that should be locked away and where someone might be looking for them.
What Children Learn When They Grow Up With Addicts for Parents
Why do the sons and daughters of addicts experience a significantly higher likelihood of struggling with addiction later on in life? One could argue that close proximity to substance abuse throughout one's childhood gives one the idea that experimenting with substances is "okay" or "normal."
Dangerous and Addictive Substances Are Found in Most Homes
Parents sitting down to educate their children on the dangers of drug use may miss the fact that their own homes may abound with dangerous and even deadly abusable substances. The vast majority of parents want to protect their children from drug-related harm.
How Does Alcohol Marketing Affect Alcohol Use in Young Adults?
Advertising is a growing industry and has been for some time. We see ads pop up everywhere. TV and radio stations have advertised the products and services of sponsors for decades now. Billboards, vinyl wraps on public transportation, newspapers, signs in store windows, and now the internet.
Overdose Rates among American Youth Back on the Rise
Hearing about the effects of our country’s drug addiction epidemic is difficult. It's never a pleasant subject to talk about. But, when we hear about drug addiction or alcoholism occurring in young people, that particular crisis carries with it an extra pang of sadness.
We Just Celebrated National Prescription Drug Take Back Day—What’s Next?
April 27th was “Prescription Drug Take Back Day,” a day which is celebrated in both April and October. The event was initially created and sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration. And why do we need two days per year where we all get together and dispose of unused prescription drugs?
Is Criminalizing Drug Use During Pregnancy the Answer?
I was surfing through U.S. News the other day when I came across a news story that really caught my eye. U.S. News posted an article titled, “Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules Pregnant Women Abusing Drugs is Not Child Abuse.”Having worked in addiction treatment most of my adult life, this story hit close to home for me.
Parents: Don’t Let Yourself be Blindsided by Your Child’s Drug Use
Too many parents lose their teen or young adult children to drugs when they don’t even know the individual is using drugs. Learn how to prevent this horrible surprise and possibly save a young life.