Monday, November 8, 2010

TEEN TRENDS: NATIONAL DRUG FACTS WEEK - SHATTER THE MYTHS


If you follow my blog, then you know I like to keep parents up-to-date on teen trends, including the different and clever ways teens use and abuse drugs. 

November 8-14 is National Drug Facts Week, and as a parent of a tween/teen, I know you want to be able to talk to your teen about  drugs and know the facts...not just facts, but the correct facts.  So I’m joining teens, parents, teachers, and scientists across America to kick off National Drug Facts Week by offering up my own shoutout for educating teens about drug abuse. 

Below are some drug facts that every parent of a teenager and teenagers need to know.  Remember...KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
STEROID ABUSE CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS, EVEN IRREVERSIBLE HEALTH PROBLEMS:
  • Liver damage
  • Jaundice
  • Fluid retention
  • High blood pressure
  • Renal failure
  • Severe acne
  • Trembling
  • For men—shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, increased risk for prostate cancer
  • For women—growth of facial hair, male-pattern baldness, changes in or cessation of the menstrual cycle, enlargement of the clitoris, deepened voice
  • For adolescents—stunted growth due to premature skeletal maturation and accelerated puberty changes; risk of not reaching expected height if AAS is taken before the typical adolescent growth spurt
  • Plus, teens who inject steroids run the risk of contracting or transmitting HIV/AIDS or hepatitis, which causes serious damage to the liver
MDMA (Ecstasy) PRODUCES:
  • Feelings of increased energy, euphoria, emotional warmth, and distortions in time, perception, and tactile experiences
  • Confusion
  • Depression
  • Sleep problems
  • Drug cravings
  • Severe anxiety.
  • Involuntary teeth clenching
  • A loss of inhibitions
  • Transfixion on sights and sounds
  • Nausea
  • Blurred vision
  • Chills and/or sweating
  • Increases in heart rate and blood pressure
  • Seizures, are also possible
  • "The stimulant effects of the drug enable users to dance for extended periods, which when combined with the hot crowded conditions usually found at raves, can lead to severe dehydration and hyperthermia or dramatic increases in body temperature. This can lead to muscle breakdown and kidney, liver and cardiovascular failure."
  • Cardiovascular failure has been reported in some of the Ecstasy-related fatalities.
So not to make this blog post extremely long, here are the links on drugs I have written about in the past:

Visit The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) website for TEENS with your teen for a lot of useful information and fun activities.

Add your voice today and post your own drug abuse shoutout on your blog, Facebook profile, Twitter account—or wherever you see fit. When you choose to speak, you choose to act.



Learn more about today's "CyberShoutout" in support of National Drug Facts Week by checking NIDA’s Sara Bellum Blog, which will be posting updates all day and recognizing the voices of those who participate—Yours could be one of them!



 

5 comments:

Pam said...

this is a helpful post...thank you for sharing. when i get a chance, cos right now i'm using my crappy phone lol, i'm gonna come back & read more of your blog. thanks for stopping by my blog from sits :o)

TheFashionistachic said...

Im interesting in knowing what prompted you to blog on Teens and Drug Facts?

wahdaholic said...

this is great and informative, thanks for sharing it with us, i've learned some of the drugs information.

Michelle said...

My son's school has been informing the kids of the same. I think he knows more about it than me now.

Unknown said...

It's always a shame when young teens get involved in drugs. They should wait until they're adults and can afford better quality.

Also, what's wrong with "Feelings of increased energy, euphoria, emotional warmth, and distortions in time, perception, and tactile experiences"?

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