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On Saturday October 6, 2007 a friend and loved member of our community, RCMP Officer Chris Worden was shot and killed in the line of duty.
Our youth group has moved into action and we dedicate this page to him.
"Fallen, but not forgotten"
Q: What Is Drug Addiction?
A: Drug addiction is a complex brain disease. It is characterized by compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist even in the face of extremely negative consequences. Drug seeking becomes compulsive, in large part as a result of the effects of prolonged drug use on brain functioning and on behavior. For many people, drug addiction becomes chronic, with relapses possible even after long periods of abstinence.
Q: How Quickly Can I Become Addicted to a Drug?
A: There is no easy answer to this. If and how quickly you might become addicted to a drug depends on many factors including your genes (which you inherit from your parents) and the biology of your body. All drugs are potentially harmful and may have life-threatening consequences associated with their use. There are also vast differences among individuals in sensitivity to various drugs. While one person may use a drug one or many times and suffer no ill effects, another person may be particularly vulnerable and overdose with first use. There is no way of knowing in advance how someone may react.
Q: How Do I Know if Someone Is Addicted to Drugs?
A: If a person is compulsively seeking and using a drug despite negative consequences, such as loss of job, debt, physical or mental problems brought on by drug abuse, or family problems, then he or she is probably addicted. We don't have a perfect screening tool quite yet, but health care professionals who screen for drug use often ask questions like these to detect substance abuse in their adolescent patients:
Have you ever ridden in a car driven by someone (including yourself) who had been using alcohol or drugs?
Do you ever use alcohol or drugs to relax, feel better about yourself, or fit in?
Do you ever use alcohol or drugs when you are alone?
Do you ever forget things you did while using alcohol or drugs?
Do your family or friends ever tell you to cut down on your drinking or drug use?
Have you ever gotten into trouble while you were using alcohol or drugs?
Q: What Are the Physical Signs of Abuse or Addiction?
A: The physical signs of abuse or addiction can vary depending on the person and the drug being abused. In addition, each drug has short-term and long-term physical effects. For example, someone who abuses marijuana may have a chronic cough or worsening of asthmatic conditions. Stimulants like cocaine increase heart rate and blood pressure, whereas opioids like heroin may slow the heart rate and reduce respiration.
Q: Are There Effective Treatments for Drug Addiction?
A:Drug addiction can be effectively treated with behavioral-based therapies and, for addiction to some drugs such as heroin or nicotine, medications. Treatment may vary for each person depending on the type of drug(s) being used and the individual's specific circumstances. In many cases, multiple courses of treatment may be needed to achieve success. Research has revealed 13 basic principles that underlie effective drug addiction treatment. These are discussed in NIDA's Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide.
Q: Isn't Drug Addiction a Voluntary Behavior?
A:A person may start out taking drugs voluntarily. But as times passes, and drug use continues something happens that makes a person go from being a voluntary drug user to a compulsive drug user. Why? Because the continued use of addictive drugs changes your brain - at times in dramatic, toxic ways, at others in more subtle ways, but often in ways that result in compulsive and even uncontrollable drug use.
Q: Isn't Becoming Addicted to a Drug Just a Character Flaw?
A: Drug addiction is a brain disease. Every type of drug of abuse has its own individual mechanism for changing how the brain functions. But regardless of which drug a person is addicted to, many of the effects it has on the brain are similar: they range from changes in the molecules and cells that make up the brain, to mood changes, to changes in memory processes and thinking, and sometimes changes in motor skills such as walking and talking. And these changes have a huge influence on all aspects of a person's behavior. A drug can become the single most powerful motivator in a drug abuser's existence. He or she will do almost anything for the drug. This comes about because drug use has changed the individual's brain, their behavior, their social and other functioning in critical ways.
Q: For Drug Treatment to Work, Doesn't the Person Have to Really Want It?
A:Two of the primary reasons people seek drug treatment are because the court ordered them to do so, or because loved ones urged them to seek treatment. Many scientific studies have shown convincingly that those who enter drug treatment programs in which they face "high pressure" to confront and attempt to surmount their addiction can benefit from treatment, regardless of the reason they sought treatment in the first place.
Q: Shouldn't Treatment for Drug Addiction be a One-shot Deal?
A: Like many other illnesses, drug addiction typically is a chronic disorder. To be sure, some people can quit drug use "cold turkey," or they can quit after receiving treatment just one time at a rehabilitation facility. But most of those who abuse drugs require longer-term treatment and, in many instances, repeated treatments.
Q: Shouldn't NIDA Strive to Find a "Magic Bullet" to Treat All Forms of Drug Abuse?
A: There is no "one size fits all" form of drug treatment, much less a magic bullet that suddenly will cure addiction. Different people have different drug abuse-related problems. And they respond very differently to similar forms of treatment, even when they're abusing the same drug. As a result, drug addicts need an array of treatments and services tailored to address their unique needs.
Oftentimes, youth begin experimenting with marijuana, inhalants or ecstasy, believing that these drugs are harmless. In reality, these drugs are quite harmful and may kill - even on the first use.
Ecstasy, Speed, GHB, Special K and LSD are common at all-night dance parties and concerts. Know what to watch for.
Club drugs are being used by young adults at all-night dance parties such as "raves" or "trances," dance clubs, and bars. MDMA (Ecstasy), GHB, Rohypnol, ketamine, methamphetamine, and LSD are some of the club or party drugs gaining popularity. NIDA-supported research has shown that use of club drugs can cause serious health problems and, in some cases, even death. Used in combination with alcohol, these drugs can be even more dangerous.
No club drug is benign. Chronic abuse of MDMA, for example, appears to produce long-term damage to serotonin-containing neurons in the brain. Given the important role that the neurotransmitter serotonin plays in regulating emotion, memory, sleep, pain, and higher order cognitive processes, it is likely that MDMA use can cause a variety of behavioral and cognitive consequences as well as impair memory.
Because some club drugs are colorless, tasteless, and odorless, they can be added unobtrusively to beverages by individuals who want to intoxicate or sedate others. In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of club drugs used to commit sexual assaults.
Meth has become the most dangerous drug problem in small-towns because it's cheap and easy to make.
Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain systems in the brain. Methamphetamine is closely related chemically to amphetamine, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater. Both drugs have some medical uses, primarily in the treatment of obesity, but their therapeutic use is limited.
Street methamphetamine is referred to by many names, such as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear chunky crystals resembling ice, which can be inhaled by smoking, is referred to as "ice," "crystal," and "glass."
Health Hazards
Neurological hazards. Methamphetamine releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It also appears to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine and serotonin, another neurotransmitter. Over time, methamphetamine appears to cause reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson's disease, a severe movement disorder.
Addiction. Methamphetamine is taken orally or intranasally (snorting the powder), by intravenous injection, and by smoking. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection, the methamphetamine user experiences an intense sensation, called a "rush" or "flash," that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Oral or intranasal use produces euphoria - a high, but not a rush. Users may become addicted quickly, and use it with increasing frequency and in increasing doses.
Short-term effects. The central nervous system (CNS) actions that result from taking even small amounts of methamphetamine include increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, and euphoria. Other CNS effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness. Hyperthermia and convulsions can result in death.
Long-term effects. Methamphetamine causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects of methamphetamine include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat, and extreme anorexia. Its use can result in cardiovascular collapse and death.
New research confirms links between teen marijuana use and increased susceptibility for mental health illness, including depression, suicide and schizophrenia
Pot on the Teen Brain
Marijuana and Depression.
Marijuana and Suicidal Thoughts.
Marijuana and Schizophrenia.
Do we have your attention? As parents and caregivers, you probably never thought you’d see marijuana associated with these mental health problems … but it is. New research is giving us better insight into the serious consequences of teen marijuana use, especially how it impacts mental health.
Today’s teens are smoking a more potent form of marijuana and starting use at increasingly younger ages during crucial brain development years.1 There is plenty of evidence indicating the ways pot impedes, even changes, the mental health of adolescents. In fact, those changes in the brain are similar to those caused by cocaine, heroin and alcohol.2 The overall impact that pot has on the brain can have long term consequences, and it’s up to you to influence your teen’s life when it comes to drugs.
Depression
Weekly marijuana use increases the risk of depression later in life. Research shows people who were not depressed and used marijuana at the beginning of one study were four times more likely to suffer from depression at follow up.3 Those who were depressed, but did not use marijuana at the beginning of the study, were no more likely to use it at follow up. This figure is higher in teen girls. Female marijuana users, with no predisposition for depression or anxiety, are five times more likely to be depressed at 21 than non-users.4
Suicidal Thoughts
Marijuana can also be linked to suicidal thoughts. A study based on data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse found that teenagers 12 to 17 who smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely to have thoughts of committing suicide.5 The same study linked increased anxiety and panic attacks to past year marijuana use.6
Schizophrenia
Several studies have documented marijuana’s link with symptoms of schizophrenia and report that cannabis is an independent risk factor for schizophrenia. Heavy users of marijuana at age 18 increased their risk of schizophrenia later in life by six times.7 Further reports have found marijuana use increased the risk of developing schizophrenia among people with no prior history of a disorder, and that early use of marijuana (age 15 vs. age 18) increased the risk even more.8 In addition, youth with a personal or family history of schizophrenia are at an even greater risk of marijuana-induced psychosis.9
Let your teens know you don’t want them using marijuana. Their mental health may depend on it.
How Well Do You Know Your Teenager?
In order to help you determine your next steps, we’ve prepared this guide. Please choose how often you believe your son/daughter has taken part in these activities:
Do you find that your teen:
Has had a recent change in his/her group of friends?
Is careless with grooming?
Has lost interest in activities or sports that they used to enjoy?
Has been missing school?
Has had declining grades?
Is secretive about possessions, friends, or conversations?
Seems guilty when you ask questions about his or her whereabouts?
Lies to you about the places he or she's been?
Has dramatic personality or mood changes?
Seems more sluggish and run down than usual?
Frequently makes excuses for not being able to attend family events or outings?
Uses incense, room spray or perfumes to hide smoke or chemical odor?
Uses secretive or “coded” language with friends?
Has been taking/spending an increased amount of money with no explanation for where it’s going?
Has been in trouble — with family, at work or school, or with the police — because of drinking or drug use?
Have you found:
Evidence of drug paraphernalia such as pipes, rolling papers, etc?
Inhaling products (such as hairspray, nail polish, correction fluid, etc)? Or rags and paper bags that are sometimes used as inhalant accessories?
Bottles of eye drops, which may be used to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils?
That he or she has come home after school or after being out with the smell of mouthwash or breath mints to cover up the smell of alcohol?
You are missing prescription drugs?
Here are some suggested things to keep in mind when you talk to your child:
Tell your son or daughter that you LOVE him/her, and you are worried that he/she might be using drugs or alcohol;
You KNOW that drugs may seem like the thing to do, but doing drugs can have serious consequences;
It makes you FEEL worried and concerned about them when they do drugs;
You are there to LISTEN to them;
You WANT them to be a part of the solution;
You tell him or her what you WILL do to help them.
KNOW that you will have this discussion many, many times. Talking to your kid about drugs and alcohol is not a one-time event.
The key step in dealing with a substance abuse problem is finding a trusted, professional counselor. They are trained to listen and can help you find solutions to your problems. Most communities have established local coalitions that can support your family through this difficult time. Whatever path you take at this point, know that there are many caring professionals that want to help you successfully work through the situation. Although it may be difficult to make the call, the earlier that you seek help for your child the better.
These are community and health specialists who can guide and inform you:
School counselors and student assistance professionals
Employee assistance professionals
Family doctors or pediatricians
Nurses
Youth Pastors
Community health centers
Adolescent prevention or treatment professionals
Local community anti-drug coalitions
Thank you Global News Edmonton and the Edmonton Journal for interviewing us on this, your coverage was awesome.
(being on the national news was a bit terrifying)
FRONT
Drugs are people-wreckers. That is why many teens now steer clear of getting involved with illegal drugs.
For about 40 years from the 1960s, many young people thought that taking drugs was being cool, even if the drugs did cause more problems than they solved. But smart kids soon realized that drugs were killing their friends, causing sickness and problems with money, and creating barriers with people they otherwise could have related to.
Youth wisdom is becoming stronger in many areas. Many teens are starting to rethink what is cool and what is not. They don't think it's cool to make yourself sick from drugs. Or always have no money because you've wasted it on drugs. Or being unable to hold down a job. Or have people always nag you because they can see the damage you are doing because of your drug abuse.
Is marijuana harmless?
One of the persistent lies that teens hear is that marijuana is a safe drug. Supposedly, marijuana is no more harmful than tobacco. But studies have shown that is false.
Researchers at the University of California tested marijuana to see its effects. They found that an ingredient of marijuana, called THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), causes cancerous tumors. They also found that THC doesn't allow your body to fight viruses and infections well.
This means if you use marijuana you are deciding that you want to be sick more. The university researchers also found that marijuana smoke contains four times more dangerous tar than tobacco smoke, so is much more likely to cause lung cancer. This means that if you use marijuana after learning this, you are deciding you would rather get lung cancer than not get it.
A further problem: A British study of 12,000 women found that babies born to mothers who smoked marijuana once a week had a lower birth weight. And this may lead to diabetes, heart disease, reduced intelligence, and high blood pressure in later life.
Mark and Jonathan's story
Mark's friends regarded him as a loser. He didn't do well at school, his parents split up when he was 14, they left him and his brothers to look after themselves, and he was always getting into trouble. Jonathan was just the opposite. He did well in everything he tried. He was popular at school, his parents were doctors, and he always had money.
But something changed.
Mark makes good
When Mark's father walked out, the family needed money desperately. So Mark called at all the stores in his area looking for work. He finally got a part-time job selling burgers. This didn't give him much money, but it was better than nothing. He learned to cook, and decided he would like to be a chef.
Mark's boss said he would train Mark, and as time went on Mark became a cook at the burger restaurant with higher pay. One of the other workers at the restaurant, Justin, helped run a Baptist youth group. Justin invited Mark to the youth group's fun events. Mark was not a Christian, but thought this would be a good way to make friends. He started attending church, then became a Christian one Sunday morning by asking Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of his life from that time on.
Mark found that one of the other guys in the youth group worked at a large city restaurant, and the restaurant was looking for a trainee chef. Mark applied. He got the job after his friend in the youth group recommended him, and loved the work so much that he eventually became a well-paid chef. He earned good money while doing something he loved.
Jonathan loses everything
Jonathan's story ended tragically. His parents gave him everything he wanted, including a large allowance. But he laughed at Christians who tried to get him to come to the church youth group. Instead, he started buying drugs. He tried marijuana, ecstasy, then heroin and crack. He was always sick, lost interest in his studies, and stole money to pay for his expensive drug addiction.
One rainy night Jonathan landed in jail when a police bust caught him selling drugs. He lost his reputation, money, and friends.
What does the Bible say?
The Bible says your body is a temple for God who dwells in you (1 Corinthians 6:19), and it is not your own. Jesus Christ paid the highest price imaginable so you could live (1 Corinthians 6:20). Therefore you have to look after your body. Filling it with drugs, tobacco, or alcohol is not looking after it.
Groups such as Teen Challenge have countless tragic stories about teens who have wrecked their lives with drugs. If you are on drugs now, get off them as fast as you can before they drain your money, health, and self-esteem.
If you are not on drugs, great! Make sure you have the courage and persistence to refuse them. There are no good stories about people who stay on illegal drugs.
