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Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people. And in many cases, it is preventable. “We know very clearly that, with proper identification, proper support and treatments that are suicide-specific, we absolutely can make a difference and save lives,” said David Jobes, head...
Marijuana is perhaps one of the most polarizing substances we’ll discuss on National Prevention Week. Opinions around the country cover a wide spectrum. Should marijuana be legalized? Should it just be decriminalized? Should it be used only for medicinal purposes? (P.S. Contrary to popular belief,...
Summer is approaching, and more teens take their first drink in June and July than in any other months of the year. But what’s the big deal if teens drink? Did you know that the average age of first use in Texas is 13, while the average age...
Maybe you’ve heard about “The Opioid Crisis” in the news. It is one of the biggest public health epidemics of our time. According to the CDC, from 1999 to 2016, more than 630,000 people have died from a drug overdose. Around 66 percent of the more...
Out of all the health issues we face today, perhaps one that the public most misunderstands is mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control, mental illnesses are “conditions that affect a person’s thinking, feeling, mood or behavior, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia....
Many parents believe that it’s safer for kid to drink at home than to drink elsewhere. In fact, two-thirds of minors receive their alcohol from friends and family. Often times, parents or adults will host parties where they serve alcohol to teens. However, hosting underage drinking...
Social hosting refers to parents who knowingly provide alcohol to minors that are not their children or allow alcohol to be consumed by minors on property they control, like their house or a rented space. In effect, these parents are ‘hosting’ an alcohol party for...
A half-century ago, the U.S. surgeon general released a report on the health impacts of smoking that shaped the public and government’s attitudes toward tobacco for years to come. In November 2016, another surgeon general’s report was issued – on addiction and substance misuse and...
October is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. In 2011, President Obama issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation designating this month as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month to pay tribute to all those working to prevent substance abuse in our communities, and to rededicate ourselves to building...
As you get ready for back to school, remember that with a new year comes new chances for your child to get exposed to alcohol and drugs. As a parent, the best way to prepare yourself for potential questions and conversations is to equip yourself...