By Nathan Grounds March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day; a time filled with parades, shamrocks, green clothing, and plenty of alcohol. But how did this centuries-old holiday evolve from a day to commemorate the patron saint of Ireland to the biggest beer-drinking holiday in the United...
by Joseph Byrum There are several reasons why kids and teens experiment with alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs. They may try a drug because they feel like all of their friends are doing it, but there are also other factors that can lead kids and teens...
By Nathan Grounds Substance Abuse Prevention Month This October marks the 10th annual National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a designation designed to honor those who have lost their lives to substance abuse and to highlight the significance of prevention efforts nationwide. Substance misuse is not something foreign to...
Most teens don’t drink regularly. Why do so many East Texans believe the myth that they do? One of the questions we ask students during alcohol presentations is “What percentage of teens do you think drink regularly?” More often than not, students think that most of their...
It’s day four of the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week and today’s topic is marijuana. In the US, marijuana is defined as any cannabis plant that has greater than 0.3% THC. THC is the naturally occurring psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. THC...
On day three of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, let’s talk about prescription drug abuse. Prescription drug abuse, particularly opioid abuse, has had a devastating impact on this country for the last few years. While the US has made strides in addressing the issue, we...
Today is Day 2 of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week. Today let’s talk about vaping and its potential complications with the COVID-19 pandemic. Top priority for everyone right now is not only preventing the spread of the coronavirus to other people but keeping ourselves and...
As part of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, we’d like to remind parents about the importance of talking to their children and teens about underage drinking. You may be thinking, “We’re in the middle of a global pandemic, why would I worry about talking to...
E-cigarette companies were just spreading their wings a decade ago but have recently grown at a furious pace. According to the BBC, the global market for vaping has increased 280% from 2014 to 2019. This rapid growth has left US lawmakers and regulators lagging behind...
If ever there was a situation fitting of comparison to “Pandora’s box,” it’s where the country is with e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes, or vapes, were originally created to be a device that could still deliver the nicotine to someone with a smoking addiction, without all the known carcinogens...