Medical Daily, April 15, 2015
"The weekend is synonymous with sleeping in, cheat meals, and drinking alcohol — sometimes in excess. So, you may find yourself trying to curb some of the damage by even counting calories on your alcohol of choice. In some case, this leads drinkers to calorie-swap food for a glass of wine to control dietary intake and maximize the effects of alcohol — also known as “drunkorexia.”
Counting Calories: The Food Swap
It is recommended for a healthy man or woman to consume 2,000 calories per day, according to the Food and Drug Administration. This helps consumers easily calculate the Daily Values needed for their own diets. Daily calorie intake is also one of the largest determinants of overweight and obesity, which is why counting calories is essential for weight management.
Living off a 2,000-calorie diet means you have to pick and choose where you get your sources of nutrition. A drunkorexic will limit their food/calories during the day, says Dr. Vanessa Pawlowski, a psychologist with a private practice in Beverly Hills, Calif., so that when they drink at night they do not have to worry about gaining weight from the extra calories of alcohol. 'Sometimes people will also eat excessively while drinking and may throw up to compensate the calorie intake. Or people may also exercise excessively to burn calories associated with drinking,' Pawlowski told Medical Daily in an email." Read More.
The Governor's Prevention Partnership provides publications here with advice on how to talk to your teen about healthy lifestyle choices and the dangers of drinking.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Senate Ed. Committee Spars Over Bullying Prevention in ESEA Rewrite; Nears Finish
Education Week, April 15, 2015
"The Senate education committee adjourned Day Two of its markup of a bipartisan overhaul Elementary and Secondary Education Act overhaul Wednesday, having nearly completed the task of considering the 87 amendments that members filed to the legislative compromise.
What had been a relatively calm legislative process since the markup began Tuesday produced a more passionate debate Wednesday afternoon when members considered a pair of dueling amendments on harassment and bullying, particularly of LGBT students.
An amendment from Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the committee and co-author of the underlying bill, would allow states and school districts to use federal funds to implement or improve bullying-prevention policies." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here for tips and advice on what to do if your teen is being bullied.
"The Senate education committee adjourned Day Two of its markup of a bipartisan overhaul Elementary and Secondary Education Act overhaul Wednesday, having nearly completed the task of considering the 87 amendments that members filed to the legislative compromise.
What had been a relatively calm legislative process since the markup began Tuesday produced a more passionate debate Wednesday afternoon when members considered a pair of dueling amendments on harassment and bullying, particularly of LGBT students.
An amendment from Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., chairman of the committee and co-author of the underlying bill, would allow states and school districts to use federal funds to implement or improve bullying-prevention policies." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here for tips and advice on what to do if your teen is being bullied.
Health Care Costs from Opioid Abuse: A State-by-State Analysis
The Partnership for Drug Free Kids, April 13, 2015
"The healthcare costs attributed to the abuse of prescription opioids (Rx painkillers) are now close to $25 billion in the United States. Knowing and understanding the impact of Rx painkiller abuse is crucial to addressing this concerning health epidemic.
Given the notable differences – across the country and among the 50 states – in the level of Rx opioid abuse, state-specific estimates are essential for local policymakers, as many of the tactics and strategies that are currently in place to help address abuse of Rx opiates may be devised and implemented at the local level.
This analysis offers the first estimates on the summary of results for every state." Read More.
For more information on prescription drug abuse among teens visit our Resource Center here.
"The healthcare costs attributed to the abuse of prescription opioids (Rx painkillers) are now close to $25 billion in the United States. Knowing and understanding the impact of Rx painkiller abuse is crucial to addressing this concerning health epidemic.
Given the notable differences – across the country and among the 50 states – in the level of Rx opioid abuse, state-specific estimates are essential for local policymakers, as many of the tactics and strategies that are currently in place to help address abuse of Rx opiates may be devised and implemented at the local level.
This analysis offers the first estimates on the summary of results for every state." Read More.
For more information on prescription drug abuse among teens visit our Resource Center here.
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Pot Plus Booze Doubles Odds for Drunk Driving, Study Says
U.S. News and World Report, April 14, 2015
"Drinkers who smoke marijuana as they imbibe are twice as likely to drive drunk compared with people who stick to alcohol alone, a new study reports.
These 'simultaneous' users are also three times more likely to face social troubles as a result of drinking and marijuana -- drunken brawls, broken marriages, damaged relationships and ruined careers among them.
'There are a lot of problems related to alcohol, and marijuana seems to potentially enhance the effects of alcohol in causing these problems,' said study co-author William Kerr, associate director of the Alcohol Research Group.
Many states have authorized medical marijuana use, and four -- Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska -- have legalized recreational pot.
'If cannabis use becomes more prevalent as U.S. states and other countries continue to legalize it, then we need to be prepared to advise people appropriately,' said lead author Meenakshi Subbaraman, an associate scientist at the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute. 'If you use both substances together, your risk of drunk driving, and possibly other consequences, may be higher than if you stick to using one at a time.'
Drugs like marijuana and cocaine are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These other drugs are often used in combination with alcohol at the time of the accident." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here to learn more about preventing youth substance abuse.
"Drinkers who smoke marijuana as they imbibe are twice as likely to drive drunk compared with people who stick to alcohol alone, a new study reports.
These 'simultaneous' users are also three times more likely to face social troubles as a result of drinking and marijuana -- drunken brawls, broken marriages, damaged relationships and ruined careers among them.
'There are a lot of problems related to alcohol, and marijuana seems to potentially enhance the effects of alcohol in causing these problems,' said study co-author William Kerr, associate director of the Alcohol Research Group.
Many states have authorized medical marijuana use, and four -- Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska -- have legalized recreational pot.
'If cannabis use becomes more prevalent as U.S. states and other countries continue to legalize it, then we need to be prepared to advise people appropriately,' said lead author Meenakshi Subbaraman, an associate scientist at the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute. 'If you use both substances together, your risk of drunk driving, and possibly other consequences, may be higher than if you stick to using one at a time.'
Drugs like marijuana and cocaine are involved in about 18 percent of motor vehicle driver deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These other drugs are often used in combination with alcohol at the time of the accident." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here to learn more about preventing youth substance abuse.
How Mentoring Builds Business Insight
Forbes, April 14, 2015
"With National Volunteer Week currently underway, now is a good time to look at how businesses can make positive impacts on their communities – and their bottom line – through youth mentoring. Numerous studies suggest that youth who have been mentored are more likely to be successful in school, become leaders in their communities and enter young adulthood with better opportunities for ongoing education and career choices.
Yet some 16 million American youth — one in three — will reach the age of 19 without ever having had a mentor of any kind, according to The Mentoring Effect. Public investment in mentoring has plateaued for many years, and an endless parade of grim statistics about the dim prospects for our nation’s youth reminds us that mentoring is more critical than ever.
To scale mentoring into a movement that could have a lasting impact, businesses need to encourage greater investments, constant innovation and improvement. At the National Mentoring Summit held in Washington, DC, this winter, we issued a call to action for more companies to start or enhance mentoring programs for our nation’s youth. We need businesses to step up because businesses have access to precisely what at-risk youth need – tens of thousands of dedicated human beings who can help the next generation succeed!" Read More.
Visit The Governor's Prevention Partnership website here to find a mentoring program near you.
"With National Volunteer Week currently underway, now is a good time to look at how businesses can make positive impacts on their communities – and their bottom line – through youth mentoring. Numerous studies suggest that youth who have been mentored are more likely to be successful in school, become leaders in their communities and enter young adulthood with better opportunities for ongoing education and career choices.
Yet some 16 million American youth — one in three — will reach the age of 19 without ever having had a mentor of any kind, according to The Mentoring Effect. Public investment in mentoring has plateaued for many years, and an endless parade of grim statistics about the dim prospects for our nation’s youth reminds us that mentoring is more critical than ever.
To scale mentoring into a movement that could have a lasting impact, businesses need to encourage greater investments, constant innovation and improvement. At the National Mentoring Summit held in Washington, DC, this winter, we issued a call to action for more companies to start or enhance mentoring programs for our nation’s youth. We need businesses to step up because businesses have access to precisely what at-risk youth need – tens of thousands of dedicated human beings who can help the next generation succeed!" Read More.
Visit The Governor's Prevention Partnership website here to find a mentoring program near you.
Bipartisan Bill Introduced to Allow Children to Use Medical Marijuana
Bloomberg News, April 14, 2015
"If it has medicinal value, why not allow children to use it?
On Tuesday, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House of Representatives that seeks to give access to medical marijuana to children suffering from a variety of illnesses.
Representative Morgan Griffith, a Virginia Republican, and Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon, put forth the Compassionate Access Act, which would 'allow the states to provide appropriate access to patients needing these legitimate, medical treatments under the supervision of their physician,' the congressmen said in a statement.
'There are countless reports of marijuana's medical benefits in treating conditions including cancer, epilepsy, and glaucoma,' Griffith said in the statement, adding, 'It's time to research this further, and, where legal, to allow real doctors and real pharmacists to prescribe or dispense marijuana for legitimate medical reasons for real patients.'
The bill, which is backed by the Epilepsy Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology, would re-classify marijuana so that states could decide how to regulate it and allow researchers to study the effects of the drug on patients." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here for information on marijuana use among teens in Connecticut.
"If it has medicinal value, why not allow children to use it?
On Tuesday, a bipartisan bill was introduced in the House of Representatives that seeks to give access to medical marijuana to children suffering from a variety of illnesses.
Representative Morgan Griffith, a Virginia Republican, and Earl Blumenauer, a Democrat from Oregon, put forth the Compassionate Access Act, which would 'allow the states to provide appropriate access to patients needing these legitimate, medical treatments under the supervision of their physician,' the congressmen said in a statement.
'There are countless reports of marijuana's medical benefits in treating conditions including cancer, epilepsy, and glaucoma,' Griffith said in the statement, adding, 'It's time to research this further, and, where legal, to allow real doctors and real pharmacists to prescribe or dispense marijuana for legitimate medical reasons for real patients.'
The bill, which is backed by the Epilepsy Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology, would re-classify marijuana so that states could decide how to regulate it and allow researchers to study the effects of the drug on patients." Read More.
Visit our Resource Center here for information on marijuana use among teens in Connecticut.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
A Scientific Look At The Damage Parents Do When They Bully Their Gay Kids
The Washington Post, April 14, 2015
"Public tolerance for laws and practices that discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religion has rapidly declined. President Obama last week called for an end to so-called conversion therapies that seek to “fix” LGBT youth in some fundamentalist Christian circles. Public support for marriage equality – overturning the traditional concept of “one man, one woman” – has ballooned. And the chorus of indignant voices responding to Indiana’s religious freedom law was so overwhelming that the state has had to hire a PR firm to repair its image.
Politicians and activists have been increasingly vocal about how businesses, churches and government institutions treat LGBT people – children and teenagers, in particular. But the most important arena has escaped wide criticism: their homes. The disdain and discrimination that many gay or gender non-conforming youth receive from their parents has the potential to do far more damage than hostility they experience from others.
The evidence abounds: Kids lacking parental support for their sexual orientation are at higher risk for mental health problems, drug use, and unprotected sex. And the risk isn’t minor – those who felt rejected by their families are eight times more likely to have attempted suicide." Read More.
Visit our website here to learn more about how The Governor's Prevention Partnership is working hard to prevent bullying and promote a positive school climate.
"Public tolerance for laws and practices that discriminate against LGBT people under the guise of religion has rapidly declined. President Obama last week called for an end to so-called conversion therapies that seek to “fix” LGBT youth in some fundamentalist Christian circles. Public support for marriage equality – overturning the traditional concept of “one man, one woman” – has ballooned. And the chorus of indignant voices responding to Indiana’s religious freedom law was so overwhelming that the state has had to hire a PR firm to repair its image.
Politicians and activists have been increasingly vocal about how businesses, churches and government institutions treat LGBT people – children and teenagers, in particular. But the most important arena has escaped wide criticism: their homes. The disdain and discrimination that many gay or gender non-conforming youth receive from their parents has the potential to do far more damage than hostility they experience from others.
The evidence abounds: Kids lacking parental support for their sexual orientation are at higher risk for mental health problems, drug use, and unprotected sex. And the risk isn’t minor – those who felt rejected by their families are eight times more likely to have attempted suicide." Read More.
Visit our website here to learn more about how The Governor's Prevention Partnership is working hard to prevent bullying and promote a positive school climate.
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