In the U.S., marijuana use is fairly common among teenagers and young adults in the typical college age range of 18 to 25. Unfortunately, intake of the drug is associated with a number of significant problems, including memory and concentration deficits, altered brain development and the onset of cannabis use disorder (cannabis abuse and/or cannabis …
Energy drinks are a relatively new type of mass-marketed beverage high in caffeine or other legally produced, plant-based stimulants. Current evidence shows that this type of beverage, popular among both teenagers and young adults, can have especially harmful effects when consumed in combination with alcohol. In a study published in May 2014 in the journal …
Hedonism Drives People to Combine Energy Drinks, Alcohol, Study Finds Read More »
As the graduation season kicks into high gear, the merriment also brings peril on the roads for teenagers, who suffer the most traffic deaths in April, May and June, officials say. The supervised grad-night party was designed to entice students away from gatherings where drug or alcohol impairment may lead to risky behaviors, such as …
It’s high season for grad nights, and Patterson Jaffurs will be among millions of high school seniors not drinking and driving to the party. The 18-year-old Santa Barbara High School honors student will instead join his classmates as they board chartered buses to motor south to the mecca of grad nights, where teenagers — and …
Theme Park Grad Nights Lure Millions Into Safe, Sober Celebration Read More »
Graduation from high school and the start of summer are prime drinking times for teens. Seniors have worked hard to graduate and to get into college and many feel that graduation is a time to cut loose. They often view their last summer before college as a time to party and enjoy life before getting …
A powdered form of liquor called Palcohol that can turn water into a cocktail? First thought: Astronaut buzz? Second thought: Who would want to replace a regular margarita with a “Powderita” and why? It’s the second question that remains unanswered and has alarmed parents, public health officials and addiction treatment doctors, who swiftly rattled off …
The University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh is the No. 1 college in the U.S. for alcohol-related arrests, according to a study by the Drugs on Campus Project, while the State University of New York at Oneonta came in first for illicit drug arrests.
Spring break is a fun time of year for most students. It means relief from studying and hitting the books and is a good opportunity to relax and recover. For most students, though, spring break means partying, drinking, sex, and a whole lot of trouble. Partying during spring break has taken on epic proportions in …
Teens Gone Wild: Spring Break and Risky Behaviors Read More »
Substance use disorder and conduct disorder are two mental health conditions defined in the U.S. according to terms set forth by the American Psychiatric Association. Many people affected by conduct disorder engage in patterns of drug or alcohol intake that put them at risk for developing substance use disorder. Practically speaking, this means that the …
How Do Substance Use Disorder and Conduct Disorder Affect the Teen Brain? Read More »
“Bath salts” are a modern class of illicit/illegal drugs with a close chemical relationship to natural, mind-altering substances contained in a stimulant plant called khat; these drugs have entered circulation in the U.S. over the last several years. Bath salts are used by only a very small minority of American teenagers. According to results of …