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Mental Health problems are more common than heart disease, lung disease
and cancer combined. During any one year, in the United States, one in four adults may exhibit a mental disorder (57.7 million people). Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN says that one in five children, today, have a mental illness. A mental health disorder is an inability of an individual to cope with the normal stresses of life, may be unable work productively and fruitfully, and may be unable to make a contribution to his or her community. Medical experts rate mental disorders among the most disabling illnesses; but wellness and recovery are possible and that those who experience mental health problems and disorders can and do lead full lives, often with limited or no professional intervention. It is a myth that mental disorders are signs of weakness or personality flaws. A mental health disorder will not go away by willing it away. It is also a myth that all individuals with mental disorders are violent. They are no more likely to be violent than anyone in the general population. It is true that a trauma resulting in a mental disability can affect anyone, regardless of how strong or psychologically healthy the individual was before the traumatic situation. There is much to learn about mental health and we, as laymen, can learn about mental health, how to recognize it and how to help those in our family or those we are friends with and/or work with. Contact the Greater Valley Substance Abuse Action Council, pmautte@bhcare.org. for further information about an educational program called Mental Health First Aid.

Volume 8

Issue 1

January 2013

60% of high school students report drugs are used, kept or sold in their schools. 36% of high school students believe that it is fairly or very easy for students to smoke, drink or use drugs during the day at their school without getting caught.
(from a random sample of students in 48 continental states; CESAR FAX)

Recreational use of marijuana has been approved in the states of Colorado and Washington. Some officials are concerned that marijuana related car crashes will increase. Marijuana, like alcohol, often causes impaired driving. In the U.S., someone dies of a prescription drug-related overdose every 19 minutes. When we get older our body composition changes. We are likely to have more fat and less muscle. Muscle is where we carry most of our water, so if you have less total body water, the concentration of alcohol is higher. Therefore, drinking alcohol the same way as when we are younger will affect us differently as we age. (NY Times)

Children learn what they live.

Dorothy Law Neite

Marijuana Use Linked with Episodes of Cyclic Nausea and Vomiting Most health care providers are unaware of the link between marijuana use and cyclic episodes of nausea and vomiting, so they do not ask about natural or synthetic cannabinoid use when a patient comes to the emergency or their doctors office with these symptoms. (Dr. Crissien-Martinez, Scripps Green Hospital and Clinic, San Diego) The average cost of hospital admissions for this condition is about $10,000 and many patients are hospitalized more than one time. Of course, patients dont realize the connection and may use more to reduce symptoms, but increased use makes symptoms worse.

Theres no such thing as a perfect parent so just be a real one.

Sue Atkins

A new study appearing in the Journal of Drug Issues, concludes (once again) that parental involvement is more important than the school environment in preventing or limiting childrens use of alcohol or marijuana. The study included data from more than 10,000 students, parents, teachers and school administrators. Study co-author, Dr. Toby Parcel of North Carolina State University said, Parents play an important role in shaping the decisions their children make when it comes to alcohol and marijuana. To be clear, school programs that address alcohol and marijuana use are definitely valuable, but the bonds parents form with their children are more important. Ideally we can have both.

Dont be afraid of giving kids responsibility, be there to guide and support them, not just to do things for them. Kevin Heath
A company in Boston is trying to raise funds to produce cups and straws made of a material that will change color when it comes in contact with a drink that has been spiked with drugs. SAMHSA claims that emergency rooms reported 14, 270 intentional poisonings in 2009; almost two-thirds of those poisoned were female. Intentional poisonings are attempts by one person to get another to ingest something potentially harmful as a drug with out that persons knowledge. Often intentional poisonings involves a date-rape drug.

Encourage and support your kids because, Children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.

Lady Bird Johnson

From ALCOHOL JUSTICE (Dec.2012) Alcohol consumption annually costs American society 79,000 lives and $223.5 billion in harm of which governments share is $94.2 billion. Did you know that since 1991 Big Alcohol lobbying has resulted in our country losing $57 billion in revenue? Or that a new alcohol tax increase - 10 cents spirits tax increase, 15 cents on beer and 18 cents on wine - could help fill nearly 12% of the Presidents revenue portion of the nations ten-year deficit reduction goal? Alcohol Justice believes that $182.5 billion in new alcohol tax revenue over ten years is a fair contribution to deficit reduction that will help the country avoid health and safety spending cutbacks.

When a child is allowed to do exactly as he pleases, it wont be long before nothing pleases him. Anonymous