Teen Drug Abuse: Know the Facts

by Lisa Cunningham, Director of Communications

Drug abuse. It’s one of the big white elephants in the room no  one wants to talk about, especially when it may involve our children.

But drug abuse is a real problem, especially among teenagers. And it’s one we can’t pretend isn’t happening. Consider these statistics from the website, teendrug.com:

• According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Georgia is among ten states indicating the highest risk of occasional marijuana use among children aged 12 or older
• According to the Georgia Student Health Survey, nearly one in five Georgia high school students has consumed five or more alcoholic drinks in a row at least once
• Nearly one in five Georgia high school students has smoked marijuana at least once.

Alcohol and marijuana are just the tip of the iceberg. Increasingly, hard-core drugs, like ecstasy, are making front-page news. Recently, police arrested an 18 year-old woman from Columbus, Georgia for transporting more than 79,000 ecstacy pills –about 33 pounds — in a duffel bag. The woman was charged with drug trafficking and possession of cocaine. The pills were worth more than $1.5 million.

Methamphetamine use a growing problem in Georgia

Perhaps even more addictive and deadly than ecstasy is methamphetamine, or meth, for short. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Atlanta is a hub for methamphetamine trafficking, mostly by Mexican drug cartels.

Meth abuse costs Georgia an estimated $1.3 billion annually. An astonishing forty-two percent of child endangerment cases in Georgia involve meth, and 43 percent of federal convictions in Georgia are meth-related.

Concerned that your child or teenager might be using drugs? Here are some warning signs:

Secrecy

We all need our personal space, but if your teenager becomes secretive about his or her whereabouts, possessions, or friends, get involved. Ask questions. If your teenager begins to disappear for hours at time, something is wrong. Find out where he or she goes and have an open, honest discussion about drug abuse.

Declining academic performance

It’s normal for students to find certain school subjects challenging, but if a drop in academic performance coincides with other suspicious behavior, such as extreme secrecy or disappearing for hours on end, you need to get involved. Declining academic performance in conjunction with these behaviors could indicate a drug problem.

Change in appearance

Has your teenager lost interest in grooming or personal hygiene? A disheveled appearance or red or glazed eyes is another warning sign of drug use.

Disappearance of money

Has money begun to disappear unexpectedly from your household? If so, question your teenager about the money. He or she could be using money to buy drugs or settle debts.

Withdrawing from family

Teenagers are notoriously moody and often withdrawn, but an unexplained, sudden withdrawal from family relationships may indicate a bigger problem. Pay particular attention to how your teenager treats his or her siblings and other family members. If they become suddenly disengaged, ask if they’re having any personal problems and ask, flat out, if they are using — or feel pressure to — use drugs.

Trust your gut, always

Always, always, always trust your gut. If you sense that something is wrong, it probably is. Do not ignore unusual, suspicious behavior from your teenager. Question his or her whereabouts and get to know their friends.

Drug use may be the big white elephant in the corner of the room that no one wants to talk about, but we must. If you find out that your teenager has a problem with substance abuse, help is available. Click here to find drug treatment centers in your area.

And remember to subscribe to this blog for regular, timely safety-related tips and updates just like this.

The Bystander Effect

by Lisa Cunningham, Director of Communications

We’re all familiar with the term “bystander,” a person who watches events unfold from the sidelines while doing nothing to help. But few of us might have ever heard of the “Bystander Effect.”

Simply put, the Bystander Effect is the name given to the psychological phenomenon where the greater number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress. In other words, for some reason that psychologists don’t fully understand, observers are more likely to help a victim if few or no witnesses are around.

The Bystander Effect in action

Can you imagine the horror of being the victim of a crime or an attack, screaming for help, and watching people just walk by?

Last year, NBC’s “Today Show” ran a segment during which a reporter spoke with a security specialist about the bystander effect. And, to prove how real — and devastating — its effects can be, the show staged the attempted abduction of a seven year-old girl.

Watch the video here and make it your business to get involved — even if it’s just calling 911 — if you ever see this happening.  And tell us, have you ever declined helping someone who appeared to be in trouble? Please share your reasons why in the comments below.

Holiday Safety for Pets

By Lisa Cunningham, Director of Communications

The holiday season is here! The bright lights, shiny bulbs, candles, and beautiful decorations in your home are a source of beauty and joy for you and your family — and a source of curiosity and temptation for your pets. Each year, thousands of pets become injured or ill during the holidays, and more times than not, those accidents or illnesses could have been prevented with a little preparation and foresight.

Run down this quick checklist to pet-proof your home for the holidays and make sure the most helpless members of your family don’t fall victim to unforseen danger.

Give Sparky some turkey, but remove all the bones

Who can resist the taste of turkey and ham and the smell of all those goodies baking in the oven?

Go ahead, give Sparky a bit of juicy turkey as a tasty alternative to his regular meal, but make sure to remove all the bones! Bones can have splinters and get lodged in your pet’s throat, having potentially deadly consequences.

Chocolate can be deadly

Chocolate contains the chemical theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Keep chocolate in all its forms–candy, frosting, etc.–away from pets, no exceptions. If your dog does ingest chocolate, call your veterinarian or poison control center right away.

Plants

Holly, misteltoe, and poinsettias are synonymous with the holidays. They’re also poisonous and should be kept out of reach of animals. If you have cats, which can jump and scale large distances, it’s a good idea to avoid live versions of these plants altogether.

Decorations

How can your furry little friend possibly resist the bright, shiny, sparkly little balls and bells hanging from your tree or dangling from doorknobs? In all likelihood, he can’t, which is why it’s best to choose plastic, unbreakable ornaments over their glass counterparts. It’s also a good idea to avoid hanging ornaments on the lower boughs of your tree, to deter Sparky from reaching for them.

Avoid decorating with tinsel, which can cause choking and damage to the intestines.

Finally, remember to place lighted candles far out of reach of your pets and always keep them in an enclosed holder.

Beware electrical cords

All those electrical cords streaming from the Christmas tree or beneath the mantle look like little more than extra chew toys for your pets. But chewed cords or frayed wires can be a fire hazard — and deadly to your pets. To avoid potentially dangerous situations, be sure to corral the cords, tape them down, or keep them out of sight, if possible.

It might seem like extra work, but this little bit of preparation will go a long way to make sure your family’s best friend has a safe, enjoyable, extra special holiday season.

Happy holidays from Pop-A-Lock Atlanta. For regular, timely, safety-related tips and updates, be sure to subscribe to our blog.