Avoiding Drug Abuse

AVOIDING DRUG ABUSE INSIDE...

D.A.R.E. teaches good choices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Research-based strategies help reduce underage drinking . . . . 3 Understanding drug abuse and addiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Dr AlTo spreads the message of county’s new Social Host Ordinance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 The new face of substance abuse . . . . . . . . . . 5 NIDA’s drug abuse information for teens goes mobile . . . . . . . . 6 Surgeon General report says 5.6 million U.S. children will die prematurely unless current smoking rates drop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ecstasy-related ER visits on the rise for those younger than 21 . . . . . . . . . 8

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Brought to you by The D.A.R.E. Program of the Denison Police Department, Manning Family Recovery Center, Denison Bulletin & Review, and the co-sponsors on the following pages.

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A SPECIAL SECTION OF THE DENISON BULLETIN AND DENISON REVIEW | Friday, January 24, 2014

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Avoiding Drug Abuse

Friday, January 24, 2014

Officer Joe Ebner with the Denison Police Department has taught D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) to fifth graders at all schools in Denison for the past three years. The D.A.R.E. program will begin again in February or March. D.A.R.E. has been taught to fifth-grade students in Denison since 1990. Photo by Bruce A. Binning

D.A.R.E. teaches good choices, positive consequences for fifth grade students For the past 23 years, fifth graders in Denison have been receiving life skills they need to make good choices through D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education).

In another month or two, Denison Police Officer Joe Ebner will begin teaching this year’s fifth graders, marking the program’s 24th year in Denison and his fourth year as a D.A.R.E. instructor.

An aspect of the program that Officer Ebner enjoys the most is being able to interact with the youth.

“It makes me feel that I’m helping with the public,” he said.

The nine-week-long D.A.R.E. program has been presented to fifth graders attending the Denison Community School District since 1990 and to fifth graders attending Zion Lutheran School and St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Denison since 1991.

Through D.A.R.E., local law enforcement and the schools join together to educate students about the personal and social consequences of substance abuse and violence.

Although D.A.R.E. stands for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, the program is about more than resisting drugs.

“We deal not only with education about resisting drugs and alcohol but also provide education on how to deal with situations such as bullying,” said Officer Ebner. “We talk about responsibilities, including respon-

sibilities they will have as adults, and how choices they make affect others.”

Positive activities and hobbies are offered as choices students can make.

Toward the end of the nine weeks, the fifth graders write down what they’ve learned about making good choices in an essay.

“I teach nine different classes of fifth graders, and from each of the classes I select one or two essays to read at the end of the program,” said Office Ebner.

The program culminates with graduation ceremonies – one for fifth graders at Zion Lutheran and St. Rose of Lima combined, and one at Broadway Elementary for the fifth graders in public school.

Officer Ebner’s first group of D.A.R.E. students are now in eighth grade.

“I hope what I teach them they remember and continue to use through the remainder of their years in school and beyond,” he said.

From time to time Officer Ebner sees some of the students he taught in the community as he goes about his duties and daily life.

“They talk to me and tell different stories about situations they’ve encountered,” he said. “That’s a big factor in D.A.R.E. We want students to be able to talk with law enforcement and to know that we’re not here just to arrest people and write tickets but to help people.”

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The following information was taken from the D.A.R.E. website, www.dare.org D.A.R.E. Mission Teaching students good decision-making skills to help them lead safe and healthy lives.

D.A.R.E. Vision A world in which students everywhere are empowered to respect others and choose to lead lives free from violence, substance abuse, and other dangerous behaviors.

About D.A.R.E. D.A.R.E. was founded in 1983 by Los Angeles Police Department.

Today more than 15,000 D.A.R.E. officers and deputies are in more than 10,000 communities nationwide, educating America’s youth and serving as the first line of defense in America’s schools.

The D.A.R.E. program is taught in all 50 states, and 49 other countries. All curricula are science-based, age appropriate and written by a national panel of curriculum and prevention experts. The D.A.R.E. currciula meets the core educational standards of health, language arts and math.

D.A.R.E. meets the needs of communities and schools as it relates to bullying.

The basic 80 hour D.A.R.E. Officer Training (DOT) allows a police officer or deputy to teach both the elementary curriculum and the middle school curriculum.

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Avoiding Drug Abuse

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NIH study: Research-based strategies help reduce underage drinking Strategies recommended by the Surgeon General to reduce underage drinking have shown promise when put into practice, according to scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The methods include nighttime restrictions on young drivers and strict license suspension policies, interventions focused on partnerships between college campuses and the community, and routine screening by physicians to identify and counsel underage drinkers.

NIAAA researchers Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., and Aaron White, Ph.D., evaluated studies conducted since the 2007 “Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking.” A report of their findings appeared in the January issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

“The downward trend in underage drinking and alcohol-related traffic deaths indicates that certain policies and programs put in place at the federal, state, and local levels have had an impact,” said NIAAA Acting Director Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D. Since 2007, alcohol use and heavy drinking have shown appreciable declines in national surveys of middle and high school students. One study found that 12th-grade alcohol use declined from 66.4 percent to 62 percent in 2013, with a similar downward trend seen in eighth- and 10th-graders.

The researchers’ analysis of recent studies on driving policies found that certain driving laws affecting underage drivers deter drunk driving and reduce fatal crashes. Graduated driver licensing laws for underage drivers, which include nighttime restrictions, and use/ lose laws that lead to license suspension for an alcohol

violation, have been effective, the review said.

Individuals under the age of 21 are half as likely to drive after drinking in states with the strongest use/ lose and graduated licensing laws, based on a national study.

The Surgeon General’s Call to Action also recommended addressing college drinking by increasingly involving the surrounding community in intervention efforts. Studies since 2007 have shown the effectiveness of this approach, with successful programs implemented on campuses in North Carolina, West Virginia, Rhode Island, California, and Washington state. The programs focused on addressing alcohol availability, alcohol pricing and marketing, and enforcement of existing laws. Many campuses saw reductions in drunk driving and other alcohol-related harms.

Since the Call to Action, progress has also been made in establishing the effectiveness of screening and brief motivational interventions. In these types of short counseling sessions, individuals get feedback about their drinking patterns, and counselors work with clients to set goals and provide ideas for helping to make a change.

While studies show that brief motivational interventions can reduce alcohol consumption, only a small proportion of individuals under 21 are screened for alcohol use and advised of the risks. Among the 62 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds who saw a doctor in the past year, only 25 percent were asked about driving and only 12 percent were advised of health risks.

“An evaluation of the recommendations in the Call to Action reveals that certain strategies show promising results,” said first author Dr. Hingson, director of

NIAAA’s Division of Epidemiology and Prevention Research. “While progress has been made in addressing underage drinking, the consequences still remain unacceptably high. We must continue research to develop new interventions and implement existing strategies that have been shown to be effective.”

Drs. Hingson and White said expanded studies of the effects of alcohol on the developing brain, legal penalties for providing alcohol to minors, and parent-family alcohol interventions are among the research opportunities that could lead to further reductions in underage drinking.

Recent studies show that interventions aimed at strengthening family relationships in the middle-school years can have a lasting effect on students’ drinking behavior, but more studies are needed to build on this finding, the authors said.

Underage drinking is linked to 5,000 injury deaths per year, poor academic performance, potential damage to the developing brain, and risky sexual behavior.

For more information on the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking, see http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/underagedrinking/index.html.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health, is the primary U.S. agency for conducting and supporting research on the causes, consequences, prevention, and treatment of alcohol abuse, alcoholism and alcohol problems. NIAAA also disseminates research findings to general, professional, and academic audiences. Additional alcohol research information and publications are available at http://www.niaaa.nih.gov.

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bacco Crawford County Drug, Alcohol & Tobacco Coalition Healthy Choices, Healthy Kids

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Avoiding Drug Abuse

Friday, January 24, 2014

DrugFacts: Understanding drug abuse and addiction From the National Institute on Drug Abuse (www. drugabuse.gov/), revised November 2012 Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It is often mistakenly assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior.

In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions or a strong will. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so.

Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives.

Drug abuse and addiction have negative consequences for individuals and for society. Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually.

This includes approximately $193 billion for illicit drugs, $193 billion for tobacco, and $235 billion for alcohol.

As staggering as these numbers are, they do not fully describe the breadth of destructive public health and safety implications of drug abuse and addiction, such as family disintegration, loss of employment, failure in school, domestic violence, and child abuse.

Addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around him or her. Although the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain changes that occur over time challenge an addicted person’s self control and hamper his or her ability to resist intense impulses to take drugs.

Fortunately, treatments are available to help people counter addiction’s powerful disruptive effects. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medications with behavioral therapy is the best way to ensure success for most patients. Treatment approaches that are tailored to each patient’s drug abuse patterns and any co-occurring medical, psychiatric, and social problems can lead to sustained recovery and a life without drug abuse.

Similar to other chronic, relapsing diseases, such as diabetes, asthma or heart disease, drug addiction can be managed successfully. And as with other chronic diseases, it is not uncommon for a person to relapse and begin abusing drugs again. Relapse, however, does not signal treatment failure - rather, it indicates that treatment should be reinstated or adjusted or that an alternative treatment is needed to help the individual regain control and recover.

What happens to your brain when you take drugs?

Drugs contain chemicals that tap into the brain’s communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information. There are at least two ways that drugs cause this disruption: (1) by imitating the brain’s natural chemical messengers and (2) by overstimulating the “reward circuit” of the brain.

The National Institutes of Health has published “Drugs, Brains and Behavior: The Science of Addition. The publication provides scientific information about the disease of drug addiction, including the many harmful consequences of drug abuse and the basic approaches that have been developed to prevent and treat the disease.

Some drugs (e.g., marijuana and heroin) have a similar structure to chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, which are naturally produced by the brain. This similarity allows the drugs to “fool” the brain’s receptors and activate nerve cells to send abnormal messages.

Other drugs, such as cocaine or methamphetamine, can cause the nerve cells to release abnormally large amounts of natural neurotransmitters (mainly dopamine) or to prevent the normal recycling of these brain chemicals, which is needed to shut off the signaling between neurons. The result is a brain awash in dopamine, a neurotransmitter present in brain regions that control movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure. The overstimulation of this reward system, which normally responds to natural behaviors linked to survival (eating, spending time with loved ones, etc.), produces euphoric effects in response to psychoactive drugs. This reaction sets in motion a reinforcing pattern that “teaches” people to repeat the rewarding behavior of abusing drugs.

As a person continues to abuse drugs, the brain adapts to the overwhelming surges in dopamine by producing less dopamine or by reducing the number of dopamine receptors in the reward circuit. The result is a lessening of dopamine’s impact on the reward circuit, which reduces the abuser’s ability to enjoy not only the drugs but also other events in life that previously brought pleasure. This decrease compels the addicted person to keep abusing drugs in an attempt to bring the dopamine function back to normal, but now larger amounts of the drug are required to achieve the same dopamine high—an effect known as tolerance.

Long-term abuse causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter that influences the reward circuit and the ability to learn. When the optimal concentration of glutamate is altered by drug abuse, the brain attempts to compensate, which can impair cognitive function.

Brain imaging studies of drug-addicted individuals show changes in areas of the brain that are critical to

judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and behavior control. Together, these changes can drive an abuser to seek out and take drugs compulsively despite adverse, even devastating consequences—that is the nature of addiction.

Why do some people become addicted while others do not?

No single factor can predict whether a person will become addicted to drugs. Risk for addiction is influenced by a combination of factors that include individual biology, social environment, and age or stage of development. The more risk factors an individual has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example: • Biology. The genes that people are born with - in combination with environmental influences - account for about half of their addiction vulnerability. Additionally, gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction.

• Environment. A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to socioeconomic status and quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the escalation to addiction in a person’s life.

• Development. Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to more serious abuse, which poses a special challenge to adolescents. Because areas in their brains that govern decision making, judgment, and self-control are still developing, adolescents may be especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse.

Prevention is the key Drug addiction is a preventable disease. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many events and cultural factors affect drug abuse trends, when youths perceive drug abuse as harmful, they reduce their drug taking. Thus, education and outreach are key in helping youth and the general public understand the risks of drug abuse. Teachers, parents, medical and public health professionals must keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if one never abuses drugs.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For information on understanding drug abuse and addiction, see the NIDA booklet, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior—The Science of Addiction.

For more information on prevention, visit the NIDA Prevention Research information page.

For more information on treatment, visit the NIDA Treatment Research information page.

To find a publicly funded treatment center in your state, call 1-800-662-HELP or visit www.findtreatment. samhsa.gov.

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Avoiding Drug Abuse

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New face of substance abuse A new face of substance abuse is emerging in the United States and an alarming trend among older populations. A recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that substance abuse among the baby boomer population, adults aged 50 to 64, has grown substantially.

“We’re seeing a definite uptick in the number of older patients we’re seeing. In the past, we’d very seldom see treatment patients over the age of 50, but today it’s more commonplace,” said Shannon Mahannah, director of the Manning Family Recovery Center in Manning.

According to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an estimated 4.3 million adults aged 50 and older used an illicit drug in the past year, and among those aged 65 or older, nonmedical use of prescription-type drugs was the number one choice. Alcohol is still the leading substance abuse cause of hospital admissions for people in this age range.

“As baby boomers enter a transitional stage in their lives, new stressors, such as financial strain, grieving the loss of a parent or age-related health issues, make them more prone to depression and anxiety,” added Mahannah.

“When you find older adults in these situations, there are often other issues too, from stigmas to a reluctance of family members to realize or deal with the situations,” Mahannah also pointed out that baby boomers grew up in a time when recreational drug use was commonly accepted and many are reverting to substance abuse as a way to cope with stress and change. If you know someone who may be suffering from addiction, or who you suspect may be suffering, Mahannah offered the following tips: Educate yourself about addiction: part of understanding includes being able to distinguish between the signs of aging and those of alcohol or drug addiction. Some signs of addiction include losing interest in activities that used to bring pleasure, neglecting personal appearance, increased depression or hospitality, and drinking in spite of warning labels on prescription drugs.

Consult a professional for evaluation: Before speaking up, it’s helpful to consult a minister, social worker or health care professional that is knowledgeable about the needs of older adults. To prepare, make a list of medications, write a brief life history of the older adult, and summarize present conditions: How is drinking or drug use affecting his or her quality of life? What has changed?

A respectful and nonjudgmental tone can go a long way.

It’s important to avoid stigmatizing. At the same time, be direct and specific. Focus on the behavior and the concern.

Avoid words like alcoholic or addict. “Mom, I’m concerned about what I see happening when you have your typical one drink at night.” If they’re not ready, or things don’t’ go well, don’t despair: you have planted a seed.

The Manning Regional Healthcare Center (MRHC) is a four-part comprehensive healthcare system comprised of the following entities: Manning General Hospital, Manning Family Recovery Center, Manning Plaza, and the Manning Clinic. Spanning more than 80 years of service, MRHC provides state-of-the-art all inclusive medical care to residents of West Central Iowa. MRHC is online at mrhcia.com.

Dr AlTo (Drug, Alcohol & Tobacco) Coalition has placed a message on this billboard on Highway 30 in Denison near Kum & Go. The billboard can be seen while traveling east on the highway. Photo by Bruce A. Binning

Dr AlTo spreads the message of county’s new Social Host Ordinance Crawford County’s Drug, Alcohol &Tobacco (Dr AlTo) Coalition was established in 2005 after a community survey showed drug, alcohol and tobacco use and abuse to be the second highest concern for those that responded to the survey.

Child abuse and domestic violence ranked first in the survey, which could also be a result of drug and alcohol use and abuse.

Dr AlTo’s mission is to help reduce the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco through public education and awareness initiatives and to assist in making Crawford County a healthier and safer community.

Situations involving child abuse and domestic violence often have drug and

alcohol abuse associated with it as well.

Dr AlTo is working towards increasing the awareness of the effects and consequences of the use and abuse of drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The Coalition’s goal is to increase the accessibility of resources to the schools and community organizations working with youth in Crawford County.

Ultimately, Dr AlTo wants to collaborate with community partners to educate the youth in Crawford County and is attempting to bring people and resources together to better serve the community.

This year Dr AlTo’s focus is on helping getting the word out regarding the newly passed Crawford County Social Host Ordi-

nance. A social host is an adult, age 21 or over, who provides a location for minors to consume alcohol.

The Social Host Ordinance will subject a first time offense fine of $750, whether on or off the premises. Subsequent charges will carry a fine of $1,000. Crawford County may seek reimbursement for enforcement services provided by emergency responders related to the event in which case restitution would be required.

Please look for the Dr AlTo billboard regarding “Parents Who Host, Lose The Most” when you are traveling east on Highway 30 by Kum & Go. Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking strives to create consistent parental

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and community norms that underage drinking is not only illegal, but is unsafe, unhealthy and unacceptable. By increasing parental awareness and understanding of the health, safety and legal consequences of allowing underage drinking, this effort helps reduce the number of parents who allow underage drinking on their premises and property, which decreases underage access to alcohol.

Dr AlTo is asking the community for your assistance with this effort.

For more information or to become a member of the Dr AlTo Coalition, call Crawford County Home Health, Hospice & Public Health at 712-263-3303 or stop by the office at 105 North Main in Denison.

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Avoiding Drug Abuse

Friday, January 24, 2014

NIDA’s drug abuse information for teens goes mobile

Senate bill enhances penalties for those who create illicit drugs as candy-flavored kid bait

Access for parents, teachers and Spanish language readers improved

Teens - and adults who care for them - can find answers to questions about drug abuse and addiction more easily, and through smartphones and tablets. Spanish language versions of easy to understand resources on drug abuse and addiction are now also available.

The updates, announced in October by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, were launched as part of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month events in October.

For teens, their parents and teachers, NIDA upgraded its popular teen website to a “responsive design” model that automatically adjusts to fit the viewer’s screen for better viewing through smartphones and tablets.

The new design is also

more engaging, with larger, more vibrant buttons that link directly to resources that provide answers to questions and concerns related to drug abuse in adolescents.

The teen site continues to house free, interactive resources such as its teen blog and PEERx, an online educational initiative to discourage abuse of prescription drugs among teens.

In addition to the redesigned teen site, NIDA’s improved Parents and Educators page makes it easier for caregivers

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and teachers to find free, scientifically based prevention and education resources.

Examples include Family Checkup - a tool for talking with children about drugs - as well as the latest science-based information on the health effects and consequences of drug abuse.

Teachers can also find free resources for elementary, middle and high school students, including examples of classroom-based science experiments from the NIH Lab Challenge.

controlled substances to attract kids.

That’s why Senator Dianne Feinstein and I, as co-chairs of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, introduced legislation to increase federal penalties for drug dealers who engage in this repellent practice.

The Saving Kids From Dangerous Drugs Act provides an enhanced penalty when any adult knowingly or intentionally manufactures or creates a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or Schedule II that is: combined with a beverage or candy product; marketed or packaged to appear similar to a beverage or candy product; or modified by flavoring or coloring.

The bill subjects anyone who alters a controlled substance in these ways to the following penalties, in addition to the penalty for the underlying offense: up to 10 years for the first offense; up to 20 years for a second or subsequent offense.

Law enforcement and anti-drug groups strongly support the legislation.

Anything that makes a dangerous drug seem less dangerous to kids is a serious problem. The law should make clear that marketing drugs to kids will have steep consequences.

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To reach adults with limited literacy skills, NIDA’s Easy-to-Read website now includes Spanish-language versions of its Drug Facts pages; its What is Addiction? section; as well as two easy to understand videos explaining the science behind drug addiction.

For more information on drug prevention, see NIDA’s Preventing Drug Abuse among Children and Adolescents at www. drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drugabuse-among-childrenadolescents.

by U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley In years of working to combat illicit drugs, I’ve seen a lot, but maybe nothing quite as venal and cynical as candy-flavored methamphetamine and cocaine marketed to children.

Law enforcement officers and drug treatment officials have come across methamphetamine, cocaine and other illegal drugs that have been colored, packaged and flavored to appeal to children. Some of these items have names like “Pot Tarts” and “Reese’s Crumbled Hash Brownies.”

In March of 2012, Chicago police warned parents about a strawberry-flavored version of methamphetamine called “strawberry quick” or “strawberry meth.” The police worried that the drug would appear in schools and that kids would give it to each other like candy, not knowing the item’s true nature.

This kind of drug manipulation is not a smalltime venture. In 2008 near Modesto, Calif., federal agents seized cocaine worth $272,400. A lot of it was flavored with cinnamon, coconut, lemon and strawberry.

Current federal law has no enhanced penalties for flavoring or packaging

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Friday, January 24, 2014

Avoiding Drug Abuse

Page 7

Surgeon General report says 5.6 million U.S. children will die prematurely unless current smoking rates drop Report also finds cigarette smoking causes diabetes and colorectal cancer Approximately 5.6 million American children alive today – or one out of every 13 children under age 18 – will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases unless current smoking rates drop, according to a new Surgeon General’s report.

Over the last 50 years, more than 20 million Americans have died from smoking. The new report concludes that cigarette smoking kills nearly half a million Americans a year, with an additional 16 million suffering from smoking-related conditions. It puts the price tag of smoking in this country at more than $289 billion a year in direct medical care and other economic costs.

The report, The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General, released on January 17, comes a half century after the historic 1964 Surgeon General’s report, which concluded that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. Since that time, smoking has been identified as a cause of serious diseases of nearly all the body’s organs. Today, scientists add diabetes, colorectal and liver cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions to the list of diseases that cigarette smoking causes. In addition, the report concludes that secondhand smoke exposure is now known to cause strokes in nonsmokers.

“Smokers today have a greater risk of developing lung cancer than they did when the first Surgeon General’s report was released in 1964, even though they smoke fewer cigarettes,” said Acting Surgeon General Boris Lushniak, M.D., M.P.H. “How cigarettes are made and the chemicals they contain have changed over the years, and some of those changes may be a factor in higher lung cancer risks. Of all forms of tobacco, cigarettes are the most deadly – and cause medical and financial burdens for millions of Americans.”

Twenty years ago male smokers were about twice as likely as female smokers to die early from smokingrelated disease. The new report finds that women are now dying at rates as high as men from many of these diseases, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease. In fact, death from COPD is now greater in women than in men.

“Today, we’re asking Americans to join a sustained effort to make the next generation a tobacco-free generation,” said Health and Human Services Secretary

Kathleen Sebelius. “This is not something the federal government can do alone. We need to partner with the business community, local elected officials, schools and universities, the medical community, the faith community, and committed citizens in communities across the country to make the next generation tobacco free.”

Although youth smoking rates declined by half between 1997 and 2011, each day another 3,200 children under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and another 2,100 youth and young adults become daily smokers.

Every adult who dies prematurely from smoking is replaced by two youth and young adult smokers.

The report concludes that the tobacco industry started and sustained this epidemic using aggressive marketing strategies to deliberately mislead the public about the harms of smoking.

The evidence in the report emphasizes the need to accelerate and sustain successful tobacco control efforts that have been underway for decades.

“Over the last 50 years tobacco control efforts have saved eight million lives but the job is far from over,” said HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H. “This report provides the impetus to accelerate public health and clinical strategies to drop overall smoking rates to less than 10 percent in the next decade.

D.A.R.E. IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND

WEST IOWA COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTER

MUCH MORE!

This year millions of school children around the world will benefit from D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), the highly acclaimed program that gives kids the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence.

We are proud to be staunch supporters of the local D.A.R.E. program helping to empower children to lead safe and healthy lives.

TM

Providing Insurance and Financial Services H ome Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710

Caring people helping others help themselves.

Trevis Beeck Agent

1335 Broadway, Denison, IA 51442 Bus 712-263-5677 Fax 712-263-8144 Cell 712-289-0479

24 Hour Good Neighbor Service®

Heartfelt Care for the Whole Family • Michael Luft, DO, FAAFP

• Sara Pauley, MS, ARNP, FP-C

• Joey Hoefling, MS, ARNP, FP-C

2540 N Ave. in Denison (712) 263-3033

Our nation is now at a crossroads, and we must choose to end the tobacco epidemic once and for all.”

The Obama Administration’s ongoing efforts to end the tobacco epidemic include enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which gives FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products; significant expansion of tobacco cessation coverage through the Affordable Care Act to help encourage and support quitting; new Affordable Care Act investments in tobacco prevention campaigns like the “Tips from Former Smokers” campaign to raise awareness of the longterm health effects of smoking and encourage quitting; and increases in the cost of cigarettes resulting from the federal excise tax increase in the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. To help communicate the report findings as widely as possible, the Surgeon General unveiled an easy-to-read consumer guide with practical information on tobacco use and a 30-second public service announcement video.

For the full report, executive summary, consumer guide and PSA, visit http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/ library/reports/50-years-of-progress/index.html.

For free help quitting smoking, smokers can call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www.smokefree.gov or www. cdc.gov/tips.

• Individual, Couple & Family Therapy • Psychiatric Evaluation • Medication Management

712-263-3172

Serving Our Community!

Page 8

Avoiding Drug Abuse

Ecstasy-related emergency department visits on the rise for those younger than 21 Hospital emergency department visits related to the dangerous hallucinogenic drug Ecstasy, sometimes known as “Molly,” increased 128 percent between 2005 and 2011 (from 4,460 visits in 2005 to 10,176 visits in 2011) for visits among patients younger than 21 years old, according to a report released in the December by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Overall in 2011, approximately 1.25 million emergency department visits were related to the use of illicit drugs.

Ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties, and produces feelings of increased energy and euphoria among users. Abuse of Ecstasy can produce a variety of undesirable health effects such as anxiety and confusion, which can last one week or longer after using the drug.

Other serious health risks associated with the use of Ecstasy include becoming dangerously overheated, high blood pressure, and kidney and heart failure.

Several recent deaths have been associated with Molly, a variant of Ecstasy, among young people taking it at concerts and raves.

Another key finding shows that a substantial proportion of hospital emergency departments visits associated with Ecstasy during the six-year period also involved underage drinking. In each year from 2005 to 2011, an average of 33 percent of emergency department visits among those younger than age 21 involved Ecstasy and involved alcohol.

This unsafe combination causes a longerlasting euphoria than Ecstasy or alcohol use alone and may increase the risk for potential abuse.

“These findings raise concerns about the increase in popularity of this potentially harmful drug, especially in young people,” said Dr. Peter Delany, director of SAMHSA’s Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality. “Ecstasy is a street drug that can include other substances that can render it even more potentially harmful. We need to increase awareness about this drug’s dangers and take other measures to help prevent its use.”

Friday, January 24, 2014

We Care

for your health

Dr. Dennis Crabb

Dr. Karl Hasik FACOG, OB/GYN

Family Practice/OB

Dr. Bradley Lister

Dr. Michael Thorstensen

Dr. Todd Woollen

Kathy BerensBrownmiller

Julie L. Graeve

Lori Johannsen

Jill M. Kierscht

Erin Schechinger DNP

City Center Family Practice/OB General Surgery

Orthopedics

Dr. John Ingram

Family Practice/OB

General Surgery

SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) manages several grant programs intended to reduce substance abuse among youth. Among them is CSAP’s Partnerships for Success grant program, which provides funding to states and jurisdictions to address substance abuse prevention priorities among youth and young adults, which can include Ecstasy. CSAP also manages the Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC), funded through the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which supports coalitions and their efforts to employ a variety of evidence-based strategies to reduce drug use among youth.

The report, titled Ecstasy-Related Emergency Department Visits by Young People Increased between 2005 and 2011; Alcohol Involvement Remains a Concern, is based on 2005 to 2011 findings from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN).

DAWN is a public health surveillance system that monitors drug-related hospital emergency department visits and drug-related deaths to track the impact of drug use, misuse and abuse in the United States.

The complete survey findings are available on the SAMHSA website at: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/spotlight/ spot127-youth-ecstasy-2013.pdf.

For more information about SAMHSA, visit: http://www.samhsa.gov.

Talk to your children today about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

PA-C Family Practice

ARNP, MSN Geriatrics

ARNP, MS Family Practice

City Center Family Practice

Orthopedics PA-C

MacKenzi Smith PA-C City Center Family Practice

Main Campus Clinic Hours:

Monday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City Center Hours:

Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to Noon

To schedule appointments online go to www.ccmhia.com and click on the Primary Care Clinics tab or call 712-265-2700 Main Campus or 712-263-5071 City Center

DENISON COMMUNITY SCHOOL 819 North 16th Street Denison, IA 51442 712-263-3101

DENISON MAIN CAMPUS 888-747-0852 100 Medical Parkway 712-265-2700 www.ccmhia.com

CITY CENTER 115 N. 14th St. 712-263-5071 7-DARE(Flu/2013-CCMH Clinic)CS