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Substance Abuse Prevention

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Winter Safety

Substance Abuse Prevention

According to Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, "substance abuse, the misuse of alcohol, cigarettes and both illegal and legal drugs, is by far the predominant cause of premature and preventable illness, disability and death in our society. Alcohol and drug abuse afflict an estimated 25.5 million Americans. When the effects on the families of abusers and people close to those injured or killed by intoxicated drivers are considered, such abuse affects untold millions more."

Kids who learn from their parents about the dangers of substance abuse are less likely to abuse. Get informed and learn how to protect the kids in your life!

Underage Drinking

Alcohol is considered easy to obtain by about 80% of high school youth and by more than half of middle school youth. This 'easy access' means that one-third to one-half of high school teens have had a drink in the last 30 days.

 

Just taking away the keys doesn't mean it's safe for teens to drink; alcohol poisoning, sexual assault, violence, property damage and even death can occur when teens drink. In CT, it is illegal to host a party where alcohol will be consumed by minors - you could go to jail for permitting minors to posses and/or consume alcohol!

 

Illicit Drug Use

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, illicit drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used non-medically. In 2006, 25% of Groton girls in grades 9-10 reported recent marijuana use.

Inhalants

According to the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, one in five American teens has used an inhalant to get high by the time he or she reaches age 14.   Many parents don't know that inhalants are cheap, legal and accessible and are as popular among middle school students as marijuana.

Even fewer know the deadly effects the poisons in these products have on the brain and body when they are inhaled or "huffed."  Teens can die the 1st, 10th or 100th time a product is misused as an inhalant. It's like playing Russian Roulette. Learn how to protect your teens-complete a web-based training on inhalants.