2. Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among Students Is Not A New Problem

3. Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better. Maya Angelou

4. The risk of providing a keg of beer to an underage child for a party where it will be given or sold to…when you think of the risk, it’s as high as you can get. The risk of harm couldn’t be any higher. This is something you just don’t do. Judge Robert Travers 2008

5. Illinois Social Host Law Providing alcohol or a space where underage drinking occurs is a Class A Misdemeanor and you can be fined a minimum of $500 If a minor is seriously injured or killed during one of these parties, or after they leave, the adult that provided the alcohol and/or owns or rents the space could become a Class IV felon

10. The Risks Associated with Alcohol Use can be both Immediate and Long-term

11. The known consequences are….

12. Increased Illicit Drug Use Teens who drink are over 22 times more likely to use marijuana and 50 times more likely to use cocaine than those who never drink.

13. Increased Sexual Activity and unprotected sex Nearly one-quarter of high school students used alcohol prior to their last sexual experience.

14. Violence Annually, approximately 700,000 students are assaulted by other students who have been drinking and about 100,000 students are victims of alcohol related sexual assault or date rape.

15. Bad Grades Alcohol use in teens can result in lower scores on vocabulary and memory tests as well as visual and spatial tests. Alcohol and other drug use disturbs sleep cycles, which again affects learning and memory.

16. Increased risk of alcohol addiction 90% of addictions have roots in the teen years. Adolescents who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. An adolescent may become addicted to alcohol in as little as 6-18 months.

17. Traffic Accidents Traffic crashes are the number one killer of teens and over one-third of teen traffic deaths are alcohol related.

18. Impaired Mental Health Frequent heavy use of alcohol has been associated with low self-esteem, depression, conduct disorders, anti-social behavior, and anxiety in adolescents.

19. Marijuana A growing concern

20. Marijuana is outpacing alcohol as a public health problem

21. THC Tetrahydrocannabinol – Psychoactive component 1995 – mean of 3.75% 2013 – mean of 13% Concentrated forms – 70% E-cigarettes – 15-30%

22. High THC levels associated with paranoia and psychosis ER Admits 2004 – 66,000 2011 – 129,000

23. Higher potency accelerates addiction Easier to get high = more vulnerability to addiction

26. Additional consequences of marijuana use during the teen years include

27. Longer lasting cognitive effects for a teen, potentially even irreversible Research suggests marijuana use during the teen years creates structural changes in two regions of the brain Amygdala - Fundamental in processing emotions, memories and fear responses Nucleus Accumbens – Core of Motivation, pleasure & pain, every decision you make

28. Can lead to an 8 point drop in IQ

29. Is strongly correlated with… Schizophrenia Anxiety Depression

30. “The effects of substances are more permanent on the teen brain. They have more deleterious effects and can be more toxic to the teen than in the adult.” Frances Jensen, The Teenage Brain

31. Brain development is not complete until the mid-twenties

32. A few important things to know are…

33. Everything a teen experiences is felt more intensely than someone with a fully developed brain. Music Drugs Sweets

34. The brain is going through a period of heightened neuroplasticity. It is a time of great opportunity and tremendous risk

35. The region of the brain responsible for decision making, impulse control and goal setting is still developing in your child all through high school and beyond. And, this is the first area impacted by alcohol causing further impairment to an area already underdeveloped.

36. Teens are more resilient to the sedative effects of alcohol Motor coordination is not as impacted Tend to drink more without understanding how their thought processes are impacted and don’t realize response time is compromised Tend to not have hangovers Don’t experience severe enough consequences to teach them not to do it again

37. The brain is not fully myelinated causing slower processing and longer lasting impacts.

38. Cold Cognition - Developed Hot Cognition – Still Developing “ It is like driving a car with a sensitive gas pedal and bad brakes.” Laurence Steinberg, Age of Opportunity: Lessons from the New Science of Adolescence

39. Teens do not approach risk like adults Court Risk View Risk and Reward different from adults Varies by situation and is dependent on who a teen is with

40. It is a hard line to walk in helping or hindering development as children become adults. We don’t want to be overly restrictive or too trusting

41. We move from being our children’s: Teacher (1-7) Facilitator (8-13) Coach (14-21)

42. Your child is not only looking to you for guidance, they know if you are watching them.

43. Parent Alcohol Monitoring: Would be caught by parents if: You drank some beer, wine or liquor (e.g., vodka, whiskey, or gin) without your parents’ permission

44. Parent Alcohol Monitoring: Would be caught by parents if: You rode in a car driven by a teen driver who had been drinking

45. Parent Communication about Drugs: In the past year, have your parents/guardians talked to you about alcohol :

47. Talk with Your Teen Frequently talk AND LISTEN Use “teachable moments” According to the Century Council, 83% of youth ages 10-18 years old, cite parents as the leading influence in their decision to drink or to not drink.

48. The Seven Steps for Home : 1.Set clear no alcohol and marijuana rules 2.Establish consequences 3.Enforce and follow through 4.Review rules regularly 5.Know where they are 6.Know who they are with 7.Know what they are doing

49. http://www.bnparents.org https://www.facebook.com/BNParents/ https://www.pinterest.com/bnparents/