Health News

Teen Drug Treatment Jumps 65 Percent Over Decade, Federal Study Says

WASHINGTON, Aug. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The number of admissions to substance abuse treatment for adolescents ages 12 to 17 increased again in 2002, continuing a ten-year trend. These data were released today in the "Treatment Episode Data Set: National Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment Services 1992-2002" by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The new data show that the number of adolescents ages 12 to 17 admitted to substance abuse treatment increased 65 percent between 1992 and 2002. In 1992, adolescents represented 6 percent of all treatment admissions. By 2002, this proportion had grown to 9 percent. This report expands upon data published in May in the "Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) Highlights 2002."
The increase in substance abuse treatment admissions among 12 to 17 year olds was largely due to the increase in the number of admissions in this age group that reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse. Between 1992 and 2002, the number of adolescent treatment admissions for primary marijuana abuse increased 350 percent. In 1992, 23 percent of all adolescent admissions were for primary marijuana abuse. By 2002, 63 percent of adolescent admissions reported marijuana as their primary drug.
"The youthfulness of people admitted for marijuana use shows that we need to work harder to get the message out that marijuana is a dangerous, addictive substance," SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie said. "All Americans must begin to confront drug use -- and drug users -- honestly and directly. We must discourage our youngsters from using drugs and provide those in need an opportunity for recovery by encouraging them to enter and remain in drug treatment."
Forty-eight percent of all adolescent treatment admissions in 2002 involved the use of both alcohol and marijuana. Admissions involving these two substances increased by 86 percent between 1992 and 2002.
In 2002, more than half (53 percent) of adolescent admissions were referred to treatment through the criminal justice system. Seventeen percent were self- or individual referrals, and 11 percent were referred through schools.
The TEDS report provides detailed data on admissions to substance abuse treatment for all age groups. The 2002 data show that polydrug abuse (abuse of more than one substance) was more common among TEDS admissions than was the abuse of a single substance. Polydrug abuse was reported by 55 percent of all admissions for substance abuse treatment in 2002. Alcohol, marijuana and cocaine were the most commonly reported secondary substances. For marijuana and cocaine, more admissions reported these as secondary substances than as primary substances.
This new report provides information on the demographic and substance abuse characteristics of the 1.9 million annual admissions to treatment for abuse of alcohol and drugs in facilities that report to individual state administrative data systems. The report also includes data by state and state rates.
The report is available on the web at http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/.


SAMHSA, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the lead federal agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment and mental health services in the United States.


Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

CONTACT: Leah Young of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration, +1-240-276-2130


Web site: http://www.samhsa.gov/
http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/

source: jointogether.org

Most Crimes in Puerto Rico Linked to Illegal Weapons
8/30/2004

Testifying before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee of Public Integrity, Pio Rechani Lopez, the executive director of the Institute of Forensic Science, said most of the crimes in Puerto Rico are committed with illegal and stolen weapons, the Associated Press reported Aug. 27.

"There are illegal weapons arriving from other countries or the United States that enter the island as contraband that are more used for these types of crimes. The majority of the firearms used in murders and crimes are assault weapons, like the AR-15 or the AK-47," Rechani Lopez said.

Rechani Lopez said it's difficult to monitor the flow of illegal weapons into Puerto Rico because some assault weapons illegally entering the island are obtained legally in states like Kentucky and Texas.

Note: This article is online at http://www.jointogether.org/z/0,2522,574404,00.html

Visit www.jointogether.org for complete news and funding coverage, resource links and advocacy tools supporting community-based efforts to reduce and prevent substance abuse and gun violence.

Join Together Online (www.jointogether.org)
Join Together is a project of the Boston University School of Public Health.

Featured Site

Escape to Puerto Rico (there is a link to the site from the prsun.blogspot). But there is one more reason to visit.

Check out:
http://escape.topuertorico.com/postcards/new.shtml

I am pleased to report that my photos are featured at
Escape to Puerto Rico as part of its Puerto Rico e-cards collection.

My work is located under the categories:

Old San Juan
http://escape.topuertorico.com/postcards/oldsj8.shtml

Churches
http://escape.topuertorico.com/postcards/church4.shtml

Folklore
http://escape.topuertorico.com/postcards/folklore3.shtml

Thanks.