The Sara Bellum Blog

In a recent Drug Facts Chat Day, freeman-jones of Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, Maryland asked:

Can taking Ritalin help you if you have not been prescribed Ritalin?

Ritalin is a drug used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is classified as a stimulant. The term stimulants can be used to refer to any number of drugs, including prescription drugs like methylphenidate (Ritalin’s scientific name) and dextroamphetamine (Adderall).

People diagnosed (by a doctor) with ADHD can benefit from these drug when they’re used as prescribed.  However, teens with an ADHD prescription are sometimes pressured by friends to share some of their pills because they think the pills will help them focus or stay alert or ace an exam.

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Image Courtesy of Ferminius

As the 1-year anniversary of the signing of the Tobacco Control Act approaches, new rules that let the Government regulate tobacco products are going into effect.  Starting on June 22, cigarette packs may no longer use labels that say “light,” “low” and “mild.” This is because research shows that “light” cigarettes are no safer than regular ones.  Also, tobacco companies will no longer be allowed to sponsor cultural and sporting events, distribute logo clothing, give away free samples or sell cigarettes in packages of less than 20—what’s known as “kiddy packs.”

Another new law will prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone under 18, and vending machine sales of tobacco products will be banned except in adults-only places.  We did an earlier blog about the ban on candy and fruit-flavored tobacco products, but these new laws will go even further.

This is great news for the public health and for teens, since tobacco products still account for 20 percent of all deaths in the United States each year, and tobacco companies keep trying to recruit new smokers.  Every day 1,000 children become addicted to tobacco, and almost 4,000 try their first cigarette, according to John R. Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society, who says the tobacco industry spends $34 million every day to try and hook new young smokers.

So, show the tobacco companies you can think for yourself.  Smoking is very addictive, so the best advice is (yeah, you’ve heard it before): Don’t start!

Lighting fixtures made from used pill packets, as a reminder about the importance of medicines for HIV/AIDS.

SBB attended the International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria, and wow, what an experience! More than 20,000 people from all over the world came together in one place to discuss the progress being made in preventing and treating HIV and AIDS. Scientists, doctors, community activists, and many other groups all met to push for more support of AIDS programs. SBB was there because NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow was speaking at the conference about the link between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. She said that many people who use drugs contract HIV through (1) sharing needles used to inject drugs (like heroin) and (2) doing risky things when they’re on drugs, like having unprotected sex.

Many creative people were there.  They even made art from pill packets used to hold HIV/AIDS medicines, making the point that catching people early in the disease and starting them on antiretroviral medications can greatly lower HIV spread and help prevent the progression to AIDS.  Also, “Methadone Man” and “Bupenorphrine Babe” made an appearance—a compelling way to remind people that effective medicines are also available for drug abuse, and that drug abuse treatment can help prevent HIV.  It is an urgent problem.  In some parts of the world people who are addicted to drugs and have AIDS are just locked up in prison—with no treatment for either their AIDS or for their drug addiction.

To learn about the connection between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, take a look at NIDA’s Learn the Link campaign at http://hiv.drugabuse.gov/index.html

Image Courtesy of fui

Lots of teens have questions about drugs. Each year, NIDA scientists spend a whole day chatting online with high school students and answering their questions.

At the last Drug Facts Chat Day, “hbishop” asked:

Can a baby die from drugs that a pregnant mom is using?

To answer your question, it is possible. As one NIDA scientist put it, “We know that drugs of abuse can cross the placenta and reach the fetus. So, drugs used by the mother definitely can affect the baby’s health and can even cause long-term harm many years later. That is why doctors recommend that pregnant mothers not smoke or use alcohol or other illicit drugs.”

Anything a pregnant mother puts in her body the baby also takes in. Exposure to different drugs can harm the baby in many different ways. Like—

Smoking during pregnancy can cause slowed fetal growth, decreased birth weights, and even behavioral problems.

Drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Children with FAS may be born small; have problems eating, sleeping, seeing, and hearing; and have trouble learning and getting along with others. NO amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.

Using cocaine and marijuana during pregnancy can lead to children having attention, language, and learning problems, as well as behavioral issues.

Mothers who use alcohol, tobacco, or any illicit drug are setting their children up for potential lifelong problems or even death. The best thing a pregnant mom can do is talk to her doctor about which foods to eat and vitamins to take to make sure her child gets a healthy start.

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Sources: http://www.drugabuse.gov/tib/prenatal.html
For alcohol:  http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/DrinkingPregnancy_HTML/pregnancy.htm

Have any plans for the second week of November? We have an idea for something you can do with your friends at school–join in on NIDA’s first annual National Drug Facts Week (NDFW), November 8–14 and plan an event to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse—and perform a service for your community at the same time.

National Drug Facts Week is about giving teens a forum to ask questions and get the facts about drugs and drug abuse from the experts who know—scientists who study the brain.   No preachy messages. Just solid answers backed by science.  Check out “National Drug Facts Week” on Facebook and see what may be going on near you. If you can’t find an event in your area, start one of your own.

All you need to do to get started is:

1. 1. Come up with an event to host during NDFW.
2. 2. Find an advisor to help out, along with an expert to answer questions.
3. 3. Tell us about it by registering your event on our official
   NDFW event list.

If your community is in denial about the drug problems it has,  your event can shine a light on the situation. Hosting an event is also a great thing to have on your résumé, and shows your commitment to an important issue facing young people today.

If you host an event, let us know. Yours could be one of those we will highlight right here on the Sara Bellum Blog.

It’s hard to keep good news a secret.  Some organizations think they can work “hush-hush” without us noticing, but at NIDA, we’re always on the lookout for people and places that are doing a new thing.  So (drum roll please), let me introduce you to WyoCARE, the Wyoming Chemical Abuse Research Education (CARE) project:

WyoCARE is an organization that supports healthy living and substance abuse prevention in the state of Wyoming. So, what makes it so special? Well, WyoCARE not only provides free and interesting resources (like stickers, bookmarks, and magnets) on drug abuse and other healthy topics, its staff—along with a great team of graduate student and AmeriCorps volunteers—provide trainings, workshops, and consultations when they’re not busy sending out materials. It is this kind of “CAREing” that has helped them disseminate over a quarter million resources in the last three months!

This year, WyoCARE also displayed “NIDA Goes Back to School” campaign materials at the 2010 Governor’s Roundtable on Children’s Mental Health, an event held to thank everyone committed to improving children’s mental health. WyoCare used the opportunity to help educate youth and state leaders on the science of the brain, addiction, and drug abuse.

Think you have what it takes to CARE? Would you or someone you know quit smoking if it were proven that secondhand smoke was hurting your pets? Would you vow to keep a lookout for signs of drug activity in your neighborhood? WyoCARE’s resources can help you lead a healthier life and create a positive change in your community. Thanks WyoCARE!

OK, speaking of resources, we have a question for you—yes, you reading this blog post. NIDA wants to hear about how we are helping you (or how we could be doing better). For example, did you use information from our Web site for a science project? Or share it with a friend? We want to know—the good and the bad.