Prosecutor portrayed in “DopeSick” Speaks with “Connect and Dissect” Podcast

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 aneal Drugs, Prescription Drugs, Substance Use, Trends Leave a comment

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2021 Red Ribbon Week Student and School Contest Award Winners

November 29, 2021November 29, 2021 aneal Drugs, Healthy Behaviors, Life, social media, Substance Use, Trends

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RAYSAC would like to congratulate all of the 2021 Red Ribbon Week Student and School Award Winners! We had several submissions for the media contest from all over the valley, and some great talent! As always, our valley area schools rose to the occassion, and blew us away with their hard work and dedication to making this week a huge SUCCESS! Everyone should be proud of themselves, and we at RAYSAC wish we could give awards to every entry, because you all deserved it! Below are the student contest winners by grade level, and the school contest winners. Congratulations to all!!!.

3rd Place- Abby Craft- McCleary Elementary

2nd Place- Cora Crowder- McCleary Elementary

1st Place-Benjamin Williams- Troutville Elementary

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3rd Place- Lilly Swindell-McCleary Elementary

2nd Place- Ryleigh Neff- McCleary Elementary

1rst Place- Ashlynn Hale-Smith- McCleary Elementary

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3rd Place– Emma Lindsey- McCleary Elementary

2nd Place- Makenzley McCormick- McCleary Elementary

1st Place- Isabelle Williams- Troutville Elementary

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3rd place- Kamberleigh Smith- McCleary Elementary

2nd Place- Rylee Mattox- McCleary Elementary

1st Place- Colton Molyneux- Troutville Elementary

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3rd Place- Cameron Vess- Troutville Elementary

2nd Place- Asher Everette- Fort Lewis Elementary

1st Place- Chloe Wilson- Grandin Court Elementary

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3rd Place: Alasdair Hackworth- Grandin Court Elementary

2nd Place: Finley Biddle- Grandin Court Elementary

1st Place- Kaylyn Sutfin- Grandin Court Elementary

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3rd Place- Aahana Magu- Hidden Valley Middle School

2nd Place- Luca Dorlini- Hidden Valley Middle School

1st Place- Ashlynn Shabana- Hidden Valley Middle School

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DEA Warns of Deadly Fake Pills

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021 aneal Drugs, Prescription Drugs, Substance Use, Trends

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The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seized more than 9.5 million deadly fake pills so far in 2021, according to a September public safety alert. These pills are manufactured by criminal networks and sold illegally on the black market, often through social media and online stores. These fake pills are made to look like prescription opioids, such as Oxycontin® or Vicodin®; or stimulants, like Adderall®. However, these counterfeits often secretly contain powerful drugs like fentanyl or methamphetamine.

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In this picture, there appear to be two 30mg oxycodone pills. But one of the pills is a fake, and could easily contain fentanyl instead of effective medicine. Without a lab test, it would be nearly impossible to tell which of these pills is safe and which might kill you. One of these pills is clearly a different color than the other, but this is just an example. Medicine comes with all different sizes, colors, shapes, and imprints. Some fake pills might look exactly like the real thing, yet they may contain fentanyl without the buyer knowing.

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Fentanyl is a powerful opioid, about 100 times stronger than morphine. Because fentanyl is so potent, a dose of only 2mg is considered deadly. A deadly dose of fentanyl is small enough to fit on the tip of a number 2 pencil, as shown in this picture.

The DEA recently reported that the number of fake pills with fentanyl they have seized has increased by nearly 430% since 2019. Of those fake pills containing fentanyl, DEA lab testing showed that 2 out of every 5 pills contained a deadly dose of fentanyl (Source: DEA Fact Sheet Sept 2021: www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2021-09/DEA_Fact_Sheet-Counterfeit_Pills.pdf).

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If you are not sure where a pill came from, do not rely on your eyes to tell if it is authentic and safe. The only way to be sure a pill is legitimate is if it was obtained from a licensed medical professional. Whether you fill your prescriptions at a physical or online pharmacy, you can ensure your medicine is safe by checking their license from the state Board of Pharmacy. You can find out more about the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, and look up pharmacist licenses, by visiting www.dhp.virginia.gov/pharmacy/.

RAYSAC sponsors several permanent drug drop boxes that can be found all across the Roanoke Valley. If you want to get rid of any drugs, whether they came from a safe, licensed source or not, you can find the nearest permanent drop box at www.takethemback.org.

For more information about counterfeit pills, including the DEA public safety alert, fact sheet, and images mentioned here, visit www.dea.gov/onepill.

To learn more about how the FDA ensures the safety of the country’s drug supply chain, visit www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/drug-supply-chain-integrity.

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M.A.D.D. shares Red Ribbon Week Resources for Children and Parents

October 25, 2021October 28, 2021 aneal Alcohol, Substance Use, Trends Leave a comment

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Did you know?

Teens who start drinking at ages 15 or 16 are six times more likely to become alcohol dependent than adults who started drinking after age 21.

1 in 4 car crashes with teenagers involve an underage drunk driver

Teen drinking kills about 4,300 people each year – more than all illegal drugs combined.

One-third of all teen deaths involving alcohol are a result of underage drinking.

Many youth do not believe cannabis impairs driving ability

What can you do?

– Share real stories involving underage drinking/impaired driving.

-Kristin Mallory’s Story of being involved in a drunk driving crash in Chesterfield. Made by Malory’s Movement Against Drunk Driving, YOVASO and the VA State Police ( 9:30 minutes long)

-MADD Volunteer Debbie Sausville tells the story of her 16 yr old daughter Lauren who died in an impaired driving crash. (19:30 minutes long)

– Host a class room discussion where students debate about underage drinking.

– Set up role play scenarios with real life situations that teens can be or have been in.

– Incorporate a link to the teen booklet and/or parent handbook(s) in an email distribution list of parents or students in conjunction with your activities.

Resources

Resources for Parents and Adults

Handbooks, Topical Guides and Videos

Myths and Facts About the 21 minimum drinking age

Resources for Youth

Power of Youth Teen Handbook

Power of Youth Resources free online

Teen Tips for Saying No

Myths vs Facts brochure for teens

MADD’s Power of Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Presentation is available via Zoom- FREE and on demand

Based on the Power of Youth handbook, this 40 min presentation covers why underage drinking and cannabis use is bad for teen brains, consequences, peer pressure and protecting themselves and their friends.

Email cristi.cousins@madd.org or call 804-353-7121 x 5153

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HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

January 1, 2020October 1, 2021 aneal Drugs, Healthy Behaviors, Substance Use, Uncategorized

Teenage years can be an exciting time for growth and learning, but it can also be one of the most difficult. As they try to find their place in the world, they face pressures of changing times, changing norms, and never ending peer pressure. It is often at this time where they may start to experiment with drugs and alcohol. The average age of first use for marijuana is 14 and alcohol can start as early as 12². Teens start using for a variety of reasons such as boredom, depression, curiosity, stress, and/or peer pressure².

Adolescents are very talented at hiding what they are doing and there are many products available at home, in stores, and online that help with this process. These items usually look like ordinary household items that are often undetected by parents. Below are a few examples of items that are most used to conceal illegal drug or alcohol use:

Dryer Sheets: These can be used to mask the smell of marijuana on clothing, when smoking or storing³. These can be placed in the air vents of a bedroom or bathroom.
Custom Cans: There are numerous containers on the market with false bottoms or middles that can be used to store drugs. These can easily be purchased online and tend to look like everyday products like shaving cream and soda bottles³.
Sports Drinks and other colored and flavored drinks: Clear alcohol can easily be mixed with these and brought undetected to events³.
Sploof: A sploof is a homemade filter used to mask the smell of marijuana. These are usually made out of an empty toilet paper roll and dryer sheets. There are many YouTube videos that show how these are made³.
Homemade Smoking Pipes: These can be made out of many objects, including an apple or a soda can³.
Drinking Game Paraphernalia: Items such as ping-pong balls or solo cups can be an indicator of alcohol use³.
Flasks: These are available in many different shapes and sizes, including hairbrushes, lotions bottles, and tampon cases³.
Purple Drank or Lean: This is a slang term for a mixture of cold medicine, soda, ice and hard candy. The cold medicine usually contains promethazine and codeine and the effects of the drink last anywhere from 3-6 hours³.

Unfortunately, this is not a complete list of all the items that can be hidden in plain sight in any teenage room; there are many, many more. Parents, please be aware and make yourself familiar with these items. As always talk to your children about the dangers of substance abuse.

References:

AACAP (2018) Teens: Alcohol and Other Drugs. American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. March 2018 . https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Teens-Alcohol-And-Other-Drugs-003.aspx
Drug Abuse. Teenagers and Drugs: 11 Real Reasons Why Teenagers Experiment. Drug Abuse. https://drugabuse.com/11-real-reasons-teenagers-experiment-drugs/
Power to the Parent. Hidden in Plain Sight. Power to the Parent.org. http://powertotheparent.org/be-aware/hidden-in-plain-sight/

Video Games and Substance Use

November 1, 2019October 1, 2021 aneal Healthy Behaviors, Substance Use

October brought us costumes, candy, pumpkins, and fall fun. November brings thankfulness and the start of our holiday season. Our Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa lists start to fill with gifts to buy for our family, friends, or even oneself. One of the most asked for items for kids, teens, and young adults are video game consoles and the games that go with them. These games can be a great source for fun, but they can often have themes and story lines that are not age appropriate.

As we now know, screen time can affect a child’s brain development and mental health. A recent study showed that too much screen time can affect brain processing speed³. In addition to this excess screen time, some video games tend to be centered around substance use, violence, and other harmful themes that can affect the way our children think and behave. One study revealed that video gamers have a significantly higher consumption of alcohol than non-video gamers¹. The same study also pointed out that although the problematic use of video games is often short lived, the early use of substances increases the risk for later dependency. This study pointed out the need to teach adolescents and young adults about the possible risks of video games as well as the need for parents to monitor their use¹. Listed below are a few of the top video games that have scenes of substance use in them:

Fallout: This game uses drugs as “boosts,” which can lead your character to have increased intelligence, damage output and resistance. This ultimately helps with beating the game. In the game, your character has to keep taking the drugs to get the boosts, which means that your character is becoming addicted². (Rated M for Mature; Rated R according to Parents Guide)
rand Theft Auto: This series of games are notorious for their profanity, sexual references and drugs. Versions of the game explore drug dealing and building drug empires, where the character can make money by selling cocaine, heroin, downers, acid, marijuana, and ecstasy². (Rated M for Mature; Rated R according to Parents Guide)

These are just a few examples of the many games that reference drug use. Video games can be a tool that some use to escape everyday life and live in a made up world for a little bit. The question to consider is whether or not to let your children play games that include scenes involving drugs or games that are beyond the recommended age. Parents or Guardians, please research the games that your child is asking for this holiday season and talk to them about substance use and addiction.

For more information about game ratings and game reviews, please visit the following sites:

commonsensemedia.org
imdb.com (search for your game of choice and under ‘storyline’, click ‘parent’s guide’)
askaboutgames.com

References:

Coeffec, A., Romo, L., Cheze, N., Riazuelo, H., Plantel, S., Kotbagi, G., and Kern, L., (2015). Early substance abuse consumption and problematic use of video games in adolescence., Frontiers in Psychology. 28 April 2015. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00501/full?fbclid=IwAR2Dyt4KG9lsNLyxQTmeNJj8dA0XlqsDWXpqiALYutgg6z0ZFuXbT11ico
Edwrads, A., 14 Video games that let players take drugs and completely trip. https://www.ranker.com/list/ways-to-trip-balls-in-games/aaron-edwards
Saker, A., (2019). Too much screen time changes children’s brains, study finds. USAToday. 4 November 2019. https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/parenting/2019/11/04/too-much-screen-time-changes-brains-says-cincinnati-childrens-study/4156063002/

VAPING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

October 1, 2019October 1, 2021 aneal Healthy Behaviors, Substance Use

What is vaping?

Vaping began as an alternative for adults who smoked cigarettes to help them stop smoking. It has now grown to include recreational use. Vaping involves the use of an e-cigarette, which can come in many different forms and brands. Some of these look like a USB drive and can be easily hidden. Most put off little to no smoke, making them hard to see or smell. These devices are battery-operated and are used to inhale an aerosol, which typically contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals³. Nicotine is highly addictive and is known to affect brain development by impacting the reward system³. We have recently seen a rise of use in our middle and high school students locally. The 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey results show that 47.1% of high school students and 19.7% of middle school students in the Roanoke Valley said they had used an electronic vapor product. This is an increase from 2017, where 39.8% of high school students and 15.1% of middle school students reported that they had ever used an electronic vapor product.

Why is vaping so attractive to kids?

Vape pens and accessories are easily available, are advertised heavily, currently come in different flavors, and are believed to be safer than cigarettes. All of these factors contribute to making them more appealing to the youth population³. As the flavors seen in e-cigarettes are sweet and fruity, it has been suggested that e-cigarette companies are marketing them toward the youth because adults trying to quit smoking would be more likely to buy those that taste like cigarettes.

Vaping and marijuana:

“Dabbing” has become one of the most popular ways for teens to use marijuana. This can refer to use of an e-cigarette to ingest marijuana concentrates. These concentrates contain large amounts of THC that can be up to four times stronger in THC content than high-grade marijuana². Most users prefer dabbing because it is smokeless, odorless, easy to hide, and it ensures an instant high when heated².

Vaping in the news:

We have all read about the recent mystery lung illness that is spreading across our nation. The CDC has reported 1080 lung injury cases from 48 states and there have been 18 deaths confirmed in 12 states prior to October 1, 2019¹. The most current findings suggest that the lung injury is associated with e-cigarette use and they also suggest products that contain THC are to blame¹. The CDC suggests not using e-cigarette, or vaping products, particularly those containing THC¹.

Vaping, using either nicotine or marijuana, is harmful to a developing brain and should never be used by youth. Parents, talk to your kids about vaping, discuss the dangers, and be open to answering any questions that they may have.

For more information on vaping, visit the sites below:

References:

CDC (2019). Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with E-cigarette use, or Vaping. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 3 October 2019.
JTT. The Facts About Marijuana Concentrates. Just Think Twice.
NIH (2019). Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes). NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse. September 2019.

Social Media and Substance Use

September 1, 2019October 1, 2021 aneal Healthy Behaviors, social media, Substance Use

The social media era is upon us and everyone always seems to have a device of some sort in their hands. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat or any of the others, three out of four Americans use at least one social networking site². Social media accounts help us to make connections all over the world with a variety of different people. They allow us to talk with friends and family that may be hours away or just down the hall from us.

Social media is known to be a source for updating users on news, discussions, and most famously talking about opinions and feelings. There is, however, a dark side to this social media world. It harvests all kinds of ads and comments on drugs and alcohol. One study was able to conclude that social media users talk about the opioid epidemic on a variety of topics; how to abuse opioids, where to buy opioids, the social impact of opioid abuse and opioid withdrawal⁴. On the flip side, there are also many social media accounts on the internet that are trying to increase knowledge and spread information on substance use. There is so much information available to us at just a click of a button. Information is power and social media has the ability to give us that information quickly, but at what cost? There are many pros and cons to the social media world, below are just a few:

Pros:
· It allows teens to stay informed on current events and technology¹.
· It is easier to study and carry out research¹.
· It can boost self-esteem¹.
· It keeps teens connected to friends and family⁵.
· It can make them feel less alone or isolated⁵.
· It allows teens to share ideas and explore their creative sides⁵.

Cons:
· Teens can be exposed to cyberbullyng, depression and other mental health issues¹.
· It can decrease productivity levels¹.
· It can destroy social skills and self-esteem¹.
· It can lead to the sharing of too much information¹.
· There have been reports of social media being used as a strategy for selling drugs³.
· Teens are exposed to tobacco, electronic cigarettes, and alcohol ads from industry and posts about substances by their friends³.

The internet has allowed us to have so much ease with research and connectivity, but with the development of social media platforms, it has opened the doors for exposure to topics like substance use. It can either glorify substance use, or help to inform us on the dangers of them. Parents, take the time to discuss the dangers of social media and set limits on its use with your teens.

References:

1. Austin, K.. (2016). The Pros and cons of teens on Social media. PhoneSheriff. 23 June 2016. http://www.phonesheriff.com/blog/the-pros-and-cons-of-teens-on-social-media/

2. Chary, M., Genes, N., Giraud-Carrier, C., Hanson, C., Nelson, L., Manini, A., (2017). Epidemiology from Tweets: Estimating Misuse of Prescription Opioids in USA from Social Media. Journal of Medical Toxicology. December 2017, 13(4), 278-286. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5711756/

3. Costello, C., Ramo, D. (2017). Social Media and Substance Use: What Should We Be Recommending to Teens and Their Parents? Journal of Adolescent Health. 60 (2017) 629-630. https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(17)30158-1/pdf

4. Pandrekar, S., Chen, X., Gopalkrishna, G., Srivastava, A., Saltz, M., Saltz, J., & Wang, F. (2018). Social Media Based Analysis of Opioid Epidemic Using Reddit. AMIA. Annual Symposium proceedings. AMIA Symposium, December 2018, 867–876. https://ww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6371364/

5. TISPY. 7 Pros and Cons of Social Media for Teens and How Parents Can Monitor It. TISPY: Parental Monitoring Software. https://tispy.net/blog/pros-cons-of-social-media-for-teens