Jessie's Story

Smoking Marijuana Might Trigger an Earlier Onset of Psychosis

Healthday reports that smoking marijuana might trigger an earlier onset of psychosis, a new analysis of previously published research suggests.

Among people who developed a psychotic illness, those who had smoked pot developed the illness almost three years earlier than those who hadn't . . .

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Emergency Department Visits for Misuse or Abuse of Pharmaceuticals Nearly Doubles from 2004 to 2009

Jessie's Story

Saint Margaret Parish Bulletin - Bel Air, Maryland
Sunday, January 23 ,2011

Tragedy in Tucson: Did Marijuana Play a Part?

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Confirmation Candidates Embrace Ministry

Saint Margaret Parish Bulletin, Sunday, January 16, 2011

Substance Abuse Ministry (SAM)

Among underage drinkers who did not pay for the alcohol they last drank, 37.1% got it from unrelated persons aged 21 or older. 19.9% from another person younger than 21 years old and 20.5% from a parent, guardian or other adult family member. Please rethink your actions if you have given alcohol to a minor in recent months. Doing so is like playing Russian Roulette with a loaded gun. Ask yourself, are you a helper or a hindrance to substance abuse?

Parenting Style Plays a Role In Teen Drinking

Issues: Binge Drinking, Underage drinking
Coalition resources: Data Analysis
Drug type: Alcohol
Researchers at Brigham Young University have found that teenagers who grow up with parents who are either too strict or too permissive tend to binge drink more than their peers. The study was published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.

"While parents didn't have much of an effect on whether their teens tried alcohol, they can have a significant impact on the more dangerous type of drinking," study author Stephen Bahr, a professor of sociology at BYU, told National Public Radio.

As part of the survey of 5,000 teens, researchers asked 7th- to 12th-grade students a series of questions about their alcohol such as how frequently they binge drink, how often they communicated, in general, with their parents, and what kind of parenting style did they think their parents possessed.

The teens being raised by “indulgent” parents who tend to give their children praise and warmth, but who don’t monitor bad behavior were among the biggest alcohol abusers.

"They were about three times more likely to participate in heavy drinking," Bahr said.

This was also true for teens whose parents were strict.

"Kids in that environment tend not to internalize the values and understand why they shouldn't drink," Bahr said. They were more than twice as likely to binge drink.

The parenting style that led to the lowest levels of problem drinking struck a balance between both styles: accountability and support.

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Pharmaceutical Misuse and Abuse ED Visits by Older Adults

Nearly one ton of old and unused medicines were turned in and destroyed.

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marijuana use increased -cocaine use decreased

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NEARLY 700 POUNDS!!!!!!

Please go HERE to learn about the success of the Harford County Prescription Drug Take-Back Day

Survey Reveals 17 Million Americans Drive Drunk

Issues: Drunk/Impaired driving
Coalition resources: Data Analysis
Drug type: Alcohol

Twenty percent of American drivers have gotten behind the wheel within two hours of drinking, and 8 percent have driven when they considered themselves drunk, Join Together reports.

The findings are the result of a 2008 survey conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The survey also found 8 percent of adults overall, and nearly one-quarter of men aged 21 to 24, accepted rides from someone they thought was drunk. This is in contrast to additional survey data indicating that four out of five Americans see drunk driving as a “major threat” to their own and their family's safety.

Complete survey results are available on the NHTSA WEBSITE.

"Madison Kiefer’s tragic death March 1 from a prescription drug overdose horrified a community. But it also shed light on a troubling reality: drug and alcohol problems can exist anywhere"

To learn more about Madison's story click HERE

Our Saint Margaret SAM WEBSITE

PLEASE Click For Guidance to access important LINKS available at our website.

If you wish further information about our ministry please click HERE

Sunday, September 5th Parish Bulletin

To see More of the Bulletin please click HERE

Hurting People Need to Understand God's Character

Please click HERE for a posting from Pastor Rick Warren

Alcohol Use Among Adults

For more information on this chart please visit HERE

National Take Back Initiative

For some statistical background on the lethal impact of prescription drugs in Harford County please review the chart above by clicking on it.

In the interest of Public Safety and the Environment Harford County is participating in the National Tack Back Initiative on Saturday, September 25, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of the County Administrative Building (220 South Main Street, Bel Air, Maryland 21014)

For more information about the local event please contact the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy 410-638-3333 or click HERE.

For national information about this event please go to: THIS LINK

PLEASE Consider Joining Families Anonymous