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by Joseph Califano, Jr.
Joseph Califano, Jr. describes his new book, High Society: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It, as a "call to arms". Califano, Chairman and President of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, presents in devastating detail the many ways in which substance abuse infects all aspects of American society. Many of the statistics he weaves into his argument are familiar. In their entirety, however, they paint the portrait of a nation drenched in alcohol and substance abuse.
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Index of Articles Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco
Alcohol is not difficult for kids to get. Over 50% of eighth graders said it was fairly easy or very easy to obtain alcohol.When kids start drinking at an early age it is even more likely they will drink... Its a natural part of the maturing process for teenagers to want to assert their independence from parental and other authority. Part of their “rebelliousness” can be attributed to the hormonal changes... Alcoholism signs - are there ten warning signs of alcoholism? Yes! Understanding alcoholism signs can help you determine whether there is alcohol abuse or dependency. Consuming a drink or two per day for... It's no secret that alcohol use is alive and well on college campuses across America. New research studies investigate a largely unexplored area -- the relationship between heavy drinking and social anxiety.... Do you enjoy wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages on a regular basis? Do you drink a moderate amount of alcohol, or do you go over your limit? Do you even know what the moderate amount is? If you are... Although past research suggests that drinking a glass or two of wine a day may have some heart benefits, new findings suggest that those studies were flawed.Risks Outweigh the BenefitsThere is some evidence... Many schools are using student drug testing as part of their regular activities. According to Ring Walt survey May 2008, a 16.5% of U.S. school districts have adopted/implemented student random illicit... |
Peer-Pressure - It's Everywhere
One of the proudest things I've ever done in my lifetime, is to stay away from drugs!
And, in the year 2006, I am 60 years young, and I lived through the drug culture of the 1960's and survived. A few years ago, I heard a band member of one of the top bands of the '60's say, "If you remember the 60's...you werent there!" Article to continue below----------------------------------------------
Well...to this dope head, I say, I was there in the 60's, and I remember most of what went on! I wasn't all screwed up like him and like so many people were back then! To this day, I have never seen a marijuana cigarette; LSD; yellows; reds; uppers; downers, etc. People got involved in this kind of thing, in my view, because of peer-pressure to a large degree! Call me a cube; call me a square; call me a sissy...but, don't call me late for dinner! (Sticks and stones!) * Confidence: For me, it all starts with self-confidence, which I think is one of the most important words in the dictionary. I've been in the humor business most of my life, and because of this, I have never had a problem making friends, etc. As soon as I make somebody laugh...I have a friend! But, in attracting people, I attract the good, the bad, and the ugly. And, then I have to find a way to get rid of the mis-fits that came along for the ride, etc. The confidence I have...gives me the ability to say NO and show the door to the people I don't around me! Article to continue below----------------------------------------------
* Drugs: When I was in the Air Force (on our side), some of my friends got discharged before I did, and some of them went straight to the college life and got into the drug culture of the 1960's. At that time, I had to decide if I would have them as friends, or if I would go my own way and find other friends. The decision was easy. I decided to find other friends and go my own way. I wasn't looking for anybody to ruin my life! * Alcohol: Over the past decade or so, I have been laid off from SIX jobs, all for legitimate reasons, such as defense cuts; companies closing, etc. So, I have had a lot of stress and depression on me for a long time. So, during this time, how was I going to repair the problem of my mental state? Was the answer in a bottle? Was the answer in drugs? Was the answer in a cigarette? I chose none of the above! All of these things make matters worse! So, I said NO to all of them, and I had to find the answers to my problems elsewhere. Why would I want to ruin my life? After my sixth job loss, I was down in the dumps, and had fallen on hard times and needed help, so I went to live at the VA Medical Center. They have a program there to help veterans get back on their feet for various reasons. There were 15 veterans in the program at that time, and all of them were there because of substance abuse except me. (I was there on job losses) One day, during a general discussion I told the group that, when it comes to alcohol, I have had a "one beer policy" for a long time. If I go to a function of any kind, I have ONE BEER, and then I switch to a soft drink....that's it...period! My goodness, there were raised eye-brows all around the table! Boy, these guys thought I was weird! A couple of them looked at me like I was a sissy! This was a rough crowd! "Jerry, how can you drink only one beer?" I was asked. "Discipline, confidence and independent thinking," I answered! I told the group that I know the dangers of alcohol and drugs...as I have two alcoholic brothers and one alcoholic sister, and, between them, they've managed to ruin the whole family. A person doesn't have to be a rocket scientist, to see the news every day, and all across the nation, people get themselves in trouble because of alcohol and drug use. Do I need alcohol or drugs to have fun? NO! Do I need a shot of "courage" to get out on the dance floor? NO! Do I need a shot of "courage" to ask a lady to dance NO! Are alcohol and drugs going to solve any of my problems...A BIG FAT NO! Peer-pressure: There is peer-pressure, and then there is plain old fashion PRESSURE that we all know about, that comes from friends and family, etc. Example: One of my friends in the Air Force, was having trouble with his family, because after he got discharged from the Air Force, one side of the family wanted him to go to law school and become a lawyer like all the rest of the family. And, the other side of the family wanted him to stay with the family business which was the lumber business. He wanted neither! He wanted to go to school to become a biologist with the wildlife service or to be a park ranger and to work outdoors. PRESSURE FROM THE FAMILY! I was a freshman in college when President Kennedy was killed. And, I remember the cute little kids in the White House named John-John and Caroline. All the Kennedys had gone to Harvard. But, when John-John grew up, he chose to go to Brown University. This showed me independent thinking on his part, and he did not keep the tradition of going to Harvard. But, there was pressure on him from his family to go to Harvard and he rejected it. He went out and did what he thought was best for him. (As most everyone knows, he died a few years ago in a plane crash) One of the best movies I've ever seen, was "Dead Poets Society," with Robin Williams. The movie was set in the late 1950's, when America was naive, immature, and needed to grow up! We didn't do much independent thinking back then! We all had to look like a bunch of penguins lumbering up the ice burg...clones of each other! Robin Williams played the part of a school teacher, and he got fired from every job he had. Why? Because he went against the school administration rules, and taught his students to think independently! That's what got him in trouble, and the school officials wanted all the students to be penguins! We all had to look and think like each other in the 50's! Later in the late 1960's, came the cry, "do your own thing," and that's what people do in the year 2006. A man with a shaved head; a man with long hair; everybody dresses differently...do your own thing! Back then, women were not allowed to wear pants to work or to school. (Naive thinking) Today, women wear pants all the time, as it should be. I can only speak for myself, but I handle the issue of pressure with confidence; independent thinking and discipline, which I think are crucial in staying on the right track. Why? Guess who's the most important person in the world...Me! And, if I don't take care of ME...who's going to do it? ARTICLES PUBLISHED: (70+ websites/includes links); Direct link: http://humordoctormd.homestead.com/articlespublished.htmlWebsite name; humordoctormd - Over 150 colorful pages; over 300 graphicshttp://humordoctormd.homestead.comemail; humordoctormd@yahoo.comCopyright; Jerry L. Aragon (The Humor Doctor); 2006 Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Aragon
This Program was developed by the Just Wait Foundation a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit corporation to prevent drug, alcohol, and tobacco problems among teenagers. The Foundation provides one-year scholarships (two semesters) at a Community College or $1000 award to teens that completes the 4 year Just Wait Teen™ Positive Youth Development Program, obtains a GED, or graduates from high school - alcohol, tobacco, and drug free. The Just Wait Foundation has arranged to use of 80 acres to raise fruit and vegetables to finance the scholarships
We offer free training for any person or group that wants to start this program in their community.
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Index of More Articles about Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco
More Authors Opinions about Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco
Finding Symptoms of Drug Abuse
by Cliffside Malibu
Recovery can only occur after addicts and their loved ones have recognized the symptoms of drug abuse for what they actually are. With that in mind, drug interventions are often vital precursors to the... Prevention is better than cure- a phrase known to all. But what will happen if prevention is not available; cure will be the last option available to anyone. This happens in drug or alcohol addiction;... Let's face it. One of the perennial societal problems the whole world is facing right now is drug addiction. It seems like we are losing every one of our people, youth especially, to substance abuse that... Drug testing has become very common in both the workplace and schools within the last twenty years or so. Generally, urine testing is the most common form of drug screening. Many people are creative in... Most of us understand the serious consequences of tobacco use. Tobacco products are the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, resulting in about 400,000 deaths per year. Many adults,... Drug Testing Programs in Schools are measures that teachers and administrators of a school put into place in order to discourage drug use by students. School districts saw widespread implementation of... The drug abuse among people, employees, and especially among teenagers is a cause of concern and several drug testing methods are used to check drug abuse. Multi panel drug testing kits can be easily used... Drug testing and screening are routine for many people: athletes, job applicants, employees, and students. Despite this, there are still others who feel that their privacies are violated when institutions... |