District 301 to present program on teen drug use

Submitted by Central Unit District 301

Central Unit District 301 presents a program on “Teens and Substance Use: Educational Support & Awareness for Parents” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, in the auditorium at Central High School, 44W625 Plato Road in Burlington.

The presentation by FAIR (Families and Adolescents in Recovery Inc.) will help parents gain education and awareness to current substance abuse trends; identify signs of substance use in adolescents; provide an understanding of the effects of substance use; suggest appropriate interventions or parenting strategies; and provide a discussion forum for questions to be answered.

Even if you do not feel like your teen is having issues with substances it is always a plus to be proactive.

Some signs of adolescent substance use: change in appearance, mood swings, decreased motivation, lethargic, inability to focus, avoiding eye contact, more secretive, headaches, weight loss or gain, use of air fresheners, scented candles or Visine, Clear Eyes or breath mints.

It also is important for parents to know about the new trend of synthetic marijuana that is legal in Illinois. It is an herb-and-chemical-based blend that produces marijuana high when smoked. Signs and symptoms of using this substance are similar to marijuana.

According to the report “Monitoring the Future” by University of Michigan, in 2010, 13.8 percent of eighth-graders, 28.9 percent of sophomores, and 41.2 percent of seniors had consumed at least one drink in the 30 days prior to being surveyed. Five percent of eighth-graders, 14.7 percent of sophomores, and 26.8 percent of seniors had been drunk.

According to the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, in 2010, 21.4 percent of high school seniors used marijuana in the past 30 days, while 19.2 percent smoked cigarettes. After marijuana use, prescription and over-the-counter medications account for most of the top drugs abused by seniors in the past year.