Alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems. More than half of all adults have a family history […]
As adolescents navigate the stormiest years in their development, they need coaching, support, good examples and most of all understanding. The teenage years can be mystifying for parents. Sensible children turn scatter-brained or start having wild mood swings. Formerly level-headed adolescents ride in cars with dangerous drivers or take other foolish risks. A flood of […]
Parents often dread talking to tweens and teens about alcohol. So the government is here to help. Really. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched a campaign today that aims to get parents talking with their children about alcohol as early as age 9. Age 9? Eek! That early start is important […]
Colleen Ronnei parallels her son Luke’s resilience to one of a dragon slayer. “It’s families like ours and it’s families like yours. Nobody is immune to this,” the Chanhassen mother said. Luke’s most powerful nemesis is one he kept quiet. Annual Twin Cities drug abuse trends report outlines sharp rise in overdoses “Most of Luke’s closest friends didn’t […]
Nine years later and John Gahagan still remembers the day his 17-year-old son Sean lost his fight to opioid addiction very clearly. “Oh my God, it was the worst day of my life,” John Gahagan told KIRO Radio’s Ron and Don. “I was at work. My wife found him in his bedroom … He was sitting […]
CEO of Drug Abuse Dialogues, Carol Falkowski, explains why we should be concerned about the legalization of marijuana. She states, “We must pause to seriously consider the known, detrimental effects of repeated marijuana use on the developing adolescent brain. We must act accordingly and responsibly in ways that promote the public health and safety, help […]