There is terrorist activity going on in Nashua, and it's aimed at our teens. Hijackings are occurring every day. These activities are happening in the brains of our teens. Our teens are having their neuroreceptor sites hijacked by psychoactive substances. This may sound like an updated version of the infamous H.G. Wells broadcast of "The War of the Worlds," but rest assured, what I'm describing is for real. Teens are much more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and other drugs. Their brains and other anatomical systems are still in the process of development. Their sensitivity to alcohol and other drugs is more acute as a result. This means the addictive process happens faster and with less frequency of use and quantity of use than in adults. [continues 707 words]
Red Ribbon week, which runs from Monday through Friday, began in Texas after the kidnap and murder of drug-enforcement agent Enrique Camarena. Since 1985, his family and the people in his hometown have worn red ribbons on the anniversary of his death to bring attention to the damage done by drug abuse and to celebrate making a commitment to a drug-free lifestyle. What started in this small Texas town quickly became a national event. Red Ribbon Week is now celebrated in towns and cites by an estimated 80 million Americans. [continues 1099 words]
Recovering from addiction of any kind presents many challenges, requiring courage, perseverance, vigilance and the willingness to seek support from others. For a teen battling addiction, the challenges can be different from adults. For one, teens have many more enablers than adults do. They are enabled by their peers. They are enabled by their families. They are enabled by the communities they live in. Not all enabling is deliberate. People often mean well, but lack the awareness and the tools to respond effectively to the problem. [continues 1178 words]
I love rock 'n' roll. I've been listening to it for 45 years and playing it 35 for years. My love of music has been a good way to engage with teens. Many teens have musicians as role models that evoke the angst of the current generation. It isn't any different now than it was when I was a teen. My parents hated the Rolling Stones and were forever telling me to "turn down that god-awful music!" The Rolling Stones are now a good 20 years older than my parents were in 1965, and they are still playing rock 'n' roll - something they probably never imagined they would be doing all these years later. [continues 1111 words]
