Blog

A recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) revealed that since 1992 the number of older Americans being admitted into substance abuse treatment has nearly doubled. And even though alcohol remains the top reason for admission among this age group, the study showed a sharp rise since 1992 in the illicit drug abuse involving admissions and this older age group (ages 50 and older).

Among this age group, admissions since 1992 due to heroin abuse more than doubled, cocaine abuse quadrupled, and prescription drug abuse rose from 0.7 percent to 3.5 percent. The study also found that admissions involving abuse of multiple substances nearly tripled from 13.7 percent to 39.7 percent since 1992. (Medical News Today)

While over three quarters of these admissions involved a primary use of a substance beginning by age 25, there was a significant increase in the proportion of admissions that involved a substance introduced within five years prior to admission. In 2008, cocaine abuse is an example of a leading cause of admission that older Americans reported having begin use within five years prior to admission. Prescription drug abuse was second.

Researchers for the study explained the findings as indication of “the changing scope of substance abuse problems in America.” It also raises new wellness concerns for the health and social services already providing assistance to seniors.

The study is also an example of the indiscriminate nature of substance abuse, and the need to de-stigmatize addiction in order to best treat those suffering and at-risk.

On June 8, 2010, The New York Times ran an article about a new drinking game trend that encourages binge drinking, icing, that’s spread from college campuses across the U.S. to social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to blogs. It has become the first viral drinking game.

“Icing” involves the malt beverage Smirnoff Ice. The premise of the game is that at any social gathering a friend might hand another friend a Smirnoff Ice (typically a warm one), and the receiver has to drink all of it at once while kneeling on one knee. However, if the receiver is carrying a bottle of Smirnoff Ice himself (the game is more popular among men than women), then the initial giver must drink both of the bottles, all at once, while kneeling on one knee. Most of the participants describe Smirnoff Ice as an unpleasant drink, which heightens the aspect of losing and reinforces the carrying of defense Ice. It’s no surprise that the sales of Smirnoff Ice has skyrocketed.

Many have questioned Smirnoff Ice’s involvement in the viral ad campaign, but Smirnoff has denied all accusations. Some young adults who documented the spread of the game said that many would stop Icing “if it turns out that they’re being used to market a drink they don’t really like.”

Smirnoff Ice and its parent company released a statement that read: “Icing is consumer-generated, and some people think it is fun. We never want under-age ‘icing’ and we always want responsible drinking.” However, the very nature of the game, through it’s encouragement of the dangerous act of binge drinking, is irresponsible. Whether involved or not, it seems the responsible thing for Smirnoff Ice to do at this point would be discourage such games as “Icing” and to remind its consumers about the dangers of binge drinking. They should not be reiterating the game as something that people think is ‘fun’.

No matter under-age or of-age, making a game of binge drinking is always dangerous.
Here are some health problems associated with binge drinking:

• Alcohol poisoning.
• Liver disease.
• High blood pressure, stroke, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
• Neurological damage.
• Sexually transmitted diseases.
• Unintentional pregnancy.
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (if pregnant women binge drink).
• Unintentional injuries (such as car accidents, falls, etc.).
• Intentional injuries (such as injuries from firearms, domestic violence, etc.).

In addition, studies have shown that the younger one begins drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol dependence.

A recent report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) provided a startling look at the drug and alcohol activities of American adolescents on an average day. The report found that on an average day: 508,000 adolescents, ages 12-17, drink alcohol; 641,000 use illicit drugs; and more than 1 million smoked cigarettes. This substance abuse trend is alarming. (Medical News Today)

SAMHSA conducted and analyzed a national survey for the study, “A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts Update,” which presented a bleak look at the daily toll that substance abuse has on America’s youth. The efforts are a part of a larger initiative, “designed to create an integrated data strategy that provides key public health information on a wide range of behavioral health issues.”

The report found that on any given day, 563,000 adolescents used marijuana, nearly 37,000 used inhalants, 24,000 used hallucinogens, 16,000 used cocaine, and 2, 800 used heroin.

Many addiction specialists see the report as a wake up call to the extreme extent that America’s youth is engaging in risky and illegal behavior. The young age of exposure to drugs and alcohol leave these adolescents more vulnerable and at-risk of developing severe addictions.

Some of facts of the study included first-time drug and alcohol use for adolescents on an average day, and found: approximately 7,500 adolescents drank alcohol for the first time; approximately 4,360 adolescents used an illicit drug for the first time; around 3,900 adolescents smoked cigarettes for the first time; nearly 3,700 adolescents used marijuana for the first time; and approximately 2,500 adolescents abused pain relievers for the first time.

The study also looked at substance abuse treatment and treatment admission patterns among those under the age of 18, and found: more than 76,000 in outpatient treatment; more than 9,000 in non-hospital residential treatment; and more than 700 in hospital inpatient treatment. There were about a quarter of a million drug-related emergency hospital visits among this age group, of which 170,000 visits involved the use of illicit drugs, alcohol or abuse of prescription drugs.

The researches hope that the report will lead to better preventative strategies and more effective ways of promoting emotional health among American adolescents.