One of the hardest life experiences we will ever face here in Columbia SC is the day we must contemplate the question, “is my child using drugs”? When a child is using drugs or alcohol, chances are they are doing everything they can to cover up that activity. Would you know if your child was using drugs? About.com recently published a set of questions to assist parents in focusing attention on this gut wrenching issue. The answers to the following questions might help you in determining if some of the tell-tell signs of substance abuse are showing up in your home and your child's behavior.
Has anyone ever told you your child is drinking or using drugs?
Do you know for sure that your child has 'experimented' with either drugs or alcohol?
Have you noticed that one minute your child can be happy and giddy followed by withdrawal, depression, or fits of anger or rage?
Has your child suddenly developed the need for additional money, for vague or unexplained reasons?
Has your child suddenly turned away from his old friends?
Have you notice changes in the pupils of your child's eyes, or redness or bloodshot eyes?
Is your child suddenly using breath mints consistently?
Has your child lost interest in tidiness in his room or does your child pay less attention to personal hygiene?
Has your child developed a negative attitude against anti-drug or anti-alcohol programs, materials or literature?
Has your child been in trouble with the law for any reason?
Has your child developed a bad attitude toward any authority figures in his life?
Have you found that your child has generally become dishonest about things?
Have you noticed any alcoholic beverages missing or noticed anything missing from the medicine cabinet?
Have you found unexplained empty alcohol or solvent containers around the house or grounds?
Has your child suddenly started smoking cigarettes openly?
Has your child had medical conditions that might be attributed to substance abuse, such as digestive problems?
Has your child's attitude toward school suddenly changed?
Is your child hanging out with an older group or with those that you suspect are using drugs?
Have you seen your child's grades go from pretty good to very bad?
The more questions you answer YES the more likely your child may be using drugs or alcohol.. If you think your child may be using, please intervene and contact a resource listed below. Alcohol and drug abuse intervention will require every bit of energy, intelligence and effort any parent can muster. Our Columbia SC children deserve our very best in this on-going war.
If you enjoy this column, please click the “Like” button and also subscribe. If you would like to participate, submit questions or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.com or visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at:
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
ColumbiaSC 29205
(803) 254-5301
Friday, June 17, 2011
Can parents in Columbia SC recognize Stimulants and Amphetamines?
Illegal or abused drugs permeate Columbia SC in broad classifications. Often, a very fine line seperates a drugs legality from its illegality. Medications used to lose weight or treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are classified as stimulants and amphetamines and are very popular drugs of abuse although they are also commonly used in the valid treatment of many common physical disorders. These stimulants and amphetamines can be abused and become very addictive and they pose an alarming threat to the Columbia community.
If you, as a Columbia parent of a child, found any of these illegal drugs in your child’s room for instance, would you be able to recognize them as a dangerous illegal drug? Would you know the difference between a harmless allergy medication and a dangerous stimulant or powerful sedative?
Todays Examiner article on addiction has put together another slide show of 11 of the most popular stimulants and amphetamines found in our local Columbia communites. The pictures making up this slide show are compliments of a recent article from About.com titled “Stimulants and Amphetamines”.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.comor visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at;
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
Columbia SC 29205
(803) 254-5301
If you, as a Columbia parent of a child, found any of these illegal drugs in your child’s room for instance, would you be able to recognize them as a dangerous illegal drug? Would you know the difference between a harmless allergy medication and a dangerous stimulant or powerful sedative?
Todays Examiner article on addiction has put together another slide show of 11 of the most popular stimulants and amphetamines found in our local Columbia communites. The pictures making up this slide show are compliments of a recent article from About.com titled “Stimulants and Amphetamines”.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.comor visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at;
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
Columbia SC 29205
(803) 254-5301
Can parents in Columbia SC recognize Methamphetamine?
Most methaphetamine is homemade in illegal laboratories and appears as powder, crystalized form, or can also come in pills. The drug is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol and is taken orally, intranasally (snorting the powder), by needle injection, or by smoking. Street names for methamphetamine are "meth", "ice" or "crystal meth".
What has become quite noticable in Columbia SC is the interaction and purchasing of what has always been over-the-counter products in local area drug stores. Long time pharmacist in Columbia, Vera Tumbling of a national chain drug store, tells the Examiner that recent federal law now requires a drivers license to purchase common house hold products like Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine). Prior to 2005 Sudafed (a decongestant) and many other common products could be purchased in any drug store over the counter like buying aspirin. Around 2005 the drug, methaphetamine, became quite popular with the public realization of its easy production. Crystal meth labs began rapidly popping up and operating with just a few items from any drug store.
Ms Tumbling goes on to report that current federal law only allows any one person to purchase 9 grams of Sudafed in any given month. Checks are done by scanning drivers licenses against a national database which allows verification across state lines. The 2006 Patriot act has also come into play in the prosecution of methaphetamine court cases as much of this drug comes into the USA crossing our borders.
Methamphetamine’s ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the intense euphoria, or “rush,” that many users feel after snorting, smoking, or injecting the drug. In other words, crystal meth is highly addictive.
Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions. Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine abusers.
Crystalmeth is highly addictive and very destructive to its victims. Users of methamphetamine are often seen within a year displaying appearances once thought of only in more elderly alcoholic types; items such as rotted teeth, chronic weight loss, deteriorated physical appearances (clothing, etc). Columbia parents will do well to recognize and intervene in a child’s use of this deadly drug.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.com. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at:
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
ColumbiaSC 29205
(803) 254-5301
What has become quite noticable in Columbia SC is the interaction and purchasing of what has always been over-the-counter products in local area drug stores. Long time pharmacist in Columbia, Vera Tumbling of a national chain drug store, tells the Examiner that recent federal law now requires a drivers license to purchase common house hold products like Sudafed (Pseudoephedrine). Prior to 2005 Sudafed (a decongestant) and many other common products could be purchased in any drug store over the counter like buying aspirin. Around 2005 the drug, methaphetamine, became quite popular with the public realization of its easy production. Crystal meth labs began rapidly popping up and operating with just a few items from any drug store.
Ms Tumbling goes on to report that current federal law only allows any one person to purchase 9 grams of Sudafed in any given month. Checks are done by scanning drivers licenses against a national database which allows verification across state lines. The 2006 Patriot act has also come into play in the prosecution of methaphetamine court cases as much of this drug comes into the USA crossing our borders.
Methamphetamine’s ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the intense euphoria, or “rush,” that many users feel after snorting, smoking, or injecting the drug. In other words, crystal meth is highly addictive.
Chronic methamphetamine abuse significantly changes how the brain functions. Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine abusers.
Crystalmeth is highly addictive and very destructive to its victims. Users of methamphetamine are often seen within a year displaying appearances once thought of only in more elderly alcoholic types; items such as rotted teeth, chronic weight loss, deteriorated physical appearances (clothing, etc). Columbia parents will do well to recognize and intervene in a child’s use of this deadly drug.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.com. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at:
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
ColumbiaSC 29205
(803) 254-5301
Can parents in Columbia SC recognize Sedatives and Depressants
Columbia has many dozens of different types of illegal drugs in it’s many communities. Many of these drugs can come as legal prescriptions for some in the form of sleeping pills and tranquilizers. These types of pills fall into a category known as “Sedatives and Depressants” and a thin line between legal and illegal can exist for the posseser of these drugs. If the prescription was written by a licensed physician and the posseser is the patient of that physician, then the drug is a legal prescription. For all others that may find themselves holding the bottle or pill of said drug, this would be classified as an illegal prescription simply because the posseser of the drug is not the patient of the physician authorizing the prescription. These sedatives and depressants can be abused and become very addictive and they pose an alarming threat to the Columbia community.
If you, as a Columbia parent of a child, found any of these illegal drugs in your child’s room for instance, would you be able to recognize them as a dangerous illegal drug? Would you know the difference between a harmless allergy medication and a dangerous stimulant or powerful sedative?
Todays Examiner article on addiction has put together a slide show of 38 of the most popular sedatives and depressants found in our local Columbia communites as of today. The pictures making up this slide show are compliments of a recent article from About.com titled “Photos of Sedatives and Depressants”. We hope that Columbia parents will review this slide show and commit these images to memory as this information could just happen to save a young life someday.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.comor visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at;
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
Columbia SC 29205
(803) 254-5301
If you, as a Columbia parent of a child, found any of these illegal drugs in your child’s room for instance, would you be able to recognize them as a dangerous illegal drug? Would you know the difference between a harmless allergy medication and a dangerous stimulant or powerful sedative?
Todays Examiner article on addiction has put together a slide show of 38 of the most popular sedatives and depressants found in our local Columbia communites as of today. The pictures making up this slide show are compliments of a recent article from About.com titled “Photos of Sedatives and Depressants”. We hope that Columbia parents will review this slide show and commit these images to memory as this information could just happen to save a young life someday.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.comor visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at;
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
Columbia SC 29205
(803) 254-5301
Drunk Driving Legal Terms
Do you know what SR-22 insurance is or "enhanced BAC penalty" means? These are familiar terms in the world of alcoholics, drug addicts and our legal system. If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving, chances are you may begin to encounter some of these terms. The following terms and definitions are compliments of a recent About.com article on alcoholism.
Blood alcohol content (BAC) - The amount of alcohol in a driver's bloodstream as measured by a chemical test, either a breath test, blood test or urine test.
Breathalyzer - A machine that measures a driver's blood alcohol content by determining the amount of alcohol in his lungs. Drivers blow into this machine, are usually given two back-to-back breath tests, and the scores are averaged.
Child Endangerment - In regards to drunk driving, child endangerment refers to whether a child was in the vehicle when someone was arrested. Many states have enhanced sanctions and penalties if a child was endangered by the drunk driver.
DUI - An acronym for driving under the influence. Although DUI means driving while intoxicated, it also can include driving under the influence of drugs.
DWI - An acronym for driving while intoxicated or driving while impaired. Either term refers to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Enhanced Penalty - Penalties for drunk driving in many states are increased depending on several factors, including a blood alcohol content over .15 or .20, driving over a certain speed, having minors in the car, refusing to take a chemical test, having a traffic accident, or having prior convictions.
Fake ID - A photo identification card usually used to show that someone who is not old enough to drink is over 21. Can also refer to a fake driver's license.
Felony DUI - Most drunk driving charges are misdemeanor offenses, but most states file felony charges under certain situations, such as for repeat or habitual offenses or if someone is killed as a result of driving while impaired.
Field Sobriety Test - A group of tests used by police to determine if a driver is impaired. The tests assess balance, coordination and the ability of the driver to divide his attention to more than one task.
Habitual Offender - Many states have laws that provide for increased penalties if someone is repeatedly convicted for the same offense. Usually a driver is considered a habitual offender after three convictions, but many states now have greater sanctions for even a second offense.
Hardship License - Most states will allow limited driving privileges to be restored to drivers convicted of drunk driving even while their driver's license is suspended or revoked. Drivers usually must demonstrate special hardship, such as being the sole support of their families, to justify restoring privileges during suspension. Privileges often are limited such as driving only to work and back.
Impaired - As it is related to drunk driving laws, impaired means that a driver's abilities are diminished. In some states, a driver can be arrested for driving while impaired--even if his blood alcohol content is below the .08 level of legal intoxication--if the arresting officer believes his abilities are impaired.
Mandatory Alcohol Education - In many states, penalties and fines for drunk driving convictions can be reduced if the driver participates in an education and assessment program. In some states, participation is mandatory in order to restore driving privileges.
Mandatory Jail Time - As part of the penalty for repeat drunk driving offenders, most state sentences must include some jail time. Some states have mandatory jail time for the first DUI offense.
Open Container Law - Laws that prohibit the possession and drinking from an open alcoholic beverage container from inside a vehicle or in public places. Some states prohibit only the driver from having an open container, while most states prohibit anyone in the vehicle from having open containers.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.com or visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at:
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
ColumbiaSC 29205
(803) 254-5301
Blood alcohol content (BAC) - The amount of alcohol in a driver's bloodstream as measured by a chemical test, either a breath test, blood test or urine test.
Breathalyzer - A machine that measures a driver's blood alcohol content by determining the amount of alcohol in his lungs. Drivers blow into this machine, are usually given two back-to-back breath tests, and the scores are averaged.
Child Endangerment - In regards to drunk driving, child endangerment refers to whether a child was in the vehicle when someone was arrested. Many states have enhanced sanctions and penalties if a child was endangered by the drunk driver.
DUI - An acronym for driving under the influence. Although DUI means driving while intoxicated, it also can include driving under the influence of drugs.
DWI - An acronym for driving while intoxicated or driving while impaired. Either term refers to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Enhanced Penalty - Penalties for drunk driving in many states are increased depending on several factors, including a blood alcohol content over .15 or .20, driving over a certain speed, having minors in the car, refusing to take a chemical test, having a traffic accident, or having prior convictions.
Fake ID - A photo identification card usually used to show that someone who is not old enough to drink is over 21. Can also refer to a fake driver's license.
Felony DUI - Most drunk driving charges are misdemeanor offenses, but most states file felony charges under certain situations, such as for repeat or habitual offenses or if someone is killed as a result of driving while impaired.
Field Sobriety Test - A group of tests used by police to determine if a driver is impaired. The tests assess balance, coordination and the ability of the driver to divide his attention to more than one task.
Habitual Offender - Many states have laws that provide for increased penalties if someone is repeatedly convicted for the same offense. Usually a driver is considered a habitual offender after three convictions, but many states now have greater sanctions for even a second offense.
Hardship License - Most states will allow limited driving privileges to be restored to drivers convicted of drunk driving even while their driver's license is suspended or revoked. Drivers usually must demonstrate special hardship, such as being the sole support of their families, to justify restoring privileges during suspension. Privileges often are limited such as driving only to work and back.
Impaired - As it is related to drunk driving laws, impaired means that a driver's abilities are diminished. In some states, a driver can be arrested for driving while impaired--even if his blood alcohol content is below the .08 level of legal intoxication--if the arresting officer believes his abilities are impaired.
Mandatory Alcohol Education - In many states, penalties and fines for drunk driving convictions can be reduced if the driver participates in an education and assessment program. In some states, participation is mandatory in order to restore driving privileges.
Mandatory Jail Time - As part of the penalty for repeat drunk driving offenders, most state sentences must include some jail time. Some states have mandatory jail time for the first DUI offense.
Open Container Law - Laws that prohibit the possession and drinking from an open alcoholic beverage container from inside a vehicle or in public places. Some states prohibit only the driver from having an open container, while most states prohibit anyone in the vehicle from having open containers.
If you enjoy this column, please subscribe. If you would like to participate or make comments, you may do so here or contact the author at: AnthonyEBaker@Hotmail.com or visit the author’s recovery and sobriety blog at Tony’s Sobriety Rack. If you or a loved one is suffering in Columbia SC with addiction issues or for further assistance with chemical dependence and addiction, please see: Columbia Treatment Centers. Additional addiction questions can be channeled through Columbia’s Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup office located at:
AA Intergroup
3014 Devine Street, Room 103
ColumbiaSC 29205
(803) 254-5301
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