Study Finds Link Between School Bullies and Substance Use

By Join Together Staff | March 9, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol, Drugs, Research & Youth

Students who bully their classmates are more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana, compared with their peers who aren’t bullies, a new study suggests.

“Our findings suggest that one deviant behavior may be related to another,” lead author Kisha Radliff of Ohio State University said in a news release. “For example, youth who bully others might be more likely to also try substance use. The reverse could also be true in that youth who use substances might be more likely to bully others.”

Newswise reports the researchers did not find as strong a link between bullying victims and substance use.

The researchers reviewed a survey of almost 75,000 students, which included questions on bullying and substance use. The survey found bullying was more common among middle school students than among high school students, and that substance use was more common among high schoolers.

Only 1.6 percent of middle school students not involved in bullying reported marijuana use, compared with 11.4 percent of bullies. Among high school students, 13.3 percent who were not involved in bullying used marijuana, compared with 31.7 percent of bullies. The study found similar results for alcohol and cigarettes.

“Many schools are mandating anti-bullying programs and policies, and we think they need to take this opportunity to address other forms of deviant behavior, such as substance use,” Radliff said. “If we can intervene with bullies while they’re in middle school, we may be able to help them before they start experimenting with substance use.”

The study appears in Addictive Behaviors.

Medicare to Cover Alcohol Screenings and Behavioral Counseling

© Big Grey Mare

Medicare will extend coverage, at no additional cost, to provide screening services for depression and for alcohol abuse disorders and to provide behavioral counseling to Seniors with alcohol abuse problems.


by John Lee Google+ Twitter Facebook


Seniors with Medicare are now eligible for increased substance abuse and mental health services, in most cases at no extra cost.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced an extension of coverage of Medicare services. Seniors with Medicare can now receive:
An annual alcohol abuse screening in a primary care setting, such as in a doctor’s office

4 sessions of behavioral alcohol abuse counseling upon an alcohol abuse screening which indicates a possible problem with substance abuse

An annual screening for depression in any primary care facility which has the resources to provide support or referrals to appropriate services


Commenting on the new coverage, Donald M. Berwick, MD of CMS said, “Preventive services bring relief to Medicare beneficiaries for whom preventive care means early identification of disease and greater opportunity for treatment and recovery. It’s just as important for our elderly beneficiaries to enjoy access to preventive services as it is for any American.”
Read more: Medicare to Cover Alcohol Screenings and Behavioral Counseling

Alcohol in Movies May Influence Teens’ Drinking Habits, Study Suggests

By Join Together Staff | March 7, 2012 | 3 Comments | Filed in Alcohol,Marketing And Media, Research & Youth

The amount of drinking children and teens see in movies may influence their own drinking habits, suggests a new study conducted in six European nations.

Researchers gave surveys to more than 16,000 students, ages 10 to 19, in Germany, Iceland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Scotland. They were asked to check off which of 50 movies that were popular in their country they had seen. For each movie, the researchers counted how many times characters were shown drinking alcohol, according to Reuters. At least 86 percent of the movies had at least one drinking scene.

The researchers compared the students’ exposure to alcohol in the movies with how many of them reported ever engaging in binge drinking (having five or more drinks on a single occasion). Twenty-seven percent of the students reported binge drinking at least once, they reported in Pediatrics.

The study found an association between viewing on-screen drinking and students’ own drinking behavior. Between 10 to 20 percent of students who viewed the least on-screen drinking had binged themselves, compared with 40 percent who had seen the most on-screen drinking.

It is not known whether the students started binge drinking before or after they saw the movies, the researchers point out. They did take into account other factors, such as the students’ risk-taking behavior, their academic record, and how much their friends and family drank.

Study author Reiner Hanewinkel, PhD, told Reuters that teenagers “have seen at least thousands of impressions of smoking and drinking, so it shapes their attitude that these kinds of behavior are adult-like behavior. It makes the alcohol drinking look cool and sexy and so-on.”

12 STEPPING TO RECOVERY DAILY THOUGHT 3-9-12

STEP 1
       I have come to realize that step one is not a one time thing.Some folks work the steps and they think that's it I'm good.Step one for me has to be taken everyday the moment I open my eyes and before starting the day.Surrender yourself to JESUS ask HIM for his guidance love and peace as you begin your day .If we are left to our own vices and not under his divine guidance we will or at least I will make all the wrong choices.I lived my life at least thirty years of it without his guidance and because of it I made a mess.Surrendering to Him is not a magic recipe or fix all and life will still throw you a curve ball but it is sure comforting to know that you don't have to face life's troubles alone.This is why step one is so important we cant go it alone. My favorite book (bible) tells us HE is the counselor comforter and friend what more do we need not only that, because of the sin of our addiction we have been separated from GOD and we can only get right with GOD Thur JESUS. Make step one a must before opening your eyes and exiting the bed.I DARE YOU TO TALK TO JESUS AND INVITE HIM IN TO YOUR LIFE!

FDA Warns Maker of Inhalable Caffeine Product Over False or Misleading Labeling

By Join Together Staff | March 7, 2012 | Leave a comment | Filed in Alcohol,Government, Marketing And Media, Prevention & Youth


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning letter Tuesday to the maker of the inhalable caffeine product AeroShot Pure Energy, stating its labeling is false or misleading.

The FDA says the company, Breathable Foods Inc., labeled the product as both inhaled and ingestible. “The company’s labeling is false or misleading because these two claims contradict each other,” the FDA said in a statement. The agency added that “caffeine is not normally inhaled into the lungs and the safety of doing so has not been well studied.”

Aeroshot, introduced earlier this year in the United States as a calorie-free breathable energy product, delivers caffeine through a gray and yellow device that resembles a cross between a lipstick and a shotgun shell, Reuters reports. The caffeine is mixed with B vitamins and delivered in a fine powder that dissolves in the mouth. One AeroShot contains about the same amount of caffeine as a large cup of coffee, according to the article.

The FDA notes the product’s label has conflicting statements about whether it is appropriate for those under 18. The agency says some videos on the company’s website appear to encourage people to use AeroShot in combination with alcohol. The agency asked Breathable Foods to correct the violations, and to provide more information on research.

In reponse to the FDA letter, AeroShot issued a statement that said, “We plan to work closely with the FDA to meet their requests for information and labeling changes to ensure compliance with dietary supplement requirements. AeroShot delivers a mix of B vitamins and caffeine to the mouth for ingestion and is not ‘inhaled’ into the lungs. AeroShot is not recommended or marketed to persons under 18 or for use with alcohol.”

In December, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer urged the FDA to review the safety and legality of Aeroshot. “This stern warning is the clearest indication yet that AeroShot needs to be taken off the market until these concerns can be addressed and the product’s safety can be confirmed,” Senator Schumer said in a statement.

Recover Wear

Hilarious AA Apparel

Posted on January 4, 2012 by recoverwearcom in Uncategorized


Welcome to Recoverwear, the home of your next sobrietee-themed impulse purchase! Check out our first edition t-shirts below! If you’re in the Pittsburgh, PA area, leave a note with your order and we’ll sort out free delivery. www.recover-wear.com
www.recover-wear.com
4 Comments • Continue Reading →