Saturday, May 11, 2013
May 11
Psalm 59:9Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.
The young man sat quietly in the courtroom. He trembled as he waited
for the hearing to begin. He had never been to court before. His parents
had rarely even taken him into town. The Amish kept pretty much to
themselves. He was being asked to fight in an army that he did not
believe in, and that was something he could not do. They would ask him
all kinds of hard questions, but all he knew was that war and killing
were wrong, and he would have no part of it, even if it meant sitting in
a jail for the rest of his life. They would want excuses, but all he
could say was no. God was his only defense. Nothing more was needed.
Prayer: People do not always understand why I feel the
way I do or believe the things I do. Help me to accept that, Father.
Help me to be secure in my faith. Let me be an example of faith in a
world full of doubt. Amen.
Own Your Own Copy of this Devotional
Pregnant Teens in Substance Abuse Treatment Face Many Challenges
Pregnant teens, who are more likely than pregnant adults to
face medical issues, face a host of additional challenges if they are
also being treated for substance abuse, a new government report finds.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA) found pregnant teens being treated for substance abuse were
three times more likely than other female teens in treatment to receive
public assistance as their main source of income—15 percent versus 5.3
percent). The report
also found 74 percent of non-pregnant female teens in treatment who
were not working were students, compared with just 44.2 percent of
pregnant teens treated for substance abuse.
Half of pregnant teens in treatment used drugs or alcohol in the month before they started treatment, HealthDay
reports. Almost one-fifth used drugs or alcohol daily during that
month. The report notes that when mothers use drugs during pregnancy,
their babies can show signs of addiction at birth. Long-term effects of a
mother’s prenatal drug use have been observed in children at 6 years of
age.
Marijuana was the most commonly used substance among female teens in
treatment programs. The report found 73 percent of pregnant teens and 70
percent of non-pregnant teens used the drug. Pregnant teens were twice
as likely to use methamphetamines and amphetamines, compared with other
female teens—17 percent versus 8 percent.
Overall, pregnant teens make up about 4 percent of the 57,000 females
ages 12 to 19 admitted to substance abuse treatment programs annually,
according to SAMHSA.
“Pregnant teens entering treatment face difficult challenges, but the
good news is that treatment is a very positive step in helping them
regain their lives and generate new hope for themselves and their
children,” SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said in a news release.
Heroin Addiction Takes Toll in Suburban New Jersey
New Jersey officials report a rise in heroin addiction,
drug-related crime and deaths among young people in suburbs. Many became
addicted to prescription painkillers, and switched to heroin because it
is cheaper, potent and widely available, according to The Record of Woodland Park.
The growth of heroin use among young people in the suburbs is being seen nationwide.
According to the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the
number of people who were past-year heroin users in 2011 (620,000) was
higher than the number in 2007 (373,000).
New Jersey is a center of heroin use in part because of its ports and
highways, which are conduits for South American heroin, the article
notes. Heroin found on New Jersey streets today is at least five times
more pure than it was several decades ago, law enforcement officials
say. The increased potency leads to quicker addiction, they add.
“Heroin is much more commonplace than it’s been in years,” Ellen
Elias, Director of the Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources in
Hackensack, told the newspaper. “We see it all around. It seems like the
population in which heroin is most prevalent is that 18- to 25-year-old
population.”
Police in Bergen County, in northern New Jersey, report increases in
shoplifting, home invasions, burglaries and armed robberies, by people
addicted to heroin who are seeking money to buy drugs.
Last week, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed into law
a measure that encourages people to report drug overdoses. The law
allows people to call 911 to report a drug overdose, without the fear of
getting arrested for drug possession themselves.
Commentary: National Prevention Week 2013 Is May 12-18: Participate and Make a Difference in Your Community!
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) second annual National Prevention Week
begins on Sunday, May 12. This national health observance, which
continues through May 18, aims to increase public awareness of, and
action around, substance abuse and mental health issues. This year’s
theme – Your voice. Your choice. Make a difference. – emphasizes that
the choices we make each day are important and have a real effect on our
health and the well-being of our families and communities. Each day of
National Prevention Week 2013 has a unique focus to recognize states’
and communities’ prevention efforts and highlight multiple facets of
behavioral health:
May 12: Prevention and Cessation of Tobacco Use
May 13: Prevention of Underage Drinking
May 14: Prevention of Prescription Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Use
May 15: Prevention of Alcohol Abuse
May 16: Suicide Prevention
May 17: Promotion of Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Well-being
May 18: (Communities identify an issue of their choice)
May 13: Prevention of Underage Drinking
May 14: Prevention of Prescription Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Use
May 15: Prevention of Alcohol Abuse
May 16: Suicide Prevention
May 17: Promotion of Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Well-being
May 18: (Communities identify an issue of their choice)
Our nation’s states and communities provide many evidence-based
programs and strategies promoting mental and emotional well-being and
preventing substance abuse. SAMHSA applauds their excellent work in
showing that prevention works. As a result of states’ and communities’
concerted prevention efforts, important progress has been made in many
areas, such as in the decline of underage binge and heavy drinking rates
between 2002 and 20111. However, much work remains to be done.
• The adverse health effects from cigarette smoking and exposure to
tobacco smoke account for an estimated 443,000 deaths, or nearly one of
every five deaths each year.2
• One quarter of young people between the age of 12 and 20 currently
drink alcohol, and an estimated 6 million participated in binge drinking
at least once in the last 30 days.3
• Approximately 23 million Americans aged 12 or older, or roughly 9
percent of the population in this age group, are current illicit drug
users.4 This includes individuals who use illicit drugs, as
well as the approximately 6 million people who report that they
currently use prescription drugs for nonmedical purposes.5
• Each year, suicide accounts for more than 38,000 deaths in the
United States, and in 2011, it was the 10th leading cause of death.6
• An estimated 1 in 5 people aged 18 or older had a mental illness in the past year.7
National Prevention Week 2013 offers a way for everyone to voice
their support for prevention and take action to make a difference in
their communities. One way to get involved is to take the Prevention Pledge and share it with colleagues, family and friends. Another way is to participate in a National Prevention Week event in your community or a community near you. Individuals also can take part in the National Prevention Week “I Choose” Project.
Snap a photo of yourself or a friend with a sign saying why you choose
prevention, and then send it to SAMHSA for posting in our photo gallery.
Be a part of National Prevention Week 2013, and use your voice and
positive choices to champion healthy living year-round.
Frances M. HardingDirector
SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
1Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Results from the 2011
National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings.
NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD:
SAMHSA. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k11Results/NSDUHresults2011.htm.
2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
3Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k11Results/NSDUHresults2011.htm.
4Ibid.
5Ibid.
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2011. (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 61, No. 6: October 10, 2012). Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_06.pdf.
7Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings. NSDUH Series H-45, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4725. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k11MH_FindingsandDetTables/2K11MHFR/NSDUHmhfr2011.htm.
2U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2004.
3Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings. NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD: SAMHSA. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k11Results/NSDUHresults2011.htm.
4Ibid.
5Ibid.
6Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2012). Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2011. (National Vital Statistics Report, Vol. 61, No. 6: October 10, 2012). Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr61/nvsr61_06.pdf.
7Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2012). Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Mental Health Findings. NSDUH Series H-45, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4725. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.samhsa.gov/data/NSDUH/2k11MH_FindingsandDetTables/2K11MHFR/NSDUHmhfr2011.htm.
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