News & Events
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CAREER OPPORTUNITY - MANAGER
The National Council on Substance Abuse is seeking to recruit a Manager to lead the agency in the attainment of its objectives.
Articles
Safe & Unsafe
Thursday, 27 August 2009 07:46
Most parents are aware that drugs such as alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and cocaine can have a negative effect on the body. But what about everyday products found in your home such as bleach, glue and paint? Did you know that these items, while not drugs, could be abused by sniffing them? This is referred to as inhalant abuse, which is the deliberate inhaling or sniffing of common products found in the home or at school to obtain a high.
As part of the National Council on Substance Abuse’s (NCSA) ongoing efforts to promote healthy, drug free lives, primary school children across the island are taught how to differentiate between harmful and healthy substances that they could put in their mouths. Developed by Drug Education Officer Wendy Greenidge, the program, called “Safe and Unsafe”, explores the dangers of everyday household products. Over 1300 Infants B children aged 6-7, are given the opportunity to demonstrate their decision-making skills by identifying and evaluating a variety of objects. They probe the areas of inhalants, alcohol, tobacco and the appropriate use of medication and are encouraged to read labels and to recognise DANGER and CAUTION signs & symbols to help them determine measures of safety.
The programme incorporates visual and tactile learning aides and is well received by the children and their teachers. Students are asked to name things that were good for the body and to list things that were okay to put into their mouths. The children are encouraged to place the safe and unsafe items into their respective bags and explain to their classmates why they made that choice. This helps to reinforce that not everything is suitable to consume or sniff.
Parents can reduce the likelihood of their children abusing household items by first talking with them about the dangers of misusing these products. In addition, parents should prevent the easy and unsupervised use of the following most commonly abused items: spray paint, marking pens, adhesives, glue, liquid paper and nail polish remover.
Persons who abuse and misuse products other than for what they were designed run the risk of severe damage to the brain, kidneys, heart and liver and in some instances, death. Users may become nauseated, forgetful, suffer from blurred vision and temporarily lose control over their limbs. In more severe case, sniffing related deaths have resulted in cardiac arrest with the victim experiencing rapid but uneven heart rhythms. This results in a heart attack and in some instances, death. Even first time users can die from inhalant abuse.
Signs of inhalant abuse:
- Unusual breath or chemical odour on clothing
- Signs of paint or other products where they are not normally kept
- Nausea and / or loss of appetite
- Constantly smelling clothing or sleeves
Talk to your children about the correct way to use common household products such as bleach and markers. You can make it fun activity as described in the “Safe & Unsafe” program. Call the NCSA on 429-6272 for further information and assistance.
Parenting Today’s Teenager
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:46
If you have a teenager in your life, you’ve probably done your share of worrying about the potential risks out there such as alcohol, tobacco or illicit drug use, dangerous driving and sexual activity.
You may also be worried that you’re no longer the most influential force in your child’s life. Teenagers face a host of challenges and changes in their lives and like to act as if they alone can deal with them. But the reality is that they need (and secretly want) your help and guidance. In fact, now that you have a teenager, your job as a parent isn’t done, it’s just different.
Helping Children Choose the Right Friends
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:44
As parents, we often worry about how much influence our children’s friends have on them. However research suggests that most youth don’t feel overt pressure from their peers to use alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs. Young people report that the pressure to do drugs, smoke or drink comes more from wanting to be accepted, wanting to belong and wanting to be noticed. In other words, youth drug use often has more to do with the need for peer acceptance rather than an inability to “just say no” to their peers.
Parents – the Anti-Drug
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:41
If you as a parent could do one thing this term that would help your children succeed in school, live a healthier life and develop to his or her fullest potential, would you do it? If you answered “yes,” then talk with your children about alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. Find out what they know. Explain to them that using these substances can interfere with studying and can cause their school work to suffer by affecting memory and learning skills. Describe the harmful health effects of substances. Let them know how these substances can cause problems in relationships and among friends and tear families apart.
Monitoring Your Teens
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:37
Normal 0 false false false EN-CARRIBEAN X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Children can’t always be counted on to do the right thing. Just think back to your own teenage years. Many of us made choices that make us cringe today, and we’re thankful that we escaped serious harm. Those experiences should be a potent reminder that it’s always good to trust your teens but also to verify what they’ve told you. This is where monitoring comes in.
Guiding Your Teen
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:35
Expectations and rules provide support and structure for young people dealing with new situations and challenges. Expectations help to define the broad standards of behavior you expect from your teen. For example, parents expect their teens to make responsible decisions. Rules bring these expectations to life, such as requiring your teenager to be home by a certain hour. Rules and their consequences provide a concrete way to help children understand your expectations and learn self-control.
The Teenage Years
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:32
Parents of children 13-17 years old sometimes find it difficult to tell the difference between the signs of substance abuse and “typical” teenage behavior. If there is no reason to suspect drinking or drug use, do not assume that it is occurring. Not all adolescents drink or use drugs.
Link between Drug Use & HIV/AIDS
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:28
What is HIV/AIDS?
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is a disease of the immune system for which there is treatment, but no cure at the present time. The virus (HIV) and the disease it causes (AIDS) are often linked and referred to as "HIV/AIDS."
HIV can be transferred among people if an infected person's blood or other bodily fluid comes in contact with the blood, broken skin, or mucous membranes of an uninfected person. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy, delivery and breastfeeding.
MARIJUANA AND ACADEMIC S-U-C-C-E-S-S
Saturday, 07 February 2009 12:24
As teenagers go through secondary school and prepare for college, they are at an increased risk for drug use and drinking. At this critical time in their academic lives, parents need to emphasize to their children how smoking marijuana can threaten their academic success. Parents can make the grade in keeping their kids drug-free by following the S-U-C-C-E-S-S tips below: