News & Information

Mother warns of deadly street drug that killed son The mother of a 23-year-old man says a single dose of a deadly street drug killed her son. Bev Robertson's son Adam died after injecting Fentanyl last April. Robertson is sharing her story about the drug in the hopes that other parents »Read more Party drug blamed for teens' deaths Sixteen-year-old Kayla Lalonde of Vancouver died in hospital after she was found lying on Rumble Street in south Burnaby just before 1 a.m. A few hours later, her friend Martha Jackson Hernandez, 17, died several kilometres away in a Richmond hospital. »Read more PROVINCE TARGETS YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, SMOKING, UNHEALTHY EATING WITH TOUGH NEW MEASURES Manitoba will introduce some of the toughest penalties in the country for those who facilitate and participate in underage drinking, along with new tools aimed at reducing youth drug abuse, smoking and unhealthy eating, Healthy Living, »Read more Teen pot smokers at high risk of mental illness NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Young people who use marijuana (cannabis) are at increased risk of suffering hallucinations, delusions or other reality-distorting "psychoses." And the more time that's passed since first use, the higher the risk. »Read more Treating Teens: Ten Important Questions to Ask a Treatment Program A guide designed to help parents, teachers, judges, counselors and other concerned adults make better choices about teen substance abuse treatment. To order the 60-page Treating Teens publication, which includes practical resources for parents... »Read more Underage drinking 'is bigger problem for white middle class families' Underage drinking is most common among white middle-class families and liberal parenting attitudes are to blame, a government report has warned. It found white children are five times as likely to have been drunk as those from ethnic minorities - »Read more Beginning to drink in teen years raises alcohol risks later on: study NEW YORK -- While research has linked moderate drinking to better heart health, a new study suggests that those benefits disappear when drinkers add the occasional binge to the mix. Pooling data from 14 previous studies of moderate drinkers, »Read more Less sleep linked to higher drug use Teens who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are more likely to use illegal drugs, according to a study released Sunday. The research also found a link between a lack of sleep and the likelihood of illegal drug use, which can spread through teens' net »Read more Teens turning from cocaine to ketamine: police The animal painkiller ketamine is replacing cocaine as a street drug of choice among teens, according to Hamilton police. Typically sold as a white powder in small vials of about a gram, the drug, also known as Special K, looks like cocaine but costs a th »Read more Every parent and child should hear this message “After presentation, 94% of students said they'd never take crystal meth.” As Mark McLaughlin places bottles of Drano, antifreeze, brake fluid, acetone, camping fuel, rat poison and paint remover on a table, his audience is filled with growing horror. »Read more Violence Linked to Who Kids Play With, Not What They Play We found that depressed mood and association with delinquent peers were the strongest and most consistent risk factors for youth violence across outcome measures. Parents’ use of verbal cruelty in domestic relationships and the child’s antisocial per »Read more 11 POINTS FOR PARENTS TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN Substance abuse is a preventable problem. We, as parents, are much more powerful than we think. Upsetting us is the number one reason why kids do not use drugs, and kids who learn about drug risks from parents are only half as likely to start using. »Read more

Valued Links & Resources

Helping youth stay drug-free The Council on Drug Abuse turns 40 this year, and it has plenty to celebrate. Starting out small, and sometimes without staff, it has spent more than four decades playing a vital role in educating school children about the dangers of forms of drug abuse »Read more Making Decisions Series Equipping Students, Teachers & Parents A curriculum-based program for Grades 4 through 9 that delivers the drug prevention message through teaching life skills. GREAT FOR HOME SCHOOLING AS WELL! Parents, get the edge for your children, this is for you too. »Read more Alcohol-Drug Education Service – A must read for kids, parents and schools. Keeping kids safe is what this group is all about! This site offers the real goods about understanding, prevention & protection; what parents can really do to keep their kids safe! Learn to talk to your kids about drugs! »Read more The Right to resist - Quick tips on resisting pressure Sometimes resisting isn’t easy, but you can do it with practice and a little know-how. Keep trying, even if you don’t get it right at first. To get started, check out Quick Tips. »Read more Time to Talk It is a surprise to many parents that they are the most powerful influence in a child’s life — greater than peers, popular music, television, celebrities and the media! Our research shows that kids who consistently learn about the risks of drugs from »Read more