Teenage Pregnancy

Teenage pregnancy rates have been decreasing but research shows that it is not because teens are engaging in less sex. Teenagers are using more types of prevention such as condoms or birth control. Although, overall teenage pregnancy has declined there are still groups that are considered high risk. These high risk teenagers include those who drink, smoke, fight, and have other signs of risky behaviors. A study conducted by Cavazos-Rehg, shows that teens who are at risk for one pregnancy are also at risk for multiple pregnancies during these years. The study also reported that around 750,000 teenagers become pregnant each year in the United States alone, 8% of males reporting that they impregnated their partner and 13% of females reporting that they had experienced pregnancy. Those teenagers who are high risk are more likely to have more sexual partners, less likely to use contraception and more likely to experience STDs.

Now that we all know some of the facts about teenage pregnancy, what are we doing to prevent it? I know that when I was in middle and high school, they only preached abstinence at my school. These programs aimed at education because "inadequate knowledge leads to unsafe practices." Some schools offer abstinence-plus education. This education preaches abstinence but acknowledges that teens may have sex and if they decide to do that, they teach contraception. When teenagers become parents at such a young age, a number of other problems follow as well. Teenage mothers are less likely to stay with and marry their babies father and this increases school dropout and poverty rates. Also, if a teenager continues to use drugs and alcohol during pregnancy or does not have the right nutrition, the child suffers. I'm sure you all have heard of Maci Bookout, teen mom featured on MTVs hit series Teen Mom. Here is an article on her view on contraception education and what she wishes would have been different.

Do all of you think that it is important to preach abstinence, abstinence-plus education or some other type of education that you have heard of?

D.A.R.E

As I am sitting here trying to think of a good subject to blog about, it hit me. I have been talking about alcohol, but alcohol is not the only drug of choice for teenagers. Not by far. Everywhere I go I see trends rising with marijuana smoking and the use prescription drugs (along with others). Then I began thinking of the places teenagers who are hooked on these kind of drugs go. I began looking up rehabs and therapies that are offered and what kinds of things that are offered that have the most impact. But wait, why does it have to go that far, why are our kids getting so far down the road of drug abuse that they must go to rehab to be "fixed?" I thought back to when I was being taught about drugs and how old I was when I started getting lectured. Elementary school. That was the answer. We were all sitting in our little individual desks and a police officer came in,  I remember his name to this day (I don't know the spelling). It was my favorite part of the week, the D.A.R.E program. Now the question is, does D.A.R.E really work? 

The Drug Abuse Resistance Education Program (D.A.R.E) is offered to k-12 in Virginia and aims at preventing substance abuse within its youth and into adolescence. The program focuses on has lessons on avoiding peer pressure, improving self-esteem, the dangers associated with using, alternatives, and teaches decision making skills and interpersonal skills. It also teaches healthy alternatives to drug use. Overall research has shown that D.A.R.E has had an effect. Those who received the D.A.R.E program reported less use of drugs and alcohol in their high school years, they also reported higher abilities to say no to peer pressure and greater self-esteem. Another benefit of D.A.R.E that research has shown is better attitudes toward police officers. But now some schools want to drop D.A.R.E for other programs such as the Parents as Educators program (PAE). This program has parents working alongside their children to do activities and exercises. This program  also has a lot of the same effects that D.A.R.E has but may be used because of the cost efficiency. Using D.A.R.E police officers are put through a 2 week training course and those schools who can't afford it, do not use it. Also, they claim that once the officer is done at a school the teachers are left with no curriculum to answer questions. PAE is used with the assumption that parents will show up in the evenings to go through material with the school and their children. Both programs have their benefits and drawbacks but both aim at educating the youth.

What do you all think? D.A.R.E or PAE?

The Life of a DD

Have you ever called upon a friend to come pick you up after a night of partying? Have you even been that friend who was called upon to be a sober ride?

Designated drivers (DD) are defined the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)(2009) as a , "drinking-age adults who agree not to drink any alcoholic beverages and to safely transport anyone else home." Recently I was looking around the internet for programs offered that try and reduce the amount of intoxicated drivers on the road.  NHTSA has a website through AAA DUI Justice Link that lists all of the programs available and I never realized how many there actually were. Right here in Fairfax there is a company called Driver's incorporated. This company comes to you and drives you and your car to your final destination. There is not worry about taxi fares, getting your car back in the morning, and especially no chance of a legal situation involving drunk driving. There are gift certificates available through their website and it is a good option for worried parents to ensure their children's safety. A recent article in Self Magazine, shows results of a research study showing that 1 in 5 designated drivers are impaired. It's not worth the risk when there is a safe alternative. 

In October a girl, Erin, from Massachusetts was suspended from her school for driving a drunk friend home. She was punished for doing the right thing because when the school found out about the party, they claimed she broke zero-tolerance policy even though she was sober and did not attend the party except to be the DD. Many parents tell their children they are there if the situation arises but most kids will not call, they rather rely on a friend. Alcohol is responsible for 4,700 deaths of those underage annually. In my opinion we should not be discouraging our responsible youth. She saved lives that night and was a good friend. Even her mom was proud of her and filed a lawsuit against the school for her daughter to fight the ruling. Erin is an honor student and something unfair like this on her record can limit her opportunities for future education. A alumni of her high school, Matt Holland, set up a fund for her to raise $1,000 toward her cause. The case went to court and the judge ruled that the court did not have jurisdiction in this case and Erin was thus punished. Erin is a  friend I hope that everyone has or everyone is. I hope that when she starts applying for colleges, they look at this for what it really is and give her all the opportunities she deserves. 

Tis The Season

It's that time of year again. The weather is getting cold, the parties are getting better and drinking is getting heavy. How many times have you logged onto a social network this weekend and seen recent uploads from Halloween? I know I have. I have seen pictures with a ton of shot glasses, wine glasses, beer bottles, red cups, and lets not forget the faces of all our friends who got "trashed" in their costumes. I can't deny that I went out to a Halloween party, had a couple of drinks, but maybe I was different from some of your friends because I made sure I was safe. There are plenty more holidays coming up such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve. All opportunities to drink and reconnect with friends because of extra days off from work and school. Deaths on holidays increase tremendously because people don't practice healthy drinking behaviors. Just know there are ways to have fun and be safe on these holidays. If you consume alcohol appropriately you won't have to face the many consequences that are bound to follow. Drinking irresponsibly puts you and everyone around you in danger.

Here are some tips to be safe this holiday season:

1.Plan ahead, find yourself a designated driver or an alternative way home. Never drink and drive a car.

2.Know your limit. Also, it helps to set a limit before you begin.

3. Eat while you drink. Avoid drinking on an empty stomach.

4. Be well hydrated.

5. Choose your drinks and alternate them with non-alcoholic drinks. 

6.Never let a stranger pour or give you a drink. Don't leave your drink unattended.

7. Travel in pairs.

8. Carry protection on you. Ladies, you too!

9. Check with your doctor before drinking while on prescription drugs.

10.Try to avoid drinking games.

These tips will help ensure a safe night and a safe way to get home. Many other situations out of your control can arise so just make sure to use your best judgement so you and your friends are safe. Know the warning signs of alcohol poisoning and never leave a friend who is passed out from intoxication alone, call 911. You might just think they need to sleep it off but come morning they may never wake up. Also, never buy anyone under 21 alcohol to party on the holidays. There are many other ways to have fun besides drinking. 

Now its your turn. What tips do you use when drinking to keep yourself safe? 

Underage Alcohol Consumption

In the United States it illegal to possess alcohol before the age of 21. If this is the law, why is 11.4% of all alcohol consumed by those who are underage?  The use of alcohol is now seen to be used in individuals under 12 years of age. Some teenagers will experiment with drugs and stop. Others will continue and become dependent on them, leading to the use of harder and more dangerous drugs.  Those starting drugs at an early age have a higher rate of negative health effects. These health effects can be related to addiction, lost potential, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases from unprotected sex, pregnancy, violence, suicide, and accidents that cause early death. Statistics for teens who drink and drive are ridiculous. Not only are they putting themselves in danger, they are putting their friends and even strangers in danger as well. The Century Council is a non-profit organization who is a national leader in the fight against underage drinking and underage drinking and driving. Their research shows that in Virginia in 2011, 26.6 underage driving fatalities were alcohol related. Teenagers who use drugs are also more likely to face legal problems and incarceration. 173 teenagers under the age of 18 were arrested in 2011 for underage drinking and driving.1,840 were arrested for violating liquor laws and 203 were arrested for drunkenness.
Now it is important to note that teenagers who have parents who talk to them about drugs are less likely to try and use drugs. Parents of teenagers need to make sure that their children are comfortable talking to them about drugs. They also need to know that if they do get themselves in a bad situation, they always have a sober ride. Parents need to set a good example for their teens and make it clear what is acceptable behavior and what is not.

Are you drug free?