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Helpful Links
Alcohol
Alcohol use, misuse, or addiction?
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Use refers to any scope of use of alcohol.
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Misuse refers to the improper or unhealthy use of alcohol to produce pleasure, alleviate stress, and/or alter or avoid reality.
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Addiction refers to substance use disorders at the severe end of the spectrum and is characterized by a person’s inability to control the impulse to use alcohol even when there are negative consequences.
Marijuana
What is marijuana?
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Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains the chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. THC is the psychotropic ingredient in marijuana, the part that produces the high.
Mental Health
What is mental health?
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Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. It can be thought of as a state of being where a person realizes his/her own abilities, is able to cope with the normal stresses of daily life, can go to work/school and be productive, and is able to make a contribution to his/her community.
Prescription Drugs
What are the most common prescription drugs being misused by teens?
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​​Opioids is a broad term used to describe any type of substance, either natural or man-made (synthetic) that binds to opioid receptors in the brain (these control pain, pleasurable, and addictive behaviors). Opioids include natural substances, such as codeine, morphine, and heroin; synthetic substances such as fentanyl and methadone; and semi-synthetic substances such as hydrocodone and oxycodone. Commonly prescribed names: Vicodin, OxyContin, Subutex, and Endone.
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Amphetamines belong to a class of drugs known as stimulants and can be used to treat conditions such as Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. These drugs work by speeding up the messages traveling between the brain and the body. Commonly prescribed names: Adderall, Dexedrine, Focalin, and Ritalin.
Protective & Risk Factors
What are Protective Factors and Risk Factors?
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Protective Factors are characteristics within the individual or conditions in the family, school or community that help someone cope successfully with life challenges. Protective factors are instrumental in healthy development; they build resiliency, skills and connections.
Risk Factors are characteristics within the individual or conditions in the family, school or community that increase the likelihood someone will engage in unhealthy behavior such as: the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, or engaging in early sexual activity.
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An Important Goal of Prevention is to change the balance between risk and protective factors so that protective factors outweigh risk factors.