Non-medical prescription drug abuse is on the rise in young people, and a new study from the University of Cincinnati could shed light on what could increase or lower the risk of such abuse. The research team, led by Keith King, professor of health promotion, focused on 54,000 students — 7th through 12th grade — … Read more
The recent changes to Colorado’s marijuana laws have made it easier for those who need pot for their ailments to get their medicine. Unfortunately, with an abundance of marijuana and easier access to it come to some unintended consequences. According to new research, there’s been a marked uptick in accidental ingestion of marijuana by children. … Read more
ANN ARBOR – As high schoolers prepare for final exams, teens nationwide may be tempted to use a “study drug” – a prescription stimulant or amphetamine – to gain an academic edge. But a new University of Michigan poll shows only one in 100 parents of teens 13-17 years old believes that their teen has … Read more
A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered a lower-court judge to reconsider her order blocking a program that would subject all state employees to random drug testing, but left little doubt that the plan would be found unconstitutional with regards to many state workers. The 61-page ruling, which left both sides declaring victory, essentially overturned … Read more
Vagaries aside, school administrators recognized they had a problem. And they’re doing something big about it. In the fall, the school will drug test all 1,200 students in seventh through 12th grade. That takes guts and resolve. Administrators knew there would be blow-back from parents and the community about student privacy and the pointlessness of … Read more
As states loosen policies toward the criminalization of marijuana, children may be more likely to accidentally ingest the drug, says a report published in JAMA Pediatrics. Researchers from the Children’s Hospital Colorado compared admissions from two periods, January 2005-September 2009 and October 2009-December 2011, which marks the state’s introduction of new legislation. In the first … Read more
Meanwhile, NTSB pushes for lower BAC limit and other alcohol-related rule changes for motorists While the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) newly released a report on actions needed to eliminate alcohol-impaired driving by motorists has naturally garnered much media attention this week, the American Trucking Assns.(ATA) is prodding the Dept. of Transportation to take action … Read more
Gov. Tom Corbett was right when he said Pennsylvania employers can’t find anybody who has passed a drug test, business leaders said Thursday. At least that’s the consensus among the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, the Pennsylvania Business Council, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business. The organizations held a … Read more
Protecting our kids is a parent’s primary responsibility. I’ve yet to meet an adult who would disagree that parents or other responsible adults are in the first position to protect, provide and care for our youth. So the question becomes, how far do we go to protect our kids — even when it may be … Read more