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Statistics show a dangerous trend in prescription drug abuse, particularly among teens. In Arizona, the local office of the DEA announced this week that Phoenix high school students abuse prescription drugs more than hard drugs like cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. Police in West Virginia announced yesterday that 75% of teens at one middle school have been exposed to prescription drug abuse. And a story earlier this week pointed out that sixty percent of Wisconsin teenagers have access to controlled substances in and around their homes and 20 percent of them have abused them to get high. Only yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to reduce the risks of illicit use of pain medication, citing a 2007 survey showing that in one month, 5.2 million Americans aged 12 or older used prescription pain meds for non-medical purposes.

Because Scientology churches around the world carry out grass roots activities to help youth make informed choices about drugs, the Church of Scientology International became aware of the serious threat prescription drug abuse presents to today’s youth and created a public service announcement to raise awareness of the problem to help reverse this trend. This edgy 1-minute video impacts teens, exposing the lie that prescription drug abuse is “safe” or “trendy” by showing its fatal consequences.

This video is one of a series of 16 public service films produced by the Church of Scientology for the non-profit Foundation for a Drug-Free World. Graphically illustrating the effects of commonly abused substances, the films also target alcohol, meth, heroin cocaine, crack, marijuana and Ecstasy, in addition to prescription drug abuse.

These films are part of a series of educational materials provided by the Foundation include booklets, posters and other teaching aids, created by the Church of Scientology for educators, youth groups and government institutions.

Last week, thousands of football fans converging on Tampa for the Super Bowl watched two of these anti-drug films throughout the weekend. These public service announcements appeared hourly alongside celebrity interviews, sports highlights, previews and local news on two super-screens (120 and 400 square feet) erected in Ybor City and Channelside Florida by the London-based outdoor broadcasting pioneer Hill Davenport.

All sixteen of these anti-drug films can be viewed on the Scientology web site at www.scientology.org.

Prescription drug abuse is becoming a major problem next only to marijuana abuse. One of the main reasons for the growth of prescription drug abuse is the easy availability of the medications over the counter from a drug store, from a doctor or through online pharmaceuticals. It is becoming easier mainly to youngsters to access narcotic medications like tranquilizers and stimulants, in which the abuse is rapidly growing. Some of the facts about prescription drug abuse are as follows-• A considerable number of people are abusing prescription drugs. According to National Institute of Drug Abuse, an estimated 48 million people (20%) who are aged 12 and above of US population have used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes or reasons.• According to SAMSHA, non-medical use of prescription-type drugs among young adults increased from 5.4 percent in 2002 to 6.4 percent in 2006. This was primarily due to an increase in the rate of pain relievers’ usage, which was 4.1 percent in 2002 and 4.9 percent in 2006.• Non-medical use of tranquilizers also increased over the 5-year period, from 1.6 in 2002 to 2.0 percent in 2006.• Teenagers and youngsters are the main sections involved in prescription drug abuse. It is found that, 15.4 percent of high school seniors reported non-medical use of at least one prescription medication within the last year (2006).• NIDA states that OxyContin use in the last year was reported by 1.8 percent of 8th-graders, 3.9 percent of 10th-graders, and 5.2 percent of 12th- graders.• Vicodin use in 2006 was reported by 2.7 percent of 8th-graders, 7.2 percent of 10th-graders, and 9.6 percent of 12th-graders, remaining stable at relatively high levels for each grade.• Friends or relatives are becoming the first reason and an easy source for the prescription drug abuse. Among persons aged 12 or older who used pain relievers non-medical reasons in the past 12 months (2006), 55.7 percent reported that the source of the drug most recently they used, was from a friend or relative for free.• Doctors are also an easy source to obtain narcotic medications. 19.1 percent of the prescription drug abusers reported they got the drug from just one doctor.The above facts clearly state that, youngsters are clearly becoming vulnerable to prescription drug abuse. All the sections of the society should take serious steps to stop prescription drug abuse from doing further damage to the community.

Atlanta’s increasing drug problem is at the top of list for parents in the area who want to save their children from addiction before it even starts. The Parent Corps is an effort developed and managed by National Families in Action (NFIA), which has been a leader in the adolescent drug-prevention movement since it was established in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1977. Narconon Arrowhead has been supporting this movement by delivering drug education lectures to students since 2000 in an attempt to educate them about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. NFIA initially helped lead the original parent movement to prevent drug use among children and adolescents, and has worked relentlessly to empower parents. At its founding, NFIA worked with Georgia legislators to ban the sale of drug paraphernalia – toys and gadgets to enhance drug use – that were being marketed to children by the illegal drug industry to promote the use of harmful, addictive drugs like marijuana, cocaine, nitrous oxide, PCP, inhalants, and other drugs. Drug paraphernalia became a watershed in the growing drug culture, helping parents see clearly that “bad parenting” was not responsible for adolescent drug use, but that other forces were driving the adolescent drug epidemic.By refusing to accept complete blame for this phenomenon any longer, parents were freed to start fighting back, and fight they did. During the next 13 years, they formed parent groups to challenge – and   change – social norms that tolerated drug use. The parent drug-prevention movement worked closely with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to raise the drinking age to 21 and reduce adolescent deaths from drunk-driving crashes. Parents also took aim at the tobacco industry, recognizing that cigarettes and smokeless tobacco were not only dangerous themselves, but along with alcohol and marijuana, serve as gateways into the illegal drug culture for young people.Groups like NFIA, Parent Corps, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Narconon Arrowhead and many others are trying desperately to change the future for our children. One of the best ways to do that is to make our world a drug free place to live. With the rising amounts of drugs being trafficked over into the US the fight for a drug free America is still going strong. The fight for a drug free world is a completely different ball game but it is all of our responsibility to help America and the world win the fight against drugs.If you or someone you love is struggling with substance abuse and are searching for drug rehab in Atlanta Georgia, call Narconon Arrowhead today. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the world’s largest and most effective inpatient drug rehabilitation and education programs with a success rate of over 70% of those who graduate. Narconon Arrowhead offers free addiction counseling, free assessments, and referrals to the residents in Atlanta Georgia. To locate an Atlanta inpatient drug rehab or find out information about drug abuse prevention contact Narconon Arrowhead by calling 1-800-468-6933 or visit our website at www.stopaddiction.com

Alcohol and drug abuse in West Virginia has become quite a problem in recent times. Modern trends indicate that there is an increase in all kinds of addiction prevailing in the state. Here we take a look at some trends:-
Alcohol Abuse in West Virginia
Alcohol addiction in West Virginia is rampant in the rural areas. Though there are several people with alcoholism problems in the cities too, the number of alcoholics in the rural areas is more. Out of the approximate 5,100 admissions that take place in rehab centers in the state each year, about 37% of the people are engaged in alcoholism. This makes alcoholism the most prominent form of addiction in the state.
Cocaine Addiction in West Virginia
Both forms of cocaine, i.e. the crack cocaine and cocaine HCl, are available in West Virginia. Crack is more common in the small towns and the villages of West Virginia, while cocaine HCl is more common in the advanced city areas. The supply of cocaine comes from areas such as Baltimore, Columbus, Detroit and Washington DC. The substance is brought into the state through illegal drug trafficking.
Heroin Addiction in West Virginia
Heroin is available considerably in various areas of West Virginia, though it is not present to as great an extent as some of the other drugs present in the state. Most of the heroin that comes into West Virginia is sourced from Pennsylvania and Maryland, especially from the cities of Philadelphia and Baltimore. Heroin is one of the strongest forms of drug addiction in West Virginia. Though only about 4% of the people who check into drug addiction treatment in West Virginia are heroin addicts, the problem is still significant because it is a very difficult kind of dependency to treat.
Methamphetamine Addiction in West Virginia
Methamphetamine is certainly one of the most popular forms of addictions in the state. There are various regions in the state that are buzzing with methamphetamine activity, especially the Panhandle area which can be considered to be the epicenter of all forms of methamphetamine activity within the state. The main source is the various meth labs that are operated in the state, run by one or two family members who use crude raw materials such as cough syrups containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine for the preparation of the substance. One of the most prominent external suppliers of West Virginia is the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, Kentucky and the country of Mexico.
Despite the various methods of meth sourcing in the state, there are also several forms of control exercised. There are numerous highway interdiction points set up in the state in order to check the inflow of methamphetamine in the state. Also, there are frequent crackdowns on meth labs on the state in order to check local production.
Ecstasy Addiction in West Virginia
Ecstasy or MDMA is a very popular club drug in West Virginia. It is used mostly in party hotspots, by youth groups, almost all over the state. However, the usage of MDMA is most rampant in the region of Morgantown. The drug, a popular rave drug, is difficult to check because it is supplied in small quantities to clandestine party spots and its distribution is quite difficult to check. Ecstasy is not classified as an addictive drug in the state but it is a serious problem nonetheless. People who consume ecstasy usually do so in binging sessions which further complicates the problem.
Marijuana Addiction in West Virginia
Marijuana is a big problem in West Virginia because it is produced locally as well as imported from other states, notably Maryland and Virginia. Another important source of marijuana addiction in West Virginia is Mexico, from where low quality marijuana is easily available. Though the usage of marijuana is not considered to be addictive in West Virginia, the usage of the substance is quite significant. Marijuana addiction is generally treated in an outpatient treatment setting within the state.
These are the main forms of drug addiction in West Virginia. Since there are different forms of addictions, there are also different kinds of treatment procedures employed in the state. There are various specialized rehab centers catering to people with different kinds of addictions. Though there are treatment centers spread across the entire state, some of the most significant centers are found in areas such as Beckley, Fairmont, Huntington, Nitro, Parkersburg and Wheeling. You can easily find a program suited to your needs with a little research on the Internet or through counseling provided by a substance abuse expert in the state.

In 2006, 16.2 million Americans age 12 and older had taken a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative for non-medical purposes at least once in the year according to SAMHSA. The drug abuse of medications is clearly growing among the other drug abused substances. Lack of awareness and easy accessibility are the main reasons for the growth of the prescription drug abuse among the various sections of the community.Prescription medications such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools, but sometimes people do not take them as directed and may become addicted. Lack of awareness and ignorance of the fact that they might get addicted or become vulnerable to side effects is the main cause of the abuse among the patients use prescribed medications.In many cases, self medication among the family members, relatives or friends of the patients leads to misuse of the medications by taking them without consulting a doctor for the treatment for their health problems.Elder people are more vulnerable for the prescription drug abuse because they are prescribed more medicines than their younger counterparts. For example, benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed to them. They are more likely to abuse when they forget the instructions given by the doctor about the usage and take them often whenever they feel they need medicines, which is a clear symptom of dependence on the abused drug.Similar to elder people, women are prescribed more medications rather than their male counterparts. They are much more likely than men to be prescribed drugs that can be abused. Prescription drug misuse/abuse among older women is a serious problem that has not received proper attention and often ignored by health professionals.When it comes to the younger people, lack of awareness about the danger involved in abusing the prescription drugs is the main reason of abuse before addiction. Many think that, as those are prescribed by the doctors, they are safe. Initially they steel prescription drugs from their family members or get through their friends or relatives.Easy accessibility is also one of the main reasons for the abuse. Younger people have many sources than any other section of people to get the desired prescription medications like vicodine, oxycotine, morphine and methadone. Friends, doctors, relatives, drug stores and online pharmacies are the most common sources for prescription drugs.Parents are less likely to talk to their children about the dangers of prescription drug abuse than they are about heroin, cocaine, crack, MDMA, marijuana, or alcohol abuse. Although the dangers of prescription drug abuse are generally understood by parents, relatively few of them discuss with their teenage children.It is clear that prescription drug abuse is becoming a serious problem for all the sections of the community. Therefore, serious steps should be taken to bring awareness about the hazards of prescription drug abuse and to stop it from spreading further.