Do a search online for facts regarding the negative and positive attributes of e-cigarettes and regular tobacco cigarettes. Depending on the website, you can find varying information. Given that there are billions upon billions of dollars associated with the sale of cigarettes, the tobacco industry has spent equally as much over the last 50 years or so, defending the benign qualities of cigarettes, initially, and then continued marketing even after the dangers were common household discussions. If electronic cigarettes become a popular substitute for traditional cigarettes, that industry could potentially become very lucrative as well. It is always advisable to do extensive research when seeking information on any topic but, one should always take into account the motive, if any, of the information provider. In doing research for this article, we were mindful of our efforts in obtaining information from sources that do not have a monetary stake in the argument or an emotional one.
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Author: Jenner Kosmis
Good News!!!
Tobacco kills, no matter if it’s in a cigarette, a cigar, a snuff can or a roll-your-own. The “Good News”— About 6% of adolescents age 12 to 17 smoked cigarettes in 2012-2013, down from nearly 13% in 2002-2003, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This is a significant decrease and is good news to say the least. These encouraging statistics apply to 49 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia. The only state that did not experience a statistically significant decline is Utah, which has traditionally shown the lowest levels of underage cigarette smoking in the nation. During this period, Utah experienced a slight decline from about 6.6 percent in 2003 to 5.4 percent in 2013.
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National Survey on Drug Use and Health
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual nationwide survey involving interviews with approximately 70,000 randomly selected individuals aged 12 and older. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which funds NSDUH, is an agency of the U.S. Public Health Service in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
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Palcohol—Powdered Alcohol
Mark Phillips, a successful entrepreneur and avid outdoorsman, is the creator of a product called Palcohol, a powdered alcohol product that mixes with water to produce an alcohol drink. Palcohol is sold in small packets and equals about one shot of alcohol. According to Palcohol’s official website, the powder was created because Phillips wanted a drink after a long day of hiking or camping, but hated carrying bottles with him.
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Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a type of impulse control disorder characterized by the compulsive urge to pull out one’s own hair. People with trichotillomania pull hair out at the root from places like the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or pubic area. Some people pull large handfuls of hair while others pull one strand at a time. The scalp is the most common pulling site, followed by the eyebrows, eyelashes, face, arms, and legs.
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New Emerging Designer Drugs—Flakka and Budder
Law enforcement in the southern part of Florida have sounded the alarm that new synthetic drugs are hitting the street. Despite a concentrated government crackdown on fake marijuana, bath salts and other designer drugs, the emergence of Flakka and Budder signify that “supply and demand” is very much alive. Both are relatively inexpensive and are being used in e-cigarettes.
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Self-Injury
It’s a perplexing phenomenon with many names: self-injury, self-harm, self-mutilation, self-inflicted violence, self-cutting, and self-abuse, to name a few. Family members, friends, supporters – even many professionals – struggle to understand why people self harm and find the behavior disturbing and puzzling. The practice is not limited to teens. Self-harm in adults also takes place and is not unusual.
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Choosing An Early Learning Program
Children learn best when they have proper health and nutrition, a safe and stable family and home life, and activities that stimulate creativity and curiosity. Quality early learning and child development can open the doors of opportunity for every child to do well in school, in the workforce, and in life. When you choose a quality child care/early learning or afterschool program, you can feel confident that your child is safe and secure while you are at school or work. Your child is more likely to be ready for kindergarten, do well in school, graduate high school and go to college.
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Summer Camp—A Learning Experience
When people think of camp, they think—Fun! But the benefits of our children attending summer camp is so much more than just having fun. What’s really important is the value of the experience and what children learn. It teaches you how to be a good citizen and how to be successful in life. Very strong and lasting lessons about how to be a contributing member of a community are made at camp. You can interview people 20 years after they have gone to camp and they will tell you about their experience at camp with great clarity.
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The Legal and Social Issues Surrounding Marijuana
The arguments surrounding the legalization of marijuana have been on-going for many years. Advocates for legalization began petitioning the Federal Government in 2002. Equally, anti-legalization groups met those arguments and petitions with a resounding NO. However, it would appear that just like prohibition, marijuana will be following the suit of alcohol use and sales.
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Focused on Quality Care
As required by §286.25, Fla. State., if the Network Service Provider is a non-governmental organization which sponsors a program financed wholly or in part by state funds, including any funds obtained through this contract, it shall, in publicizing, advertising, or describing the sponsorship of the program state: “Sponsored by LSF Health Systems, and State of Florida, Department of Children and Families.”