By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
ssoldan@mihomepaper.com
As school ends and summer approaches, students will have a lot more free time on their hands, leaving more time to make destructive decisions.
“They’re isolated because they’re home alone,” said Courtney McClerren, executive director of the Brandon Prevention Coalition. “Paired with boredom, not having anything to do to keep them busy.”
McClerren said it is important to speak to youth about the dangers of alcohol and drug use, as well as to keep medication, alcohol and drugs locked away.
“Studies are showing that kids are getting vape products and alcohol and even potentially prescription drugs within their homes or within the homes of family members,” she said. “That is why it is becoming more important to properly dispose of prescription drugs, keeping the current and active-use drugs properly stored and locked away. That also goes for marijuana. It’s a legal product now in Michigan, so keeping that properly stored and locked in lockable storage. Use tamper-proof stickers for alcohol.”
She also encourages being open and honest with youth about the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
“Not just from the standpoint of addiction, but also from a standpoint of the harmful affects it has on your body growing, learning, being active,” she said. “But also talking to youth about how to make healthy choices and why healthy choices are important. If there’s a family history of addiction, be honest, be open, and create a space where the child feels like you can have that conversation without judgement. The most important thing is to be able to help them where they’re at. Obviously in all of that, be age appropriate.”
Alcohol can affect the liver, kidneys, mental capacitiy and the ability to focus and concentrate. All drugs and alcohol can also affect abilities as a student athlete.
“If you are involved in sports, they can all have negative affects on your abilities as an athlete,” she said. “Vaping can also include things like popcorn lung. There’s not enough regulation in place on vape cartridges, so you don’t always know what’s in a vape cartridge. If you don’t know where you’re getting it from, you could be inhaling any number of carcinogens and other harmful chemicals.”
As far as marijuana use, McClerren explained that it can cause developmental issues in the brain.
“Your frontal cortex is not fully developed until you’re 25,” she said. “So using marijuana before that can cause developmental issues in the frontal cortex and can also lead to higher rates of addiction because the frontal cortex is not fully developed.”
She said another method of prevention is to keep youth busy over the summer.
“Enrolling kids in sports, summer camps, day camps, working together with other families and taking turns hosting the kids,” she said. “Keeping them active.”
Parents who suspect their student might be using drugs or alcohol can also look for changes in behavior, changes in the way they dress, abrupt changes in friends, and a teen suddenly spending a lot of time alone.
“I would recommend getting in touch with the caseworker if you suspect your child is using drugs or alcohol,” she said. “The caseworker can get referrals directly from parents to get the intervention resources. And hold youth accountable and ensure the root cause is addressed, not just the symptoms.”
While youth may look for a variety of prescription drugs in the house, common ones are any opioids or high-strength pain relieving drugs, mood altering medications, such as those for anxiety and depression, or attention altering medication, such as ADHD medication.
She recommends disposing of expired or old drugs, and going through your medicine cabinet once a year.
“Find dates for local take-back days, which will usually be held by the Coalition in partnership with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “Those are free days to dispose of prescription medications. You can also contact your local coalition for Deterra packets, which allow you to safely dispose of unused medications. It is not recommended to flush them, and it’s also not really safe to just throw them in the garbage.”
For drug prevention resources, contacted the Brandon Prevention Coalition at brandonpreventioncoalition@gmail.com.
Find more resources and information on mental health and wellness from Brandon Groveland Youth Assistance the first Saturday of each month in The Citizen Newspaper.