Energy Drinks Associated with Heavy Drinking and Alcohol Dependence

New research suggests that consumption of highly caffeinated energy drinks is associated with risks of heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. The study is published by Dr. Amelia M. Arria, PhD, (director of the Center on Young Adult Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health,) in the 2010 November issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

To read an article with more details from the study click here.

The research showed that users who drank energy drinks frequently were more likely to drink alcohol more frequently and in higher quantities than youth who didn't consume energy drinks regularly.

They also found that high-frequency energy drink users were at a significantly greater risk for alcohol dependence compared with nonusers.

Dr. Arria state that "Energy drinks could make alcohol more reinforcing, so that you drink more, and then you have more problems, and then you have more craving for alcohol."

"It's important for clinicians to recognize that energy drinks are now part of a mix of substances that are routinely consumed by adolescent and young adult populations, so they should have a greater awareness and vigilance that these drinks may be contributing to some symptoms, such as palpitations and anxiety, that they may be seeing in this age group."

Recovery Day was a Success!

Thanks to everyone who came and helped with the booth at recovery day. We had close to 300 people come by to receive information on substance abuse in our area, and we promoted the Drug Drop boxes as well as the website.

And Pastor Jimi had a ball launching Tees with the T-Shirt Canyon! Again, thanks to all the coalition members who manned the booth!

Awareness Parades

The coalition has participated in 4 parades already this year. Thanks to all of you who have come out and supported us in walking with the banners, handing out information to attendees, and promoting the website!

Tobacco Products Appeal to Kids...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36564107
This article on MSNBC brings attention to the new smokeless tobacco products and their appeal to kids. The article mentions that "Nicotine-laced pellets, strips and sticks that dissolve completely in the user’s mouth — dubbed 'tobacco candy' by critics — have joined chewing tobacco and snuff to become the second-most common cause of unintentional tobacco ingestion in kids younger than 6."

The article points out that "Between 2006 and 2008, nearly 1,800 U.S. youngsters — almost 600 a year —accidentally consumed smokeless tobacco products, according to an analysis of 13,705 tobacco-related reports to the nation’s poison control centers."

Click here to view the entire article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36564107

Upcoming Electronic Seminars

The UNDERAGE DRINKING ENFORCEMENT TRAINING CENTER will be holding two webinars, one in April and one in May, on Underage Drinking. To register, go to http://www.udetc.org/ and click on "National Electronic Seminars".


Webinar will be held on April 22, 1:00pm - 2:15pm

Parties on Wheels: Responding to the Enforcement Challenges of "Booze Buses"

In some college communities "booze buses" sponsored by alcohol establishments corral underage drinkers from college dorms taking them to and from the downtown bars under the thin guise of a "safe ride" program. Elsewhere, buses, aided by viral marketing, pick up high school and college age youth in suburban parking lots to take them to certain downtown bars where they will be served. This seminar will teach how police and community coalitions are working together to enforce underage drinking laws and handle the challenges that "booze buses" pose.

Webinar will be held April 22 from 1:00 - 2:15pm

2010 ID Update: What's in Your Wallet?

Many people under the age of 21 continue to look to commercial sources of alcohol as their preferred option to acquire alcohol or as a place to socialize with over 21 friends. To get to these sources many rely on misrepresenting their actual age by the use of fraudulent identification.

So how can retailers and law enforcement keep up with this problem? Does your agency have the right tools to make evaluations of authenticity? What do community members, coalitions, and law enforcement need to know to address fraudulent identification?

Lt. Jim Wilson and Investigator Wilochoski will demonstrate some of the changes and additions adopted by many states and governmental entities as they produce these documents, and discuss some of the tools available and needed to properly recognize many of the new security features.

To register, go to http://www.udetc.org/ and click on "National Electronic Seminars".

The awnings are here!

We used some of the Capacity Building monies, as well as the community donations, to purchase these. Now we can really stand out at the community events, and continue promoting the coalition and the website.

Rx Drug Abuse Puts Many Utahn's in a Deadly Spiral.

Coalition Members,

Click HERE for Rx Drug Article

Dan Riding forwarded this article from KSL, posted yesterday, March 22nd. I encourage all to read through it. (Thanks Dan!) The key points of the article include:

• Of the 278 Utahns who died of Rx Drug Overdose from Oct. 2008 to Oct. 2009, 83% suffered from chronic or ongoing pain, 78% were between the ages of 25 and 54, and 49% had received treatment for prescription drug abuse.
• His sister Samantha stated, "...We didn't want to accept the fact that he was doing drugs. We were enabling him... I think if we had recognized it earlier..."
• His mother said, "It can happen to anybody in any family. It's better to go overboard a little in saying 'You get in and get help.' You just don't stop. You have to keep after them."

Click HERE to read the article

Thanks to Marybeth for creating this logo, and all those who voted on it. It's official... this is the Coalitions Logo!