The Lexington-Richland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council recently held a training session to educate schools, law enforcement and legal officials of the recent drug and alcohol trends among teens. The session covered topics including the recent marketing trends of drugs and alcohol and the larger use of synthetic drugs being used by teens.
In recent years there have been a change the drugs and alcohols marketed and used among teenagers. There has been a growth in the use of synthetic drugs, particularly the use of Adderall, a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This drug has only recently become available to treat those with ADHD and has become a largely abused drug among teens and college students to aide in their studying. It is important for adults to become aware of the issue of abuse with that drug as it is a situation that was not in occurrence years ago.
The marketing of alcohol has also greatly changed in recent years and has made products more appealing to a younger consumer. Alcohol beverages are now being marketed with energy drinks and often times cheaper than the latter. Some areas are beginning the ban the selling of alcoholic energy drinks, such as Four Lokos, which contain caffeine equivalent to four cups of coffee and alcohol equivalent to six beers all within one can.
Educating those in authority of the newest trends with drugs and alcohol allows them to better regulate and understand what teens are encountering in their lives. Without this education, leaders will not be appropriately prepared to handle the negative results of drug and alcohol abuse.
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