News from the Front: 15 June 2007

I. Marlboro Goes Smokeless
Philip Morris announced a new smokeless tobacco product called “Snus.” It appears to be a new twist on a new product, the old Shoal Bandits. Visit http://tinyurl.com/2vop6q

II. Student Invents Powdered Alcohol
As if we did not have enough to deal with, an industrious high school student in the Netherlands has invented what he calls, “Booze2Go.” Read more at http://tinyurl.com/yonnhq

OP-ED: The First Drink
The national average age that a child takes a first real drink of alcohol is 12. Studies show that 65% of kids obtain their alcohol from friends or family, often receiving their first drink from a parent. Yet over 30 years of research consistently reveals that parents are the #1 prevention tool to insulate children from underage drinking. Therein lies the paradox; parents have the capacity to prevent underage drinking and delay its onset, yet often, and perhaps unknowingly, they are the instigator. A public service announcement on a billboard in Central Bucks by PAUD (Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking) provided a chilling example of this. The text on the billboard read, “The easiest place for kids to get beer is right next to the milk.”

Unknowingly, parents may accelerate the age of first drink via a lack of awareness. Easy accessibility of alcohol, as simple as beer in the refrigerator, or an unlocked liquor cabinet, may be an invitation for experimentation.

It is not uncommon for parents, believing their actions responsible, to host alcohol-laden parties for their teens, feeling that it would be safer for them to drink at home than to drink elsewhere. However, this action in itself merely proliferates a normalization of underage drinking, sending a message of acceptance and tolerance for underage drinking, not only to their own children but to their friends as well. Furnishing alcohol to minors is also illegal, hence promoting an unwitting but powerful subliminal message to youth regarding respect for the law and authority. When research reflects that kids who begin drinking before age 15 are four times as likely to become addicted, that the brain is more vulnerable to negative effects from alcohol use during the teen years (until age 21), and when 95% of adult alcoholics began drinking before age 21, it challenges the notion of underage drinking as a “rite of passage” and should inspire a rethinking of attitude and behavior.

It is critical to empower parents with their often untapped potential to prevent alcohol use among their children. They should be encouraged to continue on-going, age-appropriate dialogue about the dangers and consequences of underage alcohol use, and to recognize the indirect and most likely unintentional messages they are giving their children when they are the providers of that first drink, or even consecutive ones as well.

Melanie Swanson, M.Ed.
Prevention Specialist
Bucks County Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
252 West Swamp Road, Bailiwick Office Campus Unit 12
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone (215) 345-6644 x3123
Fax (215) 348-3377
(800) 221-6333 24 Hour Information Line
mswanson@bccadd.org

Spinning the Science

Quote
"The first drink with water, the second without water, the third like water." — Spanish maxim


Online Resources:
• Are You a Helicopter Parent? Quiz – A quiz for parents: http://www.collegeboard.com/parent_quiz/155044.html
• Related “helicopter” resources -
o How Not to Be a Helicopter Parent
o Ten Ways to Help Your Child Become Self-Reliant
o Motivating the Unmotivated Student
o Preparing for Your Child's Move to College
• Talk Back to Big Alcohol – An online message generator provided by the Marin Institute and designed to allow you to tell “big alcohol” what you think of specific ads you see. Visit http://www.marininstitute.org/talkback/index.htm
• Solutions Community Roadmap – This is a guide to action for people who want to build communities free from alcohol-related problems. Visit http://www.marininstitute.org/roadmap/index.htm

News from the Front: 1 June 2007

I. Genes and Smoking

Most of the 44.5 million American adults who smoke cigarettes would prefer not to. Why do so many would-be quitters fail, even with the help of stop-smoking interventions like nicotine replacement? Why, for that matter, do people become addicted to smoking in the first place? The answers lie partly in our genes. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/2z5b9l

II. Competence Skills Rather than Peer Pressure Linked to Teen Drug Use

Why do young people smoke cigarettes or use alcohol or other drugs? What skills do they need to avoid starting these habits? A new study by researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College shows that competence skills can reduce adolescent substance use over the long term, even when friends smoke or use alcohol. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/3bgp38

III. Dextromethorphan (DXM) Abuse

Joining other retailers and chain pharmacies, Giant Food announced yesterday that it won't sell certain types of cough medicine to customers under 18 because the products have been abused by teenagers. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/yucoo7 In a related story, cough medicine makers applaud efforts to restrict sales. See http://tinyurl.com/35rxm9

IV. Finding, Keeping Volunteers Tough for Non-Profits

Although this Jointogether.org article is geared towards non-profit organizations and their reliance on volunteers to meet their service goals, there may be lessons that higher ed can learn from the mistakes of the non-profits that can foster longevity in student volunteerism, peer ed programs, etc. Read more at http://tinyurl.com/34tflq

Quote

It is more profitable for your congressman to support the tobacco industry than your life.
Jackie Mason

Online Resources

• Alcohol Policy Information System – Useful tool when advising students about visiting friends attending college in a state other than one where they are familiar with the law. Visit http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/
• State Profiles of Underage Drinking Laws­ – Related to the resource immediately above, this site proffers information on how different states address underage drinking. Visit http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/stateprofiles/
• Study Skills Self-Help information­ – A common contributor to alcohol and other drug use is stress and a mitigating factor in stress for students is poor study skills. Bookmark this resource for use with students next fall - http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdyhlp.html
• Free 411 Info – Google has launched a new free telephone information system – 1-800-GOOG-411. To learn more, visit http://labs.google.com/goog411/
• Get Organized…finally! If you are like many busy student affairs professionals, the bane of your existence is being disorganized. I am not talking about missing appointments or terminal procrastination but rather being an amateur multi-tasker trying to “multi-task with the stars.” Check out this short, but insightful article - http://tinyurl.com/29naou
• Free Conference Calling LiveOffice FreeConferencing sets the standard for innovative and reliable conference calling. It’s quick and easy to set up and manage, and free to use anytime—there's absolutely no catch! Setup a free conference calling account now and instantly receive dial-in information with your conference call number and access code. You can invite as many as 250 attendees to your free conference call. http://freeconferencing.liveoffice.com/
• en español­ - No lo deje para mañana, deje de fumar hoy: Guía para Dejar de Fumar http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/tcrb/Spanish_Smoking_book.pdf
• Just for fun­ – This has nothing to do with prevention, unless preventing stress with laughter qualifies. Enjoy… http://youtube.com/watch?v=XiFrfeJ8dKM

News from the Front: 18 May 2007

News from the Front – 18 May 2007

3^rd Friday edition

---

STORIES

I. Simple Assessment Identifies Teens at Risk

Researchers believe a simple and brief screening measure called the adolescent risk inventory (ARI) can quickly identify the broad range of risk behaviors found among adolescents. Visit or http://tinyurl.com/2n6qgj

II. New Tools for Tracking One’s Online Presence

Okay, so you’ve read enough about MySpace and Facebook. However, this remains a topic of both interest and concern for student affairs professional. Employers, law enforcement, and other agencies checking on students by trolling such sites in search of information that may offer a clue as to a student’s character. Those conducting background searches on students have become increasingly interested in how they portray themselves in online communities. Such investigators have turned to online search engines specifically designed to troll communities like MySpace and Facebook in this quest to peak behind the formal facade presented by applicants as they seek employment. Check out YoName (http://yoname.com) and Wink (http://wink.com) to visit two such search engines. Related to the topic of student safety in online communities is this music video about a stalker using Facebook to track his female obsession. It may capture more student attention and pique concern about sharing TMI—too much information—online. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FahBBnfHAQ

III. New Listserv on Social Marketing

A new listserv is available to discuss use of strategic and operational social marketing. The purpose of the listserv is to allow engagement and participation in discussion of the application of evidence-based social marketing to bring about positive health, enhanced student learning and social change on campuses. The social marketing approach can be a major contributor to these changes with:

1) Strategic Social Marketing that a) moves leaders, decision and policy makers to embed social marketing into policy, strategy and implementation into the 'DNA' of health promotion, wellness and campus services. b) takes social marketing 'upstream' to inform both 'policy formulation' and ‘strategy development’ - see http://tinyurl.com/2bzcpu

2) Operational Social Marketing that helps practitioners conduct planned intervention processes at the implementation level with targeted and tailored social marketing to help individuals and the campus community achieve their goals.

TO JOIN go to this web page: https://mailman.csupomona.edu/mailman/listinfo/soc-mktg-he . After joining you will receive an email with instructions for sending to the list members.

IV. Help Comes in the Mail for Drinkers

Mailing a simple information pamphlet to interested drinkers in the general population reduced binge drinking by 10 per cent, and is a promising public health approach to reduce the health and social problems associated with heavy drinking, shows a new study led by the University of Alberta. To read more, visit http://tinyurl.com/2pr6r5

V. Standard Drinks and Alcohol Content

Most students who choose to drink know what they like to drink and when, and where they like to drink, but their awareness as regards how much alcohol they are consuming in a drink is suspect at best. A recent article in the Walk Street Journal presents this issue in an interesting and useful light. Visit http://tinyurl.com/36dr38

Quote

To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did. I ought to know because I've done it a thousand times. Mark Twain, attributed

Online Resources:

Counselor Audio Series – http://www.counseloraudiosource.net/archives.htm Podcasts related to counseling

Online reminder service- http://www.hassleme.co.uk/ A likely resource when using harm reduction with students

Online documentaries - http://best.online.docus.googlepages.com/ For drug related films, click “health/drugs”

APA Style sample paper – http://www.dianahacker.com/pdfs/Hacker-Shaw-APA.pdf A useful tool for budding authors.

Add free calendar to your website - http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/webbuilding/page6690.cfm

Anti-drug website for parents - http://www.theantidrug.com/news/resourcelist.aspx?id=3

Calendar Events:

·

News from the Front

STORIES

I. Many Underage Drinkers Get 1^st Drink from Parents

A new study of alcohol use in youngsters says that most kids get that first drink right at home with mom and dad. And that can lead to trouble in the long run. http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/LOCAL/704180346/-1/news or Tiny URL link (same article) http://tinyurl.com/2ybvjc

II. Anti-Drinking Ads: Give it to ‘em Straight

This is an interesting essay by Bill Piper on the efficacy of using scare tactics to prevent dangerous behavior. Visit http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/20070322124609.html

OP-ED

Alcohol and Social Networking Sites: A Dangerous Combination for Students

The phrase, “Don’t drink and dial,” has long been a part of the college student vernacular, a warning to friends to avoid making indiscriminate and ill-advised phone calls while intoxicated. With the booming popularity of social networking Web sites like Facebook and MySpace, this phrase is increasingly being replaced with, “Don’t drink and post,” which refers not only to sending embarrassing messages to others, but also to posting photos, stories, comments, and videos of risqué behavior to their online profiles. This “digital dirt” includes such behaviors as underage drinking, drinking in residence halls, drug use, sexual activities, nudity, vandalism, hazing, etc.

These drunken Internet exploits frequently result in public embarrassment, judicial sanctions, firings, break-ups, expulsions, dismissals from athletic teams, closing Greek chapters, and arrests. Screenshots of profiles or “photo albums” are sometimes saved by other students and distributed publicly, or officials will conduct searches of these sites based on tips they receive.

For example, at the California State University, Chico, two Associated Students presidential candidates removed beer pong pictures and profanity-laced text from their online profiles after the student-run newspaper published an article about the questionable content. Also, the creation of a Facebook group at Pennsylvania State University, entitled “I rushed the field,” led to the identification and punishment of more than 50 students who posted pictures themselves violating the school’s policy against the activity. Finally, after the fatal drunk-driving hit-and-run of a University of Connecticut freshman, police were able to use Facebook to link a student and her boyfriend to the incident and charge them with the death and hindering prosecution.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked consequences of drinking and posting digital dirt is being denied a job; however, the practice of conducting Internet searches on job applicants is quickly gaining popularity. According to a 2006 poll by CareerBuilder.com, 26 percent of hiring managers say they have used the Internet to perform background checks on applicants, and 12 percent say they have used social networking sites for this purpose. Sixty-three percent have decided not to hire applicants based on information found in online profiles. The top reasons employers cite for turning down applicants are lying about qualifications, poor communication skills, criminal behavior, “bad-mouthing” or revealing confidential information about former employers, alcohol or drug use, provocative or inappropriate photographs, and unprofessional screen names.

Unfortunately, students tend to assume a false sense of security regarding their social networking behavior, viewing these sites as private communities, used solely for interaction with peers. But, not only is their information public, it is also permanent, forming an enduring “digital tattoo” of student antics. Just as it is nearly impossible to permanently delete files from a computer’s hard drive, once information appears on a Web site, it cannot be completely erased. Many search engines, Web browsers, and archival sites cache copies of Web pages, keeping them available to the public long after they have been “deleted” or altered by students.

For potential employers who are not Web-savvy or do not have the time or resources to do their own detective work, help is readily available. For a fee, professional background screeners conduct investigations beyond the usual credential-, and criminal-checks on job applicants. They are increasingly performing “character references,” using specialized search engines like http://yoName.com and http://Wink.com, which were developed specifically to search social networking sites. Providers of these new Web-based background search tools continue to develop smarter, faster ways to collect the most abundant and accurate data possible about individuals, and with the rising popularity of social networking sites and students’ haphazard use of them, the incriminating information they seek will be easier still to find.

Amber Dillard

Email: adillard@edc.org

References:

CareerBuilder.com—One-in-Four Hiring Managers Have Used Internet Search Engines to Screen Job Candidates; One-in-Ten Have Used Social Networking Sites, CareerBuilder.com Survey Finds (10/26/06)

http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?id=pr331&sd=10%2f26%2f2006&ed=12%2f31%2f2006&siteid=cbpr331&sc_cmp1=cb_pr331_ or for shorter, but nondescript URL use http://tinyurl.com/34l7ds

What do you think? Send letters to the editor at chapman.phd@gmail.com

Spinning the Science

Alcohol Boosts Antioxidants in Fruit Drinks

First science informed us that alcohol is good for the heart; the antioxidants in red wine promote longevity. This was followed by research that pointed to the health benefits enjoyed by those choosing to imbibe moderately as being superior to those who abstain. Although these reports are supported by empirical evidence that underscores their veracity, some (many?) drinkers neglected to note the definition of “moderate” consumption, often buried in a section of the report subsequent to the headline or sound bite reporting on it when touting the medicinal benefits of ethanol consumption.

Now we have new scientific evidence that ethanol may be even more widely beneficial than first thought with regards to its ability to enhance life, and not only on an affective level. New research suggests that ethanol may augment the naturally occurring antioxidants found in fruit juices – see Alcohol May Make Fruit More Fruitful at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18218185/

The question remains for those engaged in the prevention of high-risk and dangerous consumption of alcohol: How do we invite the public to realize that one must read further than the headlines on such reports in order to see the “big picture,” namely that not only does one need to drink moderately to realize these benefits that sciences is documenting, but consuming in a more than moderate fashion remains detrimental to physical health…not to mention emotional, mental, legal, familial, social, and economic health as well.

Just as one would not consider consuming more than 2, perhaps 3, tablets of a favored over-the-counter pain reliever to address a headache or sore muscles because such could be dangerous, so should those looking to justify alcohol use as “medicinal” attend to dosage. However, this seems counter intuitive to many tipplers and—If we consider an article published in the last edition of News from the Front about the absence of labels regarding ingredients and dosage on alcohol containers—Is difficult to accomplish for those willing to do so.

It is incumbent upon us involved in alcohol education and prevention efforts to educate the public regarding what science is teaching us about drinking. It is also important to push for information about alcohol and its use to be included on the labels placed on containers of alcohol. Short of a concerted effort to address these dual objectives effectively, I fear that the high-risk and dangerous drinkers exposed to the latest scientific evidence will “spin the science” in order to argue against the suggestions and pleas of counselors, children, spouses, and parents advising them to cut back or quit.

Quote

Drugs have taught an entire generation of American kids the metric system.

P.J. O'Rourke

Online Resources:

· Understanding the risks associated with Facebook à A music video that makes this point: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FahBBnfHAQ&NR=1

· Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal Justice Populations -
A Research-Based Guide à Download a copy at http://www.drugabuse.gov/podat_cj/

· Stages of Readiness to Change tutorial à Easy to use/understand resource available at http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000301/1409.html

· Online resources for screening, brief intervention, referral, and treatment - http://sbirt.samhsa.gov/tools_resources/online.htm

· Information about alcohol, other drugs, and the brain - visit http://www.biotechinstitute.org/resources/OnlineResourcesLearningaboutDrugsandAlcoholthroughBiotechnology.html or http://tinyurl.com/3b9h22

· RADAR (Register of Australian Drug and Alcohol Research) search engine - http://www.radar.org.au/default.aspx

· National Beer Wholesalers Association - what's proffered on the other side of the "newsletters to the faithful" street - http://www.nbwa.org/NbwaCms/DailyNews/Index.aspx

News from the Front: 20 April 2007 edition

I. Collegiate Guides for Parents:

As the end of the academic year approaches and many schools prepare for the annual “parent-student visits” to campus over the summer, here are some resources that may be of use to the parents of the next cohort of collegians…the class of 2011

1. http://tinyurl.com/yvdogv à Alcohol and college drinking specific

2. http://tinyurl.com/2bzpbh à A very comprehensive handout. Although specific to Dickenson College, its suggestions are universal

3. http://tinyurl.com/2glhtv à Generic alcohol and college information

Generic college guides for parents:

1. http://tinyurl.com/2g6vfe à good general information on “letting go”

2. http://tinyurl.com/2zsg3h à more on letting go

3. http://tinyurl.com/27dhqj à yet another look at this important topic

4. http://tinyurl.com/ysfkum à information about the “helicopter parent” syndrome

II. Alcoholism: The Science Made Easy

A new publication from the ATTC National Office and the Research Society on Alcoholism designed for trainers and educators. Visit http://www.nattc.org/asme.html

III. Addictions Summer School in Amsterdam

The Summer Institute on Alcohol, Drugs and Addiction will be held at the International School for Humanities and Social Sciences at the Universiteit van Amsterdam from July 8- 20, 2007.

The Summer Institute offers students of various disciplines and professions a great opportunity to advance their knowledge in the field of addiction studies in an international environment. The Institute is an intensive two-week summer program that seeks to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the study of addiction and to promote opportunities for international networking among participants. For more information, visit http://www.ishss.uva.nl/addiction

IV. Consumers Push for More Labeling on Alcohol

(WCCO) While medicines and food are required to bear nutrition and ingredient labels, you're out of luck when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Some people say it's time to change that. http://wcco.com/consumer/local_story_057084746.html TIP: Create “post-it” pads with alcohol label messages and give to parents when they visit campus and suggest they place on all alcohol in their home.

Quote

Drunkenness is temporary suicide.

Bertrand Russell, in The Conquest of Happiness

Online Resources

1. Searching for images in Google? Bypass the thumbnail images and go straight to the full-size…all on one page – Visit Image Ripper at http://dearcomputer.nl/gir/
2. Boston University and Jointogether.org launch online drug screening service – Visit http://www.drugscreening.org/
3. Brief Counseling for Marijuana Dependence: A Manual for Treating Adults – To download a copy, visit http://kap.samhsa.gov/products/brochures/pdfs/bmdc.pdf
4. NIDA Drugs of Abuse Web Site – Information and materials related to most drugs of abus. Visit http://www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages.html
5. Second Life ™ - Second Life^TM, a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), is fast becoming a favorite venue for online learning, collaborating, and networking. ISTE recently built its Second Life headquarters on the newly formed EduIsland, joining 18 other educational organizations and institutions. To learn more, visit http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Membership/Member_Networking/ISTE_Second_Life.htm
6. en español - Serie de Reportes de Investigacion: Abuso de la MDMA (Extasis). Visita http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov/catalog/productDetails.aspx?ProductID=17505

Calendar Events:

BASICS WORKSHOP ON MAY 23, 2007 IN VIRGINIA

The Maryland/Virginia/DC region will sponsor a one day BASICS workshop at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 beginning at 10 AM in the Johnson Center. The training will help you learn skills that can be used to intervene with high-risk drinkers on your campus. BASICS is an evidence based technique that is effective with college students. Ms. Cecilia vanZyl, MSW, a substance abuse specialist at James Madison University will be the workshop trainer. The training is free and lunch is own your own. BASICS manuals will be available for purchase at the training. A reduced hotel rate is available at the Comfort Inn if participants seek housing. The workshop is limited to 30 individuals. Please contact Spencer Deakin, Regional Director at 301-687-4234 or Susan Stahley at George Mason at 703-993-3687 for registration or for more information.

News from the Front: 23 March 2007

Anti-Depressant Meds Affect Males & Females Differently

A new Canadian study compared the level of alcohol consumption among men and women suffering from depression. In particular, the relationship between use of antidepressants and level of alcohol intake was assessed. The study concluded that women suffering from depression consumed more alcohol than women who did not experience depression, regardless of antidepressant use. To read more visit http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/02/27/antidepressants-lower-mens-alcohol-consumption/

Stress & Alcohol Cues Appear to Target Brain Differently

Results of study suggest that independently addressing the effects of stress and alcohol cues on craving may improve an alcoholic’s chances of remaining sober. http://www.nattc.org/asme/details.asp?ID=0703d

Going Smoke-free Benefits Colleges & Universities

The Center for College Health and Safety reports, “Nationwide efforts to protect the public against the health effects of secondhand smoke have prompted college and university administrators to adopt more restrictive smoking policies. The implementation of smoke-free residence hall policies imposed little economic burden. Positive impacts were noted in several key areas, including decreased damage to residence hall buildings, increased student retention, and improved enforcement of marijuana policies.” Visit http://www2.edc.org/cchs/legacy/

Smoking is NOT good for the Complexion

A CNN report dated 19 March outlines cosmetic risks associated with smoking that may be of interest to contemporary collegiate smokers. Visit http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/03/19/smoking.skin.reut/index.html

U.S. Department of Ed Announces Call for Programs for National Meeting

The U.S. Department of Education will convene its 21st annual National Meeting on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention in Higher Education, October 18-21, 2007, at the Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Department is now inviting poster and workshop presentation proposals with specific emphasis on effective strategies and comprehensive programming. This year's National Meeting theme is Harvesting Ideas for Safe and Healthy Campuses: Effective Strategies Built on Research and Practice.

Please plan now to submit your 2007 National Meeting presentation proposal via a secure online portal at the Meeting Web site, www.higheredcenter.org/natl/2007/. The submission deadline will be Monday, May 7, for review by the Planning Committee and ultimate acceptance decision by the Department of Education.

Spinning the Science: Digital Pluralism

We all "know" how fast the world is changing, but do we have anything approaching a handle on just what this means for us as counselor educators and practitioners of prevention? We purport to be poised and ready to effectively reach out to the "digital generation" with helping services of all types, but do we truly understand what is involved in communicating with our adolescent and young adult clients/students?

I invite you to visit http://www.2007summit.ca/07post/ and click on "didyouknow" to view a very interesting PowerPoint presentation that no doubt some of you have already seen. Why I ask you to visit this again is so that you might view the slides, especially the second half of the PPT, in the context of the following questions:

1. Did the way I accessed information "in the last century" prepare me to deliver important information to my clients/students in this century?
2. Even if I am versed in the technology of the 21st century, can I keep up with those born in the digital age? And…
3. If I attempt to communicate with clients/students in "digiteese," my second language, am I fluent, i.e., can I communicate effectively, grasp the nuances of this means of communication, or do I translate my linear thinking into digiteese during the day but secretly long to read text, listen to the radio, watch TV, and speak on the phone with friends in the evening?

Although I post these questions somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the point remains, with all the questions we discuss regarding how best to approach and serve students in the 21st century, do we truly appreciate just how much our work has changed in the last decade and can we even begin to appreciate how much further this change is going to progress in the decades to come...and the implications for these changes on counseling and the prevention of high-risk student behaviors?

NFTF Guest Editorial: Annual Network Award for Outstanding Contribution

The Network once again is soliciting your nominations for its yearly Outstanding Contribution to the Field award. This award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to further the field of alcohol and other drug prevention/intervention in Higher Education. The person you are nominating does not have to work for a Network member institution, but individuals making the nominations do need to work for a member institution. The following criteria are used to evaluate each nominee:

• Displays integrity, stature, strong leadership skills, and is highly respected by his/her peers within the AOD profession.
• Exhibits distinguished achievement within the AOD prevention field.
• s a staunch advocate for campus/community collaboration serving as a catalyst for changing the manner in which institutions of higher education and their communities/systems address alcohol and other drug prevention.
• Has made a contribution(s) to the AOD prevention field that moved it in a new direction.
• Exhibits qualities and values that are consistent with the mission of The Network.

Please visit the Network's web page www.thenetwork.ws and click on the

Award link found under "What's New" section. The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 20. 2007

Interesting/Useful Resources Online

Several of these tips come courtesy of the Schoolcounselor.com Newsletter, issue #78 - http://www.schoolcounselor.com/NEWSLETTER/newsletter78.htm

o Addiction Messenger – Latest edition with the lead story, Methamphetamine Part I: The Facts. Visit http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/addiction/publications/addiction-messenger/meth-facts.pdf

o Problem Gambling – Brief overview of the problem and links for additional information. Visit http://www.ireta.org/attc/elinks/march07.html

o Must See (Youtube) TV – This is a collection of videos posted on Youtube.com that you may find useful, perhaps even inspirational. One, the video on children learn what they are taught, is quite provocative, but can likely spark some interesting discussion in a college classroom. Visit http://www.schoolcounselor.com/videos/

o Using Data – This is an interesting collection of tools designed to help educators accurately and effectively employ data in their professional endeavors. Visit http://www.ncrel.org/datause/

o Free (basic version) Online Newsletter Generator - http://letterpop.com/

o Online Scheduling Software – Do you struggle with schedules for peer educators, student organizations, or other “scheduling challenges”? Check out this free online tool. Visit http://rotaboard.com/account/login

o Subscribe to the NEATTC Addiction Messenger - can subscribe to the Addiction Messenger (AM )(at no cost) either by emailing me (bryanm@ohsu.edu) or by going to our website at www.nfattc.org (just click on the AM button on the left sidebar of our homepage)

o Drugs, Brains, & Behavior: The Science of Addiction – New NIDA manual available at http://www.drugabuse.gov/scienceofaddiction/

­

Información sobre las Drogas de Abuso más Comunes y Temas Relacionados http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDAEspanol.html

Quotes Suggesting an Answer to, “Why the Love Affair with Alcohol?”

Alcohol removes inhibitions - like that scared little mouse who got drunk and shook his whiskers and shouted: "Now bring on that damn cat!"

Eleanor Early quotes

Dates to Remember

· Visit the AODWIKI calendar - http://aodwiki.org/index.php/AOD_Event_Calendar

· News and Events in the field: http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDANews.html

HOLD THE DATES

To stay abreast of health-related events for the coming year visit http://www.healthfinder.gov/library/nho/nho.asp, the National Health Observance calendar at http://tinyurl.com/dp3zm For other calendar events, visit http://aodwiki.org/index.php/AOD_Event_Calendar

Editor & Contact Information

News From the Front is edited by Robert J. Chapman, PhD. Suggestions for articles, news items, and online resources are always welcomed. To submit to NFTF, send email to chapman.phd@gmail.com For more information on The Network, visit http://www.thenetwork.ws

News from the Front

Good Decisions Begin with Accurate Information 13 March 2007

News from the Front is the biweekly newsletter published by The Network: Addressing collegiate alcohol and other drug issues.

Lowering Alcohol Tax Leads to Rise in Alcohol Related Death

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, National Research Institute of Legal Policy and The Finnish Foundation for Alcohol Studies, Finland, have found that cutting excise duty on retail sales of alcohol can have immediate repercussions on a nation’s health. When this was done in Finland in 2004, the rate of alcohol-related sudden deaths rose by 17%, or 8 deaths per week, according to a study published in the March issue of ADDICTION.

http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/medicine_health/report-79634.html

Alcohol-related Death among Young Brits on the Rise

Drink-related deaths among 15 to 34-year-olds have increased by almost 60 per cent since 1991. The Office for National Statistics (ONS), which published the figures yesterday, said 198 men and 89 women in this age group died from alcohol poisoning or cirrhosis of the liver in 2004. Read more at http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2296832.ecehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6390663.stm This has prompted what many in this country would decry as an unconstitutional proposal…to ban all alcohol ads from TV. Read BBC story at

Is Racial Profiling Ever Beneficial?

A study has found that African-American and Hispanic adults have twice the odds of reporting receiving counseling about alcohol use from a physician, compared with white adults. What causes this disparity in counseling is not known, but this may be a rare instance of minority populations receiving better and more appropriate health care than the majority. This begs the question, can good can result from a bad practice? Read more at http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/527548/

Practical Skills Training to Curb High-Risk Collegiate Drinking

---

A Swedish study suggests that alcohol interventions that teach practical skills work best with high-risk university students

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/ace-ait021507.php

Spinning the Science: Students Suggesting their Problems are Ours.

Have you ever worked with a student who was unable to complete a project on time, was about to miss a deadline, or was unable to otherwise follow through with an obligation? If you have not, please send me future job announcements for positions at your school as I would love to work with students devoid of the character defects of procrastination and poor time management…if not poor judgment. In any event, I write to pass along a trick shared with me by a colleague when I was working in an AOD program where I would frequently see mandated students. Occasionally, these students would come in saying that they had to see me “that day” because they had to have their AOD assessment completed before the end of business. I would explain that we did not do single session assessments and suggest that the student go to the judicial officer on campus and request an extension. With some degree of regularity the student would tell me that s/he had already done than…last semester…and “today is the last day of the extended period…you have to help me out here.” It was then that I would smile, to myself of course, and look the student dead in the eyes and share what my colleague had taught me semesters before, “A failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.” The school of hard knocks may have easy to meet entrance requirements, but its curriculum is tough and the final exam can sometimes be a real eye-opener!

NFTF Guest Editorial: Sending Judges the NIAAA Tiers of Effectiveness

I think it somewhat naive that a judge is going to wade through even a short NIAAA brochure that arrives from someone that they do not know and then change how they operate. What we have done in Pitt County is build relationships. As the faculty co-chair of my university’s task force, I was invited to join the regional council on alcohol and drugs, Eastern North Carolina Council on Substance Abuse, and began an interaction with service providers from different public and private AOD treatment centers in the region. The council then decided to create a county coalition. The chair of the council, the county mental health medical director, had the moxy to invite the County Sheriff, the Greenville Chief of Police, the DA, the city manager, the county manager, the director of United Way, the president of the board for the soup kitchen, a rep. from the African-American ministers association, etc (free breakfast at 7:30 a.m. helped). After a year of monthly meetings, the coalition picked six issues to explore through a county wide forum. At the forum, with about 100 people incl. 3 judges, the list was narrowed to two: interventions at the middle school level and a drug court. One of the judges and one of the defense atty. present joined with the DA to start the process. Interesting note, the District Court judge who took this on has the highest rating from CourtWatch and MADD for all of the county District Court judges.

Meantime, the chair of the council met with the judges at one of their regular meetings and presented data that I and others had collected and then evidence-based interventions that had been tied in with the judicial system. We are 4 years in with the coalition. Between the coalition directly and organizations that are participating with the coalition, over $1 million in grant money from the Feds and the State have been secured for our activities. Out of the grant money we pay for a full-time executive director and a part-time assistant. When we present to county and regional boards, we go in with a high level of credibility because we are already backed by the DA, the Sheriff and the city (it doesn’t hurt that the mayor used to be my son’s Little League coach).

It takes time and steady effort. The chair ENCCSA has been persistent and relentless in his quiet unassuming way. I am sure all of the NFTF readers have time for a once monthly regional council meeting and a once monthly coalition meeting, and then monthly meetings for the working sub-groups to which they gladly volunteer. But, that is the way to effect change. When the Sheriff and the DA said they wanted a drug court, I about slid out of my chair and under the table—they had been listening to us after all!

Remember, all that stuff about stage of readiness to change applies to the judge who your are trying to convince to do things differently. You are attempting to change his or her behavioral patterns just as much as you are when you work with an alcohol or drug dependent person. The same rules apply.

Brian A. McMillen, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology & Toxicology

Brody School of Medicine
East Carolina University

Interesting/Useful Resources Online

o Online CBT Course for Counselors - The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has funded the New England Research Institutes (NERI), Addiction Technology Transfer Center of New England (ATTC-NE) and the Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) to design, develop, and test an interactive web course to teach the principles and skills of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The web course is based on many sources including NIDA's treatment manual on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. This study includes an 8-module web course as well as audio taping of counselor-client sessions and other data collection. To learn more, visit http://www.teachcbt.com/

o HEC Publishes Winter Edition of Catalyst – Visit http://www.higheredcenter.org/pubs/catalyst/

o Alcohol Ads on TV Up and More Youth are Seeing Them - http://camy.org/press/release.php?ReleaseID=38

o International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (formerly PIRE) podcasts - http://www.iiaaonline.org/podcasts.php In particular, The Partnerships Between Public Health Organizations and Representatives Groups of the Alcohol Industry. Interview with Bill Georges, Senior Vice President of the Century Council - January 24, 2007

o Audacity - Unique but essential (for some)
If you’re interested in recording your own podcast (or just want to make your own voice recordings for whatever reason), Audacity and a microphone are pretty much all you need to get the job done. I’m not much for podcasting (let’s just say I don’t have a radio voice), but I use Audacity for other voice recording purposes.
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

o Filezilla - Replaces WinFTP
Many people occasionally have a need to FTP files to other computers; if you ever have the need to transfer files in such a fashion, FileZilla will do the job slickly and quickly. http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/

Quotes Suggesting an Answer to “Why the Love Affair with Alcohol?”

One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time.

Lady Astor

Dates to Remember

· Send your calendar events to NFTF – chapman.phd@gmail.com

· Visit the AODWIKI calendar - http://aodwiki.org/index.php/AOD_Event_Calendar

HOLD THE DATES

To stay abreast of health-related events for the coming year visit http://www.healthfinder.gov/library/nho/nho.asp, the National Health Observance calendar at http://tinyurl.com/dp3zm For other calendar events, visit http://aodwiki.org/index.php/AOD_Event_Calendar

Editor & Contact Information

News From the Front is edited by Robert J. Chapman, PhD. Suggestions for articles, news items, and online resources are always welcomed. To submit to NFTF, send email to chapman.phd@gmail.com For more information on The Network, visit http://www.thenetwork.ws