Teens' herbal product use associated with illicit substance use
Public release date: 23-Mar-2006
University of Rochester Medical Center
> Teens' herbal product use associated with illicit substance use
> Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study to be published March 23 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.<
----------There is an important lesson here. The admonition to more deeply consider what we are telling teens about herbal remedies is valid. Teens are smarter than adults (my opinion). They tend to care less whether something is all-natural or not, only that it works. That they are told it is "safe" is the dangerous lure to many an addiction.
The study suggests that teen attitudes about taking anything for any reason influences whether they are more likely to take illicit drugs. Maybe, if I feel like the caffeine in a can a Coke will help me get through Study Hall, I'm more likely to think 6 cans of RockStar will help when I have to study past midnight. That might lead me to think a hit of speed will help me do better during the test the next day. Perhaps you can substitute Coke and RockStar with any number of designer supplements with "rejuvenating" or "peakperformance" claims.
In all, don't tell your (or anyone elses) kids that it's okay to take something, herbal or otherwise, to get them through the day. Sit down and watch the Bugs Bunny - Michael Jordan movie then talk to them about the inferred need to take something to improve yourself. Talk about alternative choices like sleep, diet and exercise (study or practice), or even a humble prayer to God, instead of taking something.
If only we could all learn 2 of life's most important lessons: Every choice has consequences, and you never get something for nothing.
dras
BTW: Typical of health information in news reports, the "news" in this study is presented first and foremost. The correlation that herbal remedy use leads to illicit drug use is inferred but remains purely speculative, even based on this study: "This was a cross-sectional study that examines an association, not a causal link."
University of Rochester Medical Center
> Teens' herbal product use associated with illicit substance use
> Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study to be published March 23 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.<
----------There is an important lesson here. The admonition to more deeply consider what we are telling teens about herbal remedies is valid. Teens are smarter than adults (my opinion). They tend to care less whether something is all-natural or not, only that it works. That they are told it is "safe" is the dangerous lure to many an addiction.
The study suggests that teen attitudes about taking anything for any reason influences whether they are more likely to take illicit drugs. Maybe, if I feel like the caffeine in a can a Coke will help me get through Study Hall, I'm more likely to think 6 cans of RockStar will help when I have to study past midnight. That might lead me to think a hit of speed will help me do better during the test the next day. Perhaps you can substitute Coke and RockStar with any number of designer supplements with "rejuvenating" or "peakperformance" claims.
In all, don't tell your (or anyone elses) kids that it's okay to take something, herbal or otherwise, to get them through the day. Sit down and watch the Bugs Bunny - Michael Jordan movie then talk to them about the inferred need to take something to improve yourself. Talk about alternative choices like sleep, diet and exercise (study or practice), or even a humble prayer to God, instead of taking something.
If only we could all learn 2 of life's most important lessons: Every choice has consequences, and you never get something for nothing.
dras
BTW: Typical of health information in news reports, the "news" in this study is presented first and foremost. The correlation that herbal remedy use leads to illicit drug use is inferred but remains purely speculative, even based on this study: "This was a cross-sectional study that examines an association, not a causal link."
posted by nawledge at
9:43 PM
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