Kids With ADHD at Higher Risk of Drug Abuse

Did you know that children with ADHD are three times more likely to both try and become addicted to such harmful substances as nicotine, cocaine and marijuana?

Clinical Phycology Review published results of a study conducted by psychologists at UCLA and the University of South Carolina-Columbia with findings that kids with ADHD are 1.5 times more likely to experiment with marijuana than those without ADHD. Furthermore, common treatments for ADHD are the use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall, Dexedrine and Ritalin. These prescription stimulants are highly addictive drugs. If your child with ADHD is more likely to abuse marijuana and other addictive drugs, are they also at a higher risk of misusing their prescription stimulants?

The first step in preventing drug addiction is understanding the dangers of drug use, even if the drug is prescribed by a certified physician.

See all the details in the full article here.


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But All the Cool Kids Are Doing It...

There are many reasons people fall into the nicotine trap, besides the fact that tobacco companies place ads in unavoidable places and spoon feed society the perks in lighting up. What is commonly overlooked (and quite shockingly if you ask us) are the severe health risks and opened doors associated with cigarettes.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Healthcare, in 2009, 70 million Americans, aged 12 or older, used a tobacco product at least once in the month prior to the survey. Aged 12 or older!! Isn’t the legal age to purchase tobacco products 18? And of those 70 million people, how many actually know what nicotine does to the human body?

Furthermore, studies published in the International Journal of Addiction and the British Journal of Addiction note that tobacco is the kind of gateway drug that leads to the use of other addictive drugs, but also more likely to increase in use.

For an in depth rundown on the negative health effects and addictive drug correlation from nicotine use, see full post here


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