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Teens don’t just drink. They drink to excess. More than 7 percent of eighth graders, 16 percent of sophomores, and 23 percent of seniors report recent binge drinking (5+ drinks on the same occasion). Statistics show that the majority of current teen drinkers got drunk in the previous month. That includes 50 percent of the Read Full Entry »

There is no shortage of teens suffering from substance abuse issues across the globe. According to the partnership at Drug Free, 39 percent of high school students had drunk alcohol in the past month, 10 percent had used ecstasy in the past year, and 38 percent had used marijuana in the past year. Drug abuse Read Full Entry »

October is Bullying Prevention Month and National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, a busy and important time for prevention efforts. On the surface, bullying and youth substance use may seem like separate problems. However, from research, we know that youth who use substances are at risk for other problem behaviors during their teen years. In fact, Read Full Entry »

Exposure to good parenting protects kids even if the parents aren’t their own, suggests a new study that looked at how a friend’s parents influence an adolescent’s substance abuse. Teens in the study who had friends whose mothers were authoritative (warm, but still in charge) were significantly less likely to drink, smoke cigarettes, or use Read Full Entry »

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, offered some insights as to why at the National Drug Summit in April.

A recent article from the New York Times highlights the long-term effects of teen marijuana abuse from a study published in the journal Proceeding of the National Academies of science. The study showed that as they approach their 40th birthday, adults who smoked marijuana as teens often faced a higher likelihood of shearing off IQ Read Full Entry »

Vista Academy is a residential adolescent treatment center designed for teen boys age 17-26. The program focuses on the specific struggles teens go through that involve drug and alcohol abuse. Our goal is to help teens get their life back on track and show them how to live a normal life with getting high. Personal Read Full Entry »

A surprising number of parents believe that early exposure to alcohol will discourage children from drinking in adolescence and help prevent alcohol abuse later on, according to a new study from the RTI International and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The study, which was published this week in the Archives of Pediatrics Read Full Entry »

Vista Academy, substance abuse treatment program, has created a platform for teens across the country to get treatment for their substance abuse issues while continue their education in a safe and sober environment. The Sober High School program, located in Woodland Hills, California, is a residential treatment center that allows for teens to finish high Read Full Entry »

Where IQ falls short in furthering our health and happiness, research suggests emotional intelligence could pick up the slack. Defined, in part, as the capacity to identify and regulate one’s emotions, emotional intelligence improves our interactions with others and equips us with the skills to navigate a changing world. It is also a protective force Read Full Entry »