In the St. Louis region more people are using heroin, and more are dying because of it. According to the National Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NCADA), St. Louis County has seen a 90 percentage increase in heroin related deaths since 2007; in 2014 heroin killed 400 people. In 2015 St. Anthony’s Medical Center saw four heroin overdoses in less than an hour in Jefferson County. With hundreds of people in the St. Louis region dying each year from heroin overdoses and abuse rising amongst young people in this region, what can we do to change this big problem?
An energy drink is a beverage that contains caffeine and other ingredients. Energy drinks are classified as a dietary supplement. Because of this, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not monitor what ingredients go into energy drinks.
People often think that prescription and over-the-counter drugs are safe, but that is only the case when they are taken exactly as prescribed and for the purpose intended by the doctor. When abused, these drugs can be addictive and put abusers at risk for overdose and other negative health effects.
Many teens have heard the health risks associated with abusing drugs, but what if they still think marijuana is safe? Studies have found that when teens think a drug is harmful, they are less likely to abuse it. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse says perceived harm and disapproval of marijuana use has decreased among youth.