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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2007)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS Ask Raven Raven will answer your questions about problems associated with alco hol, tobacco, and other drugs. You can call in your questions to the numbers below or mail them to: Raven P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Dear Raven: Are hallucinative mushrooms dangerous? People are always talking about doing “shrooms” and I hear from other kids that they’re safe because they’re “natural,” but I also heard of some people getting hurt. What can they really do to you? C onfused Dear Confused: It’s good you wrote to me about this and I am glad to tell you what you are asking. The mush rooms you write about are considered psychedelic mushrooms. The active ingredient in them is called psilocybin. Its chemical structure is similar to LSD. Some are very strong and others weak, so it’s hard to know how strong they are just by looking at them. When these mushrooms are eaten, the psilocybin crosses the blood-brain barrier. They usually cause nausea at first and eventually people will experi ence changes in sight, hearing, taste, touch - and the person is not in con trol of his or her behavior. When we are not in control of our behavior, we can end up in unsafe situ ations very easily. The biggest danger to eating mushrooms is that many look alike and it can be easy to mistake these for poisonous ones that can cause death or permanent liver damage. There are tribal cultures whose medicine people use these mushrooms in their ceremonies. They never use them outside of their ceremonies or with out the guidance of a medicine person. That is another strong message to us that “shrooming” is very dangerous. Thank you for writing. The next time you hear people talking about mushrooms being safe, please remind them that even though mushrooms do grow wild in our forests, many plants are not meant to be eaten. Your ancestors knew what Native foods could be harvested and they did not eat these mushrcMims for g(x>d reasons. Raven Prevention News Reducing Underage Drinking: What Every Parent Can Do How parents can help in our homes: • • • • • A Word About Role Modeling It’s easy to think that kids don't watch what we do. But statistics tell us that parents and their behavior have a huge impact on kids. Prevention, Outpatient Treatment, and Women’s Transitional Siletz: 1-800-600-5599 or 541-444-8286 Eugene: 541-484-4234 Salem: 503-390-9494 Portland: 503-238-1512 • Siletz News • A Guide for Good Role Modeling . June 2007 Zero Drinks Lowest Risk Women No more than I stan dard drink a day Men No more than 2 standard drinks a day • • A parent(s) or significant adult who is actively involved Adults who regularly support posi tive lifestyle choices and activities A sense of responsibility to others Teens and Alcohol The Facts Youth access to alcohol is a serious problem. The consequences are unhealthy, unsafe, and even life threatening. Narcotics Anonymous Meetings Monday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. Atonement Lutheran Church 2315 N Coast Highway (101) Newport Tuesday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. TLC - A&D Building 565 Old River Road Siletz Tuesday - 8-9 p.m. St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church 1226 SW 13,h St. Lincoln City Poor academic performance, inju ries, traffic crashes, accidents, assaults, date rape, addiction, teen pregnancy, and death from alcohol poisoning are all associated with underage drinking. There is no single solution. But adults and youth working together can have a dramatic impact in reducing the risks. Who is drinking? • • Thursday - 8-9 p.m. St. Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church 1226 SW 13,h St. Lincoln City Friday - 7:30-8:30 p.m. Atonement Lutheran Church 2315 N Coast Highway (101) Newport Saturday - 6-7 p.m. Siletz VFW 143 SE Eggbert St. Siletz Toll-Free Help Line - 1-877-233-4287 The average age when youth say they first tried alcohol is 12.8 years 61 percent of high school seniors say they consumed alcohol in the last 30 days. Where Do They Get Alcohol? • ------ Teens are at reduced risk for alco hol problems when they have: • Siletz Tribal A&D Programs 8 Make sure your kids know what you expect regarding underage alcohol use. Set rules with clear conse quences. Discuss and agree on them and follow through consistently. Refuse to supply alcohol to under age youth in your home or on your property. Supplying alcohol is an invitation for young people to drink illegally. Teen alcohol use is not a rite of passage into adulthood. In fact, alcohol has kept too many teens from becoming adults. Make sure that alcohol is not avail able at the other events your teen will attend. Talk to other parents and party hosts to ensure alcohol-free cel ebrations. Be proactive: If parents stand together on this issue, they will present a united front for teens. Think about where alcohol is kept in your home and how much alcohol you have on hand. Remember, almost 75 percent of seventh-graders who drink alcohol obtain it from their par ents (with or without their knowledge). Create opportunities and activities in your home so your kids and their friends feel welcome. Think about upcoming family get- togethers and social events. Are there situations where alcohol can be elimi nated? Discuss it as a family. Make a decision on what’s best for everyone, not necessarily on what’s always been done. If you choose to drink alcohol, fol low the guidelines in the chart. They represent a model for low-risk drink ing behavior. The key is to limit your alcohol intake so that you do not put yourself or others at risk. • • • Nearly 90 percent of l0,h-graders and 75 percent of eighth-graders say alcohol is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to get. Almost 75 percent of seventh-graders who drink alcohol obtain it from their parents (with or without their knowledge). About 65 percent of the students who drink buy their own alcoholic beverages. Teen-agers often find someone older to buy it, use fake ID and purchase it themselves, steal it from stores, or take it from their own homes. Information provided by: • SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administra- tion) and NIAAA (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) • “Monitoring the Future Study” National Institute on Drug Abuse • “Drinking Habits, Access, Atti tudes, and Knowledge: A National Survey from the Surgeon General, “Youth and Alcohol: A National Survey” • Oregon Department of Human Ser vices and Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services Resource Center The Law The legal drinking age in all states is 21!
