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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2007)
TRIBAL PROGRAM NEWS Siletz Tribal A&D Programs CEDARR Community Efforts Demonstrating the Ability to Rebuild and Restore Nov. 7, 5:30 p.m. Siletz Community Health Clinic Conference Room We hope to see you there! 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: My friend from school asked me if I wanted to come over to her house and play the pass-out game. I told her drinking is not cool. She said you don’t have to drink to pass out. I am not taking drugs, drinking or smoking anything, so how is it dan gerous? (Unsigned) Dear Friend: Thank you for writ ing. The answer to your question is very simple and easy to remember if you ever see anyone do this. The “pass-out game” shuts off oxygen to the brain and people who do it can like the way that feels. One young man said it was like he was somewhere not on earth, like dreaming. It only lasts for a few sec onds so people will do it over and over. If anyone offers to choke you please, always say no. People have ac cidentally died from playing this game and some get addicted to the feeling. I urge you talk with a parent and a teacher about your concerns. If you have friends who are playing this game, they need someone to talk with them about how dangerous it is. Your school can help get information out to students and parents. I am proud that you are staying away from drinking, using other drugs, and smoking, and proud that you wrote to me for help. Fondly, Raven Parents: This “pass-out game” also is called the “choking game, fainting game, and space monkey.” Youth do it by using their fingers, ropes or ties, or other method of cutting off oxygen. They may hyperventilate or have some one else push them to knock the wind out of them. There have been acciden tal deaths that look like suicide as a re sult of this. The pass-out game is something that usually appeals most to middle school-aged youth but older youth are also at risk. Signs can include neck marks and redness around the eyes. If you have any concerns that youth you know might be involved in this, please talk with them and help increase their supervision to make sure they stop. Our youth depend on us to help keep them safe! Raven 8 • Siletz News • 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 Underage Drinking Awareness by Delina John Facts that tell the truth about un derage drinking - as the prevention coordinator for the tribe, I want to share this information with you so you know how important it is for you as parents/ guardians to be active in your child/ children’s life! Take a look at the information be low and if you have any questions or concerns regarding this topic or topics relating to other drugs, please feel free to call me at 1-800-600-5599 or 541- 444-8267. While parent-child conversations about drinking are essential, talking isn't enough - you also need to take con crete action to help your child resist alcohol. Research strongly shows that active, supportive involvement by par- ents/guardians and family members can help pre-teens/teens avoid underage drinking and prevent later alcohol misuse. The message is clear: Pre-teens/ teens need plenty of adult supervision. Here are some ways to provide it: • • • Monitor Alcohol Use in Your Home. If you keep alcohol in your home, keep track of the supply. Make clear to your child that you don’t allow unchaperoned parties or other teen gatherings in your home. Encourage him or her to invite friends over when you are at home. The more entertaining your child does in your home, the more you will know about your child’s friends and activities. Connect with Other Parents. Get ting to know other parents and guardians can help you keep closer tabs on your child/children. Friendly relations can make it easier for you to call the parent of a teen who is having a party to be sure a respon sible adult will be present and al cohol will not be available. You're likely to find out you’re not the only adult who wants to prevent pre-teen/ teen alcohol use - many other par ents share your concern. Keep Track of Your Child’s Ac tivities. Be aware of your pre-teen/ teen's plans and whereabouts. Gen erally, your child will be more open to your supervision if he or she feels you are keeping tabs because you care, not because you distrust him or her. November 2007 Develop Family Rules about Teen Drinking. When parents establish clear “no alcohol” rules and expec tations, their children are less likely to begin drinking. While each fam ily should develop agreements about teen alcohol use that reflect their own beliefs and values, some possible family rules about drinking are: • • • • • Kids will not drink alcohol until they are 21. Older siblings will not encourage younger brothers or sisters to drink and will not give them alcohol. Kids will not stay at teen parties where alcohol is served. Kids will not ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking. Once you have chosen rules for your family, you will need to establish appropriate consequences for breaking those rules. Be sure to choose a pen alty that you are willing to carry out. Liz Mulder from EUDL (Enforce ment of Under age Drinking Laws) presents information at a CEDARR com munity gathering in October. She and fellow volunteers discussed their experiences with EUDL, how the program can work in Siletz, and how people can volunteer. For more details, please contact Liz at 541-574-3305 or l.mulder@ newportpolice. net. (photo by Laurel V. Johnson) Also, don’t make the consequences so harsh that they become a barrier to open communication between you and your teen. The idea is to make the penalty “sting” just enough to make your child think twice about breaking the rules. A pos sible consequence might be temporary restrictions on your child’s socializing. Finally, you must be prepared to consistently enforce the consequences you have established. If your children know they will lose certain privileges each and every time an alcohol use rule is broken, they will be more likely to keep their agreements. This information was gathered from: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some Web sites for parents to check out are listed below: www.parentingisprevention.org www.health.org/nacoa www.theantidrug.com (AOL Keyword: Drug help)
