       |
Underage
drinking identified as leading factor of unplanned, unprotected sex If a drug court model keeps repeat offenders working and off alcohol for even a year, Christoff said, it more than pays for itself. That's partly in reducing crime and prison costs and partly because a sober person is more likely to work regularly and to pay taxes. A study of Jackson County's regular drug court last year found it cost about $2,500 per addict, but each graduate who stayed straight for three years saved society an estimated $30,000 in welfare, crime and prison costs. More Kids are getting Insured! This is good news, it appears we are making some headway in getting children healthcare. It is a great start, and DHH is looking at other possibilities for parents and their employers. Keep an eye out for legislation to come to build on the success here. Five years after launching an effort to boost children's access to health care by helping pay for insurance, federal officials say the program is working. The government reported last week the number of American children without health insurance has steadily fallen since the program began from 13.9 percent in 1997 to 9.8 percent through mid-2002. Health officials in Louisiana, where the program began one year later in 1998, mostly agree the Children's Health Insurance Program has improved children's access to health care. Advocate Article Spring Break- Underage Drink In Mexico since illegal in U.S. This is an fyi to those with children under 21, so creative! The underage drinking market (that does not exist), is packing up it seems each spring, and going on vacation! Just hope your kids aren't going with them! It seems efforts by those working to reduce underage drinking have been successful in reducing the problem in the U.S., by raising the drinking age to 21. Spring Break underage drinking revenues for the alcohol industry are obviously important. The alcohol industry, being a responsible industry, here in the U.S. (where advocates have fought to raise the drinking age to 21 successfully) simply partnered with tour groups in Mexico, heavily market to campus areas, in efforts to maintain "Revenue, and Shareholder Value". Maintaining revenue and sales (in the under 21 market that does not exist) is above the safety of our children it appears. Now parents have even more concern, because their children are in another country, exposed to these dangers. "For tour promoters, the selling of all-you-can-drink spring break tours begins on campus. Tour companies place ads in student newspapers, send unsolicited e-mails and plaster school bulletin boards with fliers. They also employ student ''recruiters'' who can earn free trips for themselves by booking them for several classmates. " In Cancun, Mexican officials, U.S.-based tour operators and beer and liquor companies have worked together to try to attract college students. Read the article here. Fatal coolness
Another Child dies Alcohol Poisoning 15yr old boy from
Covington Louisiana, becomes one of Louisiana's most recent youth
Alcohol fatality. This young man was doing what teenagers across
this state do. Parents, Educators, Adults, all want to believe it
can't or won't happen to their child. The fact is as we have stated
in HopeNetWorks, over and over, is that nothing kills more of our
children than Alcohol. An illegal drug for minors. This child's
family, friends, are not alone, and unless something changes, they
won't be the last family to experience such a tragic loss, my heart
goes out to this family, and we will continue to do all we can to
educate and raise awareness, push for real policy that really
works. La. kids see plenty of beer commercials
- New Orleans ranked 56th -- 63,811 alcohol
ads The study said underage viewers were more likely than adults of legal drinking age to have been exposed to a quarter of the nearly 209,000 commercials aired. The Beer Institute said the industry doesn't target underage consumers. The study was conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University. On the Net: Center on Alcohol Monitoring and Youth 12/20/02Drunk Driver kills baby, injures pregnant mother on sidewalk. Unreal. The woman charged in this has been fighting addiction (according to her husbands statements) and was seeking treatment.A baby girl who would have celebrated her first birthday Dec. 28 was killed Thursday when she and her mother were hit by a car on their way home from a school Christmas program, city police said. Native American's and Casino's 12/17/02 MADD gives LA "C" on report card for
efforts to reduce drunk driving while our deaths related to drunk
driving certainly are above "average".
LAFAYETTE - Mothers Against Drunk Driving have given Louisiana a "C"
for its efforts to curb drinking and driving in its latest report
card. read the article
Louisiana scores "Average" attempts to reduce drunk driving
Spiritually driven Federal Actions? President Bush wants to see restoration of community, acknowledgement of the role Faith groups play in charity work. Behind the President's push to expand the role of churches in addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness and drug abuse is his belief that they can be more effective than other groups in helping the needy. Hoping to involve churches and religious organizations more deeply in government efforts to address social ills, Bush signed executive orders aimed at giving those groups a leg up in the competition for federal money For those of you not in class for the last 40 years lets try saying this again, Alcohol is directly related to enormous Public Health Problems and therefore costs. "This research tells us there is a definite link between alcohol and breast cancer and the evidence suggests that the more a woman drinks the greater her risk," Alcohol Breast Cancer American Medical Association Blasts Alcohol Industry, profiting off our children, calls for ban in advertising to minors. 12/11/02 (New Orleans)" It's time TV executives and the alcohol industry stop profiting at the hands of those most harmed by drinking,'' said J. Edward Hill, the AMA chairman. The report is based on two decades of scientific research that concluded that alcohol use during adolescence is associated with damage to memory, learning capabilities, decision-making, and reasoning and that young drinkers are more likely to perform poorly in school and experience social problems, depression, suicidal thoughts, and violence. This information, we hope will encourage policy makers to view Alcohol policy as a priority, Louisiana's overwhelming "social plagues" and continued poor performance in public schools should be considered when reviewing the advertising policies of the Alcohol industry in Louisiana. Alcohol is an illegal drug for minors in Louisiana. So, why is it so excepted in our culture? Why are minors, adults, and seniors so impacted by alcohol? Generally speaking, there seems to be a lack of information and education, and it is refreshing to see the AMA call for action based on studies that afford the public with information from a source they know and trust. The call for banning Television advertising is just in my opinion a small step, we must address the great costs both in lives, and dollars as they relate to America's number one abused drug, Alcohol. Harmful, Brain Damage possible irreparable damage for youth/college students. Yesterday, the AMA, along with other medical and alcohol experts, provided some shocking data about the negative effects alcohol has on the brains of underage drinkers. Two decades in the making, this comprehensive compilation of research entitled Harmful Consequences of Alcohol Use on the Brains of Children, Adolescents, and College Students, outlines how alcohol alters the brains development and could potentially cause irreparable damage. Read the AMA Press release. Join Together Boston Globe Underage Drinking Information "The statistics are sobering - and we must work to change the culture of acceptance of high-risk behavior as a rite of passage," Secretary of Education Rod Paige said.LSU Ball player charged with stealing booze? Louisiana may have the unhealthiest, least educated, most incarcerated population in the nation, but hey at least they are having a good time?? LSU was ranked 2nd best "Party" school in the nation. Surely there must be some correlation between with the poor performance indicators in Education, and medical issues "Binge Drinking" or Alcohol misuse/abuse/dependence in our state.. Read this article College Bars, Zero Tolerance policy needed,
Bars find small consequence for advertising and inviting minor's to
drink? What we are doing surely
is not working. LSU bars serving minors, it has been going on as
long as we can remember, and why should they stop? Really, why? If
there are little or no significant consequences, for this very
lucrative, and profitable area of sales, even with petty fines placed,
why should those violating the law stop doing so? It hurts their
revenue, they depend on heavy college drinking in this region, it
really is about dollars. Just like the the tremendous public health
problem and social ills, its about the money we tax payers are forced
to pay to clean up the social ills of an industry that for some reason
is untouchable.
Read this article, slap on the wrist for serving 6 minors. Governor Foster supports 2nd chance? A state lawmakers son, who has sought and undergone gambling treatment, is now employed in a state agency, that is under fire. It appears that the son's gambling problem was directly related to issues he had in a state job he formerly held. I believe this is the first time I have heard our Governor openly speak about providing treatment and a "2nd chance" to addicts who have sought to right their wrongs, and live a life of recovery. Thank you Governor! Below are few quotes and a link to the entire article.You don't fire someone when they have a problem," Foster told his radio audience. It's my understanding that he's had a gambling problem," Foster said, noting Johnny Alario has since received treatment for that gambling problem. Many in La. still living in poverty Census data put state among worst 06/05/02 By Matt Scallan Staff writer/The Times-Picayune Income rose and poverty dropped at faster rates in the 1990s in Louisiana than in the nation as a whole, but the state remains near the bottom of the country's economic ladder, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. With 19.6 percent of Louisiana residents living in poverty, only Mississippi has a higher poverty rate, 19.9 percent. In the United States, 12.4 percent of the population lives in poverty, according to the Census Bureau, which released the first nationwide information derived from the long-form census questionnaire sent to one in six households in April 2000. more Education needs immediate improvements. Louisiana Schools are still at the bottom of the barrel in overall national comparisons, we may be making progress, but not enough obviously. I for one do not believe that all issues are being addressed. How many of these children are growing up in homes with active domestic violence, substance abuse, and or absent parents for a whole host of reasons? Surely the millions of dollars going to incarcerate, and otherwise "clean up" the consequence of addiction in this state could bring a better day for our children, being spent for improvements that impact children NOW, not in 20yrs as discussed in this article.
State lawmaker takes jab at Landrieu Driving, Alcohol, and Death. Port Allen man receives 30 year sentence for taking life while legally drunk and driving. How can their be any justice? This was a 2nd conviction for this drunk driver, wonder how many times he has driven and not been arrested? Read this article Children stealing groceries for their parents? This eight year old is caught stealing food and beer for his parents, the parents waiting outside deny they know the child, they are locked up now, not sure where the little boy is, think of the long term consequences here. Why should a child be faced with these issues? Could community support in place through church's and life skills classes have made a difference? People do what they know, and I have wonder if these parents were not simply doing what they know as well. The beer being stolen, reminds me of the "willing to go to any lengths" nature of alcoholism, not that any of this is an acceptable excuse for this behavior, it is not. New Orleans Brothel getting National Media Louisiana Farmers chemicals in fertilizer stolen by addicts? Anhydrous ammonia, a common farm fertilizer, has increasingly been the target of thieves who want to use it to manufacture the illegal drug methamphetamine, commonly called "crystal meth."
Gambling will be around for awhile, professor says HopeNetworks, and Louisiana gather for first time in support of treatment services Bills to raise excise taxes on alcohol supported
Alcohol abuse driving while intoxicated, not limited to wild kids on Bourbon Street, seems the New Orleans Police Department has a drinking problem staff reports A Terrytown man has been rerebooked with vehicular homicide after tests showed alcohol was involved in a French Quarter accident that killed a pregnant Seattle tourist Sunday night, New Orleans police said. Malachi Garrett, 22, was first booked with negligent homicide and third-degree feticide after the death of Frankie Andrews, 30, at Iberville and Burgundy streets. more
|
