Crackdowns on cocaine traffickers in Mexico and Colombia are credited with a drop in cocaine use by U.S. workers to the lowest rate in at least a decade, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. A special report from Quest Diagnostics, a leading provider of workplace drug testing, is the source of the Office data: pre the report, positive test results for cocaine are down 16 percent from last year. But since the report only includes testing for cocaine and no other drugs, it begs the question: Are workers actually getting off drugs and lining up across the country for treatment at drug rehab centers, or are they using something other than cocaine?
Federal intelligence and law enforcement sources note cocaine shortages in 37 U.S. cities during the first 6 months of 2007, with rapid increases in the price of cocaine – in some instances even doubling.
Declines in cocaine abuse by U.S. workers during that same period were in the double digits in most of the nation, according to the Quest report, and were greatest in New England and the Middle Atlantic States, plus a region formed by Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
It’s good news that cocaine supplies are dwindling and prices are soaring. But whether or not this indicates a decline in overall drug use remains unknown. It would be good to know how many regular cocaine users are actually drug free now, or if they are substituting other drugs to get a cocaine-type kick. Test results that include other types of drugs, particularly drugs that cocaine users might favor, would help get the whole picture. It would also tell us what other drugs are being used so action can be taken to reduce their availability as well.
One class of drugs to look at might be prescription drugs. Emergency rooms and drug rehab centers have seen a steady rise in prescription drug addiction and abuse, and quite a number of such drugs could be attractive to cocaine users.
While illegally-produced drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine are tough to eradicate, prescription drugs are everywhere and their abuse is widespread. Until the availability of illicitly-obtained prescription drugs is brought under control, our national drug problem is not going to go away – regardless of how many people are testing positive for cocaine.
If the 16 percent drop in America’s cocaine-abusing workforce means that some people are getting into a successful drug rehab program to handle their cocaine abuse, that’s good news indeed. But only when we test for all drugs will we have the true picture.
To understand the predator problem, you need to understand a little about another new phenomena called social engineering. Social engineering is the reshaping of parts of our real world life to blend with our lives in the virtual world. As gas prices increase, so will the number of online teens who innocently socialize with online predators--not knowing the real risks involved..Imagine the number of missing children who may have become prey. These children should have been warned and protected..
Parents need to educate their children about the risks involved in meeting a stranger, who they met online. Real scary risks such as kidnapping, possible rape and death. I and many of my colleageus have had a real heart to heart about internet use with our own children. We are all familiar with the statistics for online shopping and the huge increase, but here are some scary teenage internet use statistics you may not know:
87% of teens age 12 to 17 use the Internet in some aspect of their daily lives. (Source: Pew Internet & American life Project).
79% of online teens say they are not careful when sharing personal information. (Source: Pew Internet & American life Project).
71% of teens have received messages online from someone they do not know. (Source: National Center For Missing & Exploited Children).
64% say they do things online they don't want their parents to know about. (Source: Pew Internet & American life Project)
45% of teens have been asked for personal information by someone they did not know. (Source: National Center For Missing & Exploited Children)
20% of 8-to-18 year olds have a computer with Internet access in their own room. (Source: Kaiser Foundation)
14% of teens have met face-to-face with a person they had known only through the Internet. (Source: National Center For Missing & Exploited Children)
14%, wow, that is a really high number, that equals 14 out of every 100 children! Multiply that by the millions online and that is why this is such a serious problem!
Athough there are software programs parents can use to help protect their children online, education and setting limits are the primary defense. This requires a constant communication and vigilance with your teens who socialize online. The hottest teenage social landscape has become online communication, which opens up the whole world to naive teens who are lonely, or just bored. They go to a chat room and start talking to strangers without thinking about how much personal information they are divulging. Sexual predators are so named because they hunt down and strike like wild beasts. Except their prey they hunt, is innocent children. If your child has had contact with a suspicious "friend" online, report their e-mail immediately to the proper authorities.
Both Rod Mactaggart & Chris Kaminski are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Rod Mactaggart has sinced written about articles on various topics from Addictions, Alcohol Treatment and Keyboard Synthesizer. Rod is a Florida based freelance writer who contributes articles on health.Contact: . Rod Mactaggart's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Chris Kaminski has sinced written about articles on various topics from Software, Online Security and Home Security. Chris Kaminski has been working in computer repair and web development for the last 20 years. Kaminski is CEO and head technician for Computer Guys Live Inc., an online computer repair company based in Asheville, NC. He writes informative weekly articles. Chris Kaminski's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.