Believe In America.com

gringogirl · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 187 Location: gone

and they do so because hidden in the article is the statement that they can buy them in large quanities in Latin america- now who goes to latin america?
illegal aliens and immgrants on one of those visas that should be outlawed9 also note at the bottom the national council of la raza is listed
http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/thrive/2006/jul/26/072603420.html

July 26, 2006

Hispanic Teens Abusing Prescription Drugs
By ANABELLE GARAY
ASSOCIATED PRESS

DALLAS (AP) - Hispanic teenagers are using prescription medicine to get high more than other teens in the country, federal drug prevention officials said Wednesday as they announced a national campaign aimed at curbing the problem.

While use of illegal drugs among Hispanics is typically lower than other groups, one in five Hispanic teenagers reported trying prescription drugs to get high, according to a 2005 survey by Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

"We are concerned the Hispanic youth, especially, are leading this race, and it's a race we don't want them to win," said Mary Ann Solberg, deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Hispanic practices can both complicate and help solve the problem, experts say.

Families that normally obtain medications without prescriptions at Latin American pharmacies will sometimes stock up there, then return to the U.S. with the drugs. That makes the medications available to teenagers, who also can get them online without a prescription, said Carlos Ugarte, senior public health adviser for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.

Yet parents have more power in swaying their children than they may realize, according to experts. Hispanic parents usually emphasize family ties and respect for elders, and data show the main reason most Latino teenagers abstain from drug use is the dread of offending their parents, Ugarte said.

"You as a parent ... you have the ability to discuss drug use with your children and to communicate very clearly for them that you expect that they not use drugs. That in our family this is not what we do. That we have exceptions of you," Solberg said.

Still, parents often aren't aware of the risks posed by medications or don't talk about them, experts said. Only one-third of parents reported discussing the risks of prescription and over-the-counter medicines in the partnership's study.

"Sometimes as Latino parents we're reluctant to touch on taboo issues," Ugarte said.

Many teenagers don't realize the problems that arise from misusing prescription and over-the counter-drugs, experts say. An estimated 45 percent of Hispanic teenagers believe that prescription medicines are safer than illegal drugs, the partnership survey found.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy launched a national advertising campaign Wednesday to inform parents and help them prevent drug abuse among their children.

As part of the campaign, an open letter-style advertisement signed by nearly a dozen Latino organizations will run in the top 14 Hispanic media markets. Materials include a brochure on preventing drug use and a two-disc DVD for parents on how to discuss difficult issues. The materials are available in Spanish and English.

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On the Web:

Spanish Anti-Drug Campaign, http://www.LaAntiDroga.com

National Council of La Raza, http://www.nclr.org

League of United Latin American Citizens, http://www.lulac.org/

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/

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Andy51 · Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 199 Location: Washington state

Actaully they just go across the border, since this article is from Dallas it would be logical to assume they meant Mexcio when refering to Latin America.

I know that in Mexico you can buy all kinds of things at the pharmacy that you can't get here, so it makes sense that there would be a problem. Of course this is not just a problem with those who come from Mexico. Prescription drugs are abused by millions of people each year in this country as well. Alcohol and drug abuse is not limited to one group. This is a problem for every parent to be aware of.

The bigger problem is all the "illegal drugs" that are coming across the border. I watched a show on the histroy channel I believe, sometime last month, and the DEA agent that was talking with the reporter was telling about how they used to put billions of dollars in the U.S. treasurey from drug busts on the border. They would get cash, and would seize cars, homes, etc. that the drug dealers owned, sell them and put all the money would go to the government. He said they more than paid for their own budget on to of what they sent back to D.C.

Since Bush took office they no longer are working the borders, and they can't even pay for their own budget any longer. They have been taken away from the border and put in the cities busting the little guy who deals drugs on the street, not the multi million dollar dealers they used to bust.

The whole lack of border security is a joke! Mad

The only thing congress needs to do before the elections is secure the border. But they won't do it. They are using this as an election ploy to get votes, and if they get voted back in to office, Bush will get what he wants!

We need a change, and we need it soon before it's to late.

Take care.

Andy