Youth Need Substance Abuse Help in Communities, Experts Say

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Adolescents with substance abuse problems too often cannot access treatment unless they land in the juvenile justice system, experts say.
Relying on the justice system to treat substance abuse also means treatment is rooted in racial divisions, says Evan Elkin, national executive director of Reclaiming Futures. Youth of color are disproportionately represented in the juvenile justice system.
“We operate two public health systems in America. One is for people of color and one is for the white population. Public health is mediated through the justice system,” he said.

Naloxone and the Cop

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"I immediately took my Narcan out, squirted a milligram of Narcan into her nose and within about 20 seconds [she] took this big gasping breath," said Woodstock, Georgia, police officer Shane Bonebrake as he recounts saving a woman from overdose with the anti-opioid Naloxone.

Mothers & Fathers; Sons & Daughters

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Two mothers and a father talk about what it's like to be the parent of a substance user in this affecting piece about frustration and loss.

How to Talk to Kids about Drugs — and How Not to

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From their own experiences, young adults in recovery share what we should — and shouldn't say — to young people who may be using drugs or alcohol. "One of the worst things you can do is add anxiety to that situation... pass judgement..." This video is part of a series about substance use disorder among youth — and how we can help prevent or treat it when it occurs.

Unspoken Truths: Young People in Recovery

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We're proud to partner with Upworthy to share this video, produced last summer when the Alcoholic Anonymous convention was in Atlanta. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out. More than 1 million viewers already have.

The Recovery Diaries: Jessica

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Meet 24-year-old Jessica McDaniel: The woman who couldn't go without a drink before 11 in the morning is now helping other young people not make the same mistake through a peer education program for the Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. This is the latest addition to our series The Recovery Diaries.

Video: Youth Unite to Face Addiction, Fight Shame

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Thousands gathered at the Unite to Face Addiction Rally in Washington, D.C., Sunday, Oct. 4, to fight the stigma of addiction and to celebrate substance use recovery.