PERSPECTIVE
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Prevention & Education
East Carolina University
Alcohol & Other Drugs
Regional Training Center
May 2003
Volume 12, No.9
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NORTH CAROLINA NEWS
NATIONAL NEWS
Study links maternal alcohol use with later drinking Tideland Mental Health Center (TMHC) reaches
problems. Heavy drinking by pregnant women increases out to the faith community. TMHC hosted a Faiththe chances of alcohol problems for that child later in Based Youth Leadership Training for clergy and
life says a study from the (UW) Fetal Alcohol and Drug church officials on basic substance abuse prevention
Unit at the University of Washington. Various studies issues among the youth in the communities making up
Michael Dublin,
have linked maternal alcohol use to mental retardation, its five-county service area.
developmental delays and behavioral disorders, but this Prevention Director of Durham Council on Alcoholism
is the first to link prenatal alcohol use to later drinking and Drug Dependence (DCADD), conducted the daylong training covering the history of faith communities
problems for the offspring.
UW initiated the study in 1974 when pregnant women addressing social issues, current models of addiction,
commonly drank and it was socially acceptable. About prevention and intervention, criteria for state funding,
80% of the participants in the study drank during program development within a congregation, coalition
pregnancy or during the months before they conceived. building and youth development and an overview of the
Almost one-third of the mothers drank “heavily”, five or Federal Faith Initiative. Mr. Dublin used information
more drinks, on at least one occasion during pregnancy. that is included in the DCADD’s guide from The North
Fourteen percent of the children, at the age of 21, whose Carolina Faith Community Initiative. According to Mr.
mothers had heavy drinking episodes, showed signs of Dublin, “The NC Faith Community Initiative is being
alcohol problems, compared to 4.5% of those whose born out of the desire to fill the information and
mothers drank less. This association held true even after training needs of those willing to make a positive
researchers allowed for differences in demographics, difference in the area of alcohol, tobacco and other
family history of alcoholism, growing up around alcohol drug use. This initiative proposes to develop a base
guide that will be used by congregations to address
and exposure to nicotine.
“This raises the possibilities that the inheritance of substance abuse issues.” Dublin stressed collaboration,
alcoholism is more complex than just genetics,” said Dr. saying that the faith-based community needed to “build
Sam Cullison, director of the addiction recovery bridges” to other segments of the community, including
program at Swedish Medical Center “It could partly be medical facilities and the various government agencies.
He also discussed strategies for overcoming barriers
a poisonous effect of prenatal exposure.”
The reported amount of drinking by the offspring of that people might face when seeking services from a
mothers who had drank heavily during pregnancy versus faith-based program.
Project Coordinator, Sharon Garrett of TMHC says
those whose mothers did not was no different.
However, the disparity lay in how the two different that at least 75 clergy and church officials attended the
groups of 21 year-olds reacted to drinking. Those event and that the participant response was very
children of heavy-drinking mothers were three times positive. She says that this project was a “spring board
more likely to show symptoms of alcohol dependence, piece” for follow-up sessions for the many
such as blackouts, hangovers, being physically sick, organizations that want to pursue ATOD prevention
staggering and unclear thinking. The study pointed out programs. At the end of the session, participants were
that the findings could have been complicated because given the opportunity to provide feedback as to what
the offsprings were 21 and at the college age when this they would like to see happen in their areas. The
is generally the period of heaviest drinking for most majority favored developing a mentoring program,
people. However, the previous study of this population which Garrett is in the process of investigating. This
took place when they were 14 years old and it showed a day long training was funded by a mini-grant from the
link between prenatal exposure and experimenting with Regional Training Center. Contact Mike Dublin at 919-4939392 or Sharon Garrett at 252-975-4695, ext 2183.
alcohol. Source: The Seattle Times, April 15, 2003.
UPCOMING EVENTS
*Preparing for the Prevention Certification Exam, May
16, Substance Abuse Services, Charlotte. Call 704375-3784. Up to 3 hours GSB.
*Apraxia in Children, May 16-17, North Charleston
Convention Center, Charleston, SC. Call 910-3430161. 1.1 CEU credits and 13.2 CNE nursing contact
hours.
*Child Psychiatry Day, Substance Abuse and CoMorbid Disorders in Kids, May 29, 9am-4:30pm,
Monroe AHEC Conference Center, Greenville. Call
252-744-5228. .5 CEU credits.
*Maternal Alcohol Consumption and Other Pregnancy
Exposures: Assessment and Interventions for Both
Mother and Child, June 17, 9am-4pm, Gerald Strand
Auditorium
at
Southern
Regional
AHEC,
Fayetteville. Call 910-678-7293. .5 CEU credits.
*Solution Focused Group Therapy, June 19, 9am-4pm,
Edwin W. Monroe AHEC Conference Center,
Greenville. Call 252-744-5228. .5 CEU credits.
*Underreported and Undiagnosed: Substance Abuse
and the Older Adult, June 26, 9am-4pm, Moore
Regional Hospital, Southern Pines. Call 910-6787293. .5 CEU credits.
*Helping the Helpless, Treatment and Case Mangement
for the Chronic Substance Abuser, June 27, 9am4:30pm, Pitt County Agricultural Extension
Auditorium, Greenville. Call 252-744-5215. .5 CEU
credits.
*2003 NC Summer School, Aug 4-8, Wilmington.
Cost options and catalog information are available
Use the online
on webpage www.ncfads.org.
registration.
May is National Teen Pregnancy
Prevention Month
202-347-5700
www.advocatesforyouth.org
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
*Have you heard of “Robotripping?” Across the
country, children and teens are intentionally
overdosing on cold medicine in order to get a
hallucinogenic high. Although cough syrup abuse is
nothing new, dating back 30 years, it seems to be
making a comeback. Robitussin, Nyquil, Benadryl
and Coricidin are among the favorites.
The
common
additive
in
cough
suppressants,
Dextromethorphan (DXM), can cause hallucinations
when used in large amounts, according to Dr. Drew
Pinsky, an addiction expert. Users can suffer
psychosis, brain damage and seizures. Overdoses
can be fatal, but since these cough suppressants are
legal, only the worst cases of overdoses make it into
the records. Source: DATELINE, April-June,
2003, page 10.
*Annual publication of The Regional Training Center
will soon be available. PERSPECTIVES ON
PREVENTION showcases programs that received
community developed mini-grants from the last
year, plus an educational section featuring
information on Social Norms Marketing. Social
norms marketing is a new approach to prevent
ATOD use.
By focusing on changing the
misperceptions of various populations regarding
substance use, it has proven to effectively prevent or
reduce a variety of unhealthy attitudes and
behaviors.
Fax the form below if you wish to receive a
complimentary copy, 252-328-4652.
Name______________________________________
Title_______________________________________
Business Name______________________________
Address______________________________________
_________________________________________
City/State/Zip_______________________________
Phone #____________________________________
Email
___________________________________________
*Staff: Carol-Ann Tucker, Director; Elizabeth Montgomery, Special
Projects Coordinator; Bonnie Cowan, Program Assistant