HEC/News-Announcements

Announcements
Friday, October 9, 2009

The Higher Education Center is pleased to make the following announcements:

1) Center Training Opportunity: California Team Training: December 8-9, 2009

WHAT: A two-day interactive, skill-building, and knowledge transfer opportunity to help higher education campus/community teams apply evidence-based strategies in their efforts to promote safe, healthy, and learning-conducive environments while avoiding risks associated with alcohol and other drug use, and violent behavior (reference: www.jsad.com/jsad/articles/vol/16/260.html).

WHEN: Tuesday-Wednesday, December 8-9, 2009 (starting at 10 a.m. and adjourning 3 p.m. PT each day).

WHERE: Student Center, University of California, Irvine.

For more information, visit the Center's Web site at http://www.higheredcenter.org/services/training/institute/california-tea....

2) New Hot Topic posted to Center's Web site: H1N1 Flu Among College and University Students

Novel H1N1 flu is a substantial public health concern for institutions of higher education (IHEs) this season. First detected in humans in the U.S. April 2009, H1N1 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in June 2009, meaning that cases of H1N1 had spread throughout the world.

For more information about this Hot Topic, visit the Center's Web site at http://www.higheredcenter.org/services/assistance/topics/h1n1-flu-among-....

3) NIDA Reaches Out to Teens During "Talk About Prescriptions Month"

October is "Talk About Prescriptions Month," and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is launching a prescription drug abuse education video to promote the observance.

In the new video (http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/new_media/video.php), NIDA scientists Cindy Miner, Ph.D., and Joni Rutter, Ph.D., explain the risks and dangers of abusing painkillers. By watching the video featured on the NIDA for Teens Web site (http://www.teens.drugabuse.gov/), teens can learn about these dangers and some safety tips to keep in mind when they get a prescription from their doctors.

Every day in the United States, 2,500 American teens age 12 to 17 illegally take a prescription pain reliever for the first time. Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem across the United States. According to a NIDA survey, more than 16 million Americans age 12 and older took a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative just for the effect at least once in the previous year.

In addition to the new painkillers video, NIDA offers teens other resources about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, such as the Sara Bellum Blog (http://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/life-is-complicated-enough-why-add-presc...). For more information on prescription drug abuse, visit the NIDA Web site (http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugpages/prescription.html).