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Polio Pot

11/5/2014

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I have an aunt who lived the '60s to their fullest and still carries the hippie mantel with pride. She was the first person in my family to buck the system. She rebelled against everything from the Vietnam War to fighting for women's rights to freedom of sexuality. She thumbed her nose at the behavioral expectations of her strict, Catholic family and I grew up eves dropping on my parents' as they frequently discussed her latest exploits with disapproving tones.

I adore my aunt. She is also the one that introduced me to the term “polio pot” after my first edition of “A Parent's Guide to Substance Abuse and Addiction” came out. Apparently it's a term that has been around for decades that refers to pot that is so potent, it renders you immobile and unable to function.

“It's what they sell now in Colorado,” she informed me knowingly. “It makes you completely stupid and even if you're an 'old pro', it still makes you paranoid as hell. It's not your grandpa's pot. I'd tell your readers to stay away from it.”

Ok, that's new. I've never heard my aunt utter words of caution toward marijuana before. I was intrigued.

This summer I was vacationing in Amsterdam with my kids. After standing for an hour and a half in an excruciatingly long line to get into the Anne Frank House and then wandering through it and processing the emotional impact of what she and her family had endured, we were pooped. I decided that a good cup of coffee and a snack was in order so I marched us all into a local coffee shop, only to be promptly marched right back out.

“But we really are looking for coffee and a snack,” I told the annoyed owner who didn't look relaxed or stoned at all. “Well you can't get that HERE,” she huffed.

In my brief 15 second experience inside the Amsterdam coffee shop I had a chance to look around. It looked like a Starbucks for pot smokers. Everyone was toking it up and drinking coffee while either reading or conversing quietly. It wasn't exactly a party and they certainly didn't look immobile or paranoid.

My kids and I biked around the Amsterdam streets for a while and found a “Coffee to Go” cafe in a cute little street that I figured out later was part of the Red Light District. The scantily clad woman perched on a stool in the window next door must have been on her own coffee break when my kids and I walked by her post. She waved at us when we came back out of the cafe 30 minutes later. She seemed like a nice lady and I wanted to ask her where she bought her lingerie.

When we had first entered the “Coffee To Go” cafe, I was tentative. I hadn't been kicked out of any establishment since my college years so I was on high alert. I was ready to quickly get my coffee and go. The bar tender saw me poking my head inside, smiled, beckoned us all to come in, and motioned for us to sit at a table. We obeyed, clearly confused by the coffee lingo in Amsterdam.

After receiving my coffee, I noted that it was in a regular mug and not in a “To go” cup. I asked the bar tender if we had to leave. “No,” he answered, clearly confused by this question, posed by the naive middle aged American woman with her kids sitting in his cafe in the middle of the Red Light District. It turns out that you don't have to leave after ordering “To Go” coffee. You can just sit there like you would at Starbucks. Unlike Starbucks, however, you can spike your coffee or hot chocolate with some spirits if you desire.

After I returned to the states a couple of weeks later, I decided to do some research. Was Colorado and eventually, the entire USA headed toward the very tame Amsterdam that I had just left? If so, well heck, maybe the legalization battle that Colorado and Washington had pioneered was actually much ado about nothing.

It turns out, however, that there are some key differences between The Netherlands and Colorado. The first is, the pot industry in The Netherlands isn't being run by corporations. Their weed is still expensive and mostly home grown. In fact, most coffee shops don't even know where they get their pot. Since technically it's still illegal there to grow large amounts of marijuana, there is a “Don't ask, don't tell” policy when it comes to coffee shops knowing where their pot actually comes from:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/can-dutch-teach-u-s-selling-pot-2/

Colorado, however, is a different story. Over in the US, marijuana is becoming big business and there's a race to make the best, most desired pot ever. “Best” often translates to “Most Potent” which brings me to a second key difference. In Amsterdam, the potency of pot sold in coffee shops is regulated. Anything over a certain THC level is considered a hard drug and can't be sold legally. Also, no advertising is allowed and the amount that can be purchased is strictly limited as is the number of coffee shops that are allowed to sell it. While there are some parts of the marijuana laws that are currently being debated, these particular restrictions are not.

Here's another key difference. Pot has been legal in The Netherlands since the '70s. It's old news and the residents don't have a huge, collective desire to get stoned out of their minds. In fact, according to a recent study done by the UN, only 6% of residents in The Netherlands report that they smoke pot at all vs. 15% in the US.

In the US, marijuana potency is unregulated and proponents of polio pot want it to stay that way. Their argument is that hard alcohol is sold along side wine and beer and people have learned how to tell the difference and regulate themselves. Therefore, they can do the same with weed.

I don't know... Granted, I'm not an expert in the wide world of weed efficacy but I doubt that the difference between smoking weak weed vs. polio pot is as stark as chugging beer vs. whiskey. It's not often that dads come inside, hot and sweaty from mowing the lawn, and reward themselves by chugging a nice cold bottle of straight Jack. Plus, alcohol content is clearly marked on each bottle so people know what they're buying. I'm betting that it's mainly the 'old pros' who are able to quickly ascertain the nuances of pot potency. While smoking stronger pot may get you high quicker which may result in users smoking less, the tokes between the different potency levels, for the most part, may have varying degrees of coughing but feel physically similar. Plus, pot can be eaten and it's awfully difficult to regulate how much THC is being consumed when you're munching on a cookie and the effects are significantly delayed by having to go through the digestive system.

Louis C.K. agrees:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMp7H3hZjsU

I suspect that potency regulations will be put into place in the US at some point although they may differ from state to state. In the meantime, it is necessary for users to realize that the pot that they get a hold of these days, especially if it comes from a state where it has been legalized, is way more potent than ever before. In fact, much of it would be considered too hard of a drug for sale in The Netherlands. And since the potency levels have climbed so sharply in such a short period of time, the long term effects are not yet known. Especially for teens, the effects on brain development and overall health could be quite damaging.

From http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/pot-getting-potent/:

“The average potency of pot has more than tripled in the past two decades, according to testing done for the federal government. This comes just over a year after Colorado and Washington legalized the drug and as many other states consider making it legal for medical or recreational use.

Scientists determine potency by measuring levels of THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive ingredient that gives marijuana its “high.” And data from the University of Mississippi’s Potency Monitoring program found that the average potency of marijuana has jumped from 3.4 percent THC in 1993 to 12.3 percent THC in 2012. Scientists at the lab say they’ve seen samples as high as 36 percent.

“High Times” magazine recently had an issue with a cover promoting “The Strongest Strains on Earth,” which claimed to have analyzed 15 strains of pot with potencies ranging between 25 to 28 percent THC. Marijuana near that strength can be bought at many legal retail shops and medical dispensaries across the U.S.”

And from http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/voices-of-experience/this-is-your-teens-brain-on-marijuana/?pos=1&xid=nl_EverydayHealthChildrensHealth_20140613

“With so many adults having legal access, it is likely more teens will be finding it easier to get marijuana, and more will try it. In fact, national surveys are showing that fewer teens perceive marijuana as harmful.

Some examples of the science:
  • A recent study of marijuana users showed that those who began using in their teens had substantially reduced connectivity among brain areas responsible for learning and memory.

  • A large, long-term study in New Zealand showed that people who began smoking marijuana heavily in their teen years lost an average of 8 IQ points between ages 13 and 38, even when they stopped using as an adult. Those who started smoking marijuana in adulthood did not show significant IQ declines, which underscores the vulnerability of the teenage brain. With more than 6 percent of high school seniors smoking marijuana daily, they are putting their futures in jeopardy.”

It's important to point out that this last bullet point is a long-term study of the long term effects of the previous generation's weaker marijuana.

It's not my aunt's pot, anymore. And since she's concerned about it, that has my attention and I've turned into a broken record when it comes to educating my teenager about marijuana's dangers. And even though my teen doesn't know what a record is, much less how a broken one sounds, I've at least taught him the potential consequences of engaging in an activity that most kids, and many adults, for that matter, still consider to be harmless.

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Powdered Alcohol

5/16/2014

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http://gizmodo.com/powdered-alcohol-3-important-things-you-should-know-1565706005

When I was in college I smuggled a fifth of Jack into a Van Halen concert in my underwear. As I approached the security checkpoint I could feel it slipping. All attempts to discretely adjust my cargo were futile. By the time that I reached the front of the line, I was desperately clenching the bottle between my thighs and my flirtatious hip swaying walk had turned into a very slow shuffle. Considering that I was with my college buddies and I already had a good buzz, this shuffle was accompanied by irrepressible giggles from all of us.

Astoundingly, I made it through the security checkpoint even though a laugh bubbled out of me when I realized that the man digging through my purse and glaring at me with suspicion looked a lot like my Catholic grandmother. After I shuffled safely inside, I, along with my buddies who were all smuggling similar loads, transferred our poisons of choice to our purses and we settled in to enjoy the concert while drinking hard liquor and Diet Coke. Well, we enjoyed the first half of the concert anyway. Some of us spent the second half puking in toilets already overflowing with all kinds of nastiness which seemed so unfair at the time considering how hard we had worked at being sneaky.

I remember stumbling out of the bathroom and sliding slowly down the side of the wall in the stadium hallway. The place was packed with teenagers and college kids who had apparently also succeeded in sneaking in their preferred method of inebriation. Paramedics attended to the ones who were passed out and there were plenty. Although I was clearly wasted and unable to make it back to my seat, they ignored me. I was conscious and sitting upright so I was clearly better off than the rest of the poor souls who had not yet learned their limit.


As I watched this video, I couldn't help but think about how much easier it would have been to smuggle in powder vs. liquid to that concert. I would probably have cut the bags and combined the powder into smaller and more pliable containers such as Ziplock sandwich bags. I would have taped them to various parts of my body or perhaps I would have just had exceptionally large breasts for the first part of the concert. I would have purchased water or found a drinking fountain and voila! Drunken mission accomplished while keeping my hip swaying walk firmly engaged.

If I owned Palcohol and I looked at this strictly from an entrepreneurial aspect, I would eventually add straight hard liquor packets to the product line. Surely people will want less sugary versions of drinks while camping, or perhaps they will want to mix their own libations. The company that will be selling Palcohol already has an industrial formulation so it shouldn't be hard to make various straight hard liquor formulations. Once hard liquor packets are offered, the ability to get drunk off of less powder should make it easier to sneak plenty of potential drunkenness into venues.

Bearing all of this in mind, is Palcohol yet another threat to the well being of our youth? Sure. It's easier to smuggle than liquid alcohol, especially when taken out of that bulky pouch, and there will be formulations down the road with higher levels of potency. Still, I can't help but feel that the toothpaste is already out of the tube on this one. Even though it isn't approved for sale yet, it will be eventually. Plus, my friends and I managed to get plenty of booze into that Van Halen concert, powdered or not. Education and awareness are going to be key to dealing with this new product, just as they are with all substances that could potentially be abused.
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Excellent Article from Morningside Recovery - Drug Education and Prevention for your Teen

4/14/2014

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There's lots of good info here:
http://www.morningsiderecovery.com/educational-resources/drug-education-and-prevention-for-your-teen/
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The 2nd Edition is Out!

8/13/2013

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The second edition is available and full of vital information!  Here's the press release:  http://www.prweb.com/releases/Parents-Guide-Addiction/Kellena-Page/prweb10994762.htm

On the download page and you'll find several formatting options to choose from.

Following is a table from the second edition that you might find useful.  It lists the advantages and disadvantages of different drug tests.


Type of Drug Test

Advantages

Disadvantages

Urine
  • Well studied
  • Easy specimen to work with
  • Standardized laboratory methods
  • Can test many drugs
  • Affordable
  • Point-of-collection devices available (i.e., devices that do not require a laboratory analysis and provide rapid results)
  • Low risk of false positives

  • Short detection window (about 1 – 4 days)
  • Requires special collection facility for most accurate results
  • Collection may be invasive
  • Drug concentration varies with hydration status
  • Easy to adulterate or substitute sample
  • High risk of false negatives

Salvia or Oral Fluid
  • Detects recent drug use
  • Minimally invasive specimen collection
  • Concentrations can be similar to blood concentrations
  • Point-of-collection devices available
  • Difficult to adulterate
  • Low risk of false positives
  • Short detection window (about 1 to 48 hours)
  • Sample collection not standardized
  • Contamination from passive exposure (e.g., second-hand marijuana smoke) possible
  • Analytical methods less established and expensive
  • Some individuals may have difficulty providing sample
  • Small amounts present testing challenges
  • High risk of false negatives

Hair
  • Longest detection window (7 to 100+ days)
  • Sample difficult to adulterate
  • Low risk of false negatives
  • At-home collection available
  • More recent drug use not detected (<7 days)
  • Laboratory analysis only
  • High risk of false positives
  • Environmental contamination to sample possible
  • Potential hair color bias (dark hair may retain more drugs than light hair)
  • Sample may not be available

Blood
  • Low risk of false positives
  • Sample extremely difficult to adulterate
  • Sample difficult to substitute
  • Short detection window (1 to 48 hours)
  • High risk of false negatives
  • Very invasive
  • Clinical collection only
  • Laboratory analysis only
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2nd Edition, On It's Way!

7/13/2013

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The second edition of The Parents Guide to Substance Abuse and Addiction is finished and in the process of being published now!  Inside the new edition you find information that every parent of a teen should know such as:
  • The latest changes to laws (e.g. Where is marijuana legal now?  What does legalized marijuana mean, exactly, and does the definition change from state to state?)
  • What the different types of drug tests are, what they test for, their accuracy and which ones can be done at home.
  • What are the pros and cons of drug testing my child?
  • What are common ways that people try and cheat on drug tests.  Do any of these ways work?
  • What is "fake weed?"  Is it better for you than real weed?  And legal?  And easily accessible?
  • What are the latest commonly abused drugs, common combinations of these drugs, and their physiological effects and consequences?


As a parent of a teen, I certainly feel better prepared knowing this information and my son and I have had excellent and open conversations on these topics.  Not only does he feel empowered to make positive choices with the knowledge that he has gained, but he also feels better prepared to handle peer pressure.

I'm looking forward to announcing the new edition of this book and will be in touch soon!

- Kellena
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    Kellena Page

    Kellena serves on the Board of the LifeSteps Council on Alcohol and Drugs (http://lifestepscouncil.org/) and is the mother of 2 curious kids whose questions about drugs and alcohol inspired this book

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