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Uploaded: Friday, November 13, 2009, 3:00 PM

'Addictive' culture causes teen substance abuse
In Palo Alto, some students taking Ecstasy, LSD and prescription drugs

by Royston Sim
Palo Alto Online Staff

Posted by so late, a resident of the Greenmeadow neighborhood, on Nov 14, 2009 at 7:02 am

i dont understand how teachers at Jordan or any school can say that someone has ADD...teachers before you open your mouth please note that kids will be given Aderral(rich mans crack) this is bad and you are purposely doing this....thats all thanks alot teachers...i am an older brother of student!!

Posted by wattt, a resident of the Adobe-Meadows neighborhood, on Nov 14, 2009 at 11:26 am

adderal? a rich mans crack? hahah adderal is made with methyphinyte or mixed amphetamine salts, adderal isnt nearly as close to as bad as crack, i know i took it for 6 years

Posted by beware, a resident of the Charleston Gardens neighborhood, on Nov 14, 2009 at 1:05 pm

those drugs can injure and kill. some have dropped dead after only one drugging!

Posted by Anon, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 15, 2009 at 10:15 am

After reading this article, I have no idea what defines an

"out of control" or "addictive" "culture". Perhaps the

lecture was more coherent.

Posted by Gabe, a resident of the Adobe-Meadows neighborhood, on Nov 15, 2009 at 12:22 pm

Um teens do drugs. It's a fact. Perscription drugs are getting a little out of hand nonetheless, but teens will do drugs. I have many friends who abused E or pot or LSD and it's all fine. I don't condone it, but i certainly dont condemn it because every teenager should be experiencing as much as they can.

Posted by doesn't resonate with me, a resident of the Fairmeadow neighborhood, on Nov 15, 2009 at 6:28 pm

"Our local culture in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley is out of control in a way that looks, feels, acts, sounds like and is exactly like addiction,"

I disagree. Some examples might be helpful. Maybe a definition of what "our culture" is.

Posted by Ben F., a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 16, 2009 at 10:56 am

A lot of denial and ignorance in these comments.

1) Parents generally have been too permissive, not setting healthy boundaries at an early age. A lot of good research, over years, has shown that children become anxious if consistent boundaries are not drawn. This must be done prior to ages 3-4.

2) ADD is real, but is it an anomaly caused by the restrictions of a Neanderthal classroom environment that is out of step with the way many young brains work? Let's look at the environmental side of the ADD equation; we might learn a few things.

3) Anyone who says that "teens need to experience as much as they can" is speaking from ignorance re: the way young brains develop. Frankly, among most who discuss and debate these points - including school boards and public officials (never mind most parents) the lack of insight into, and ignorance of at least a decade of solid cognitive science research in these areas is no less than stunning. our children continue to suffer (read: get screwed up), as a result.

Here's a start: Web Link

Posted by Elizabeth, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Nov 16, 2009 at 11:29 am

ADD may be "real" in the traditional allopathic medicine view of life, but I agree with "so late" that it is not appropriate for teachers to be labeling children in such fashion. Reminds me of the phrase "practicing medicine without a license."

I had to battle that tendency throughout my son's school experience in Palo Alto and Los Altos. I kept telling my son that he had an active, vital and interested mind that noticed many things, while his teachers kept telling him he had ADD. Something that his doctor never even suggested.

That kind of pigeon-holing for convenience and as an excuse for their own inadequacies in teaching did nothing to help my son or the teachers.

I definitely agree this is a culture of addiction. We are hammered with pharmaceutical adds through the media almost to the exclusion of anything else these days. Companies in search of a richer bottom line continue to lay off employees, award those at the top and drive the rest of the work force into early graves as they pick up the workload of all those who are now unemployed without anywhere near the compensation for the increased workload.

Parents' stress becomes family stress whether it is discussed or not, and children and teens understandably look for escape opportunities to ease a pressure they are not prepared for.

Posted by localmom, a resident of Mountain View, on Nov 16, 2009 at 7:11 pm

I have 2 kids in competetive schools, elementary and jr. high. Their stress level can go quite high, and it is often due to A) long hours in school, and B) homework. I think the schools need to back off a little and let the kids be kids. It IS part of the highly competetive SV lifestyle to keep the kids working constantly. This may lead to their perceived "need" for uppers, or something to help them "relax" or even get enough sleep. It is up to the parents to help reduce the kids' anxiety, but I also call on the schools and teachers to cut down on the expectations.

Posted by formed drug infested kid, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Nov 16, 2009 at 8:22 pm

I think what Gabe said sums it up.

Remember in 6th grade when the cops come to class to tell kids not to do drugs. The one at my class warned us not to let anyone sell us oregano instead of pot. "see, here is what it is supposed to look like".

So, you are a 11-12 year old kid. What do you think is expected of you?

Posted by former drug infested kid, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, on Nov 16, 2009 at 8:26 pm

Please excuse my typo. I meant "former drug infested kid".

Posted by Mark, a resident of the Leland Manor/Garland Drive neighborhood, on Nov 16, 2009 at 10:12 pm

Ridiculous. The regions in this country with the highest drug abuse are also the ones whose inhabitants have the highest amounts of despair (think inner-cities and poor rural areas). Further more drug abuse and addiction is very, very different than drug experimentation and use... a distinction people need to recognize and acknowledge in these situations.

Posted by Shashona Williams, MD, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 17, 2009 at 4:41 pm

Here are some local stats that actually disprove the comment above.... Drugs and alcohol use knows no socio-economic and "despair" boundaries. In our community, unfortunately the kids have the money that gives them access to drugs anytime they want... on and off campuses, right here in our community!

These are taken from the healthy kid surveys compiled by the State of California and financially supported by a generous grant from Lucille Packard Foundation:

Drugs and alcohol (Santa Clara County)

• Children start drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes earlier than they use other substances.

• Some students report use as early as the fifth grade (1.6% reported having drunk a full glass of alcohol, and 1.1% reported having smoked a cigarette in the past month.

• In the 11th grade, 41% of students reported having consumed alcohol in the previous month, 21% reported having smoked marijuana and 18% reported having smoked cigarettes.

• These percentages are all higher than comparable percentages for 11th graders in California.

• In addition, 16% of seventh graders, 30% of ninth graders and 36% of 11th graders reported that they had been offered an illegal drug at school in the previous year.

• Asian/Pacific Islanders appeared less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs than children and teens of other ethnic/racial groups.

Posted by Shashona Williams, MD, a resident of the Old Palo Alto neighborhood, on Nov 17, 2009 at 4:48 pm

Here are some local stats that actually disprove the comment above.... Drugs and alcohol use knows no socio-economic and "despair" boundaries. In our community, unfortunately the kids have the money that gives them access to drugs anytime they want... on and off campuses, right here in our community!

These are taken from the healthy kid surveys compiled by the State of California and financially supported by a generous grant from Lucille Packard Foundation:

Drugs and alcohol (Santa Clara County)

• Children start drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes earlier than they use other substances.

• Some students report use as early as the fifth grade (1.6% reported having drunk a full glass of alcohol, and 1.1% reported having smoked a cigarette in the past month.

• In the 11th grade, 41% of students reported having consumed alcohol in the previous month, 21% reported having smoked marijuana and 18% reported having smoked cigarettes.

• These percentages are all higher than comparable percentages for 11th graders in California.

• In addition, 16% of seventh graders, 30% of ninth graders and 36% of 11th graders reported that they had been offered an illegal drug at school in the previous year.

• Asian/Pacific Islanders appeared less likely to smoke, drink or use drugs than children and teens of other ethnic/racial groups.