Vaping, Social Media, and Drug Abuse: Texas City Fair to Warn Students About Dangers of Addiction

A workshop for Texas high school students will highlight the dangers of vaping—something that is very popular among teenagers. The Texas City fair will also cover the dangers of substance abuse, in light of the current opioid epidemic that is sweeping the nation.

More and more people are dying because of opioid-related overdose, and these workshops can help keep the situation under control by discouraging students from abusing addictive substances.

In fact, more than 200 than 200 Texas students will attend the health and drug awareness fair in Texas City. During the Youth Interactive Safety Lab, the students will experience virtual reality driving goggles, an impaired driving simulator, and take an interactive 12-questions IQ challenge to test their knowledge on drugs and alcohol.

Nearly two in five students in 12th grade report vaping in the past year. This is according to the University of Michigan’s 2018 Monitoring the Future Survey. The report raises concerns about vaping’s impact on the brain’s health. It also raises concerns over whether or not this behavior eventually leads to substance abuse.

These topics will be discussed during the Texas City Fair. More than 200 students from middle schools, high schools, and community colleges across the state will learn to shatter the various myths about drugs.

As many people know, the lack of understanding when it comes to substance abuse and its effects is one of the major factors that contribute to the opioid crisis. By teaching the younger generation, they will become less likely to fall into the same traps. Click here to see Seattle's top rehab placement programs.

It is also important to teach students about the stigma surrounding opioid addiction, which is another major obstacle that is preventing addicted individuals from getting the treatment they need. There is a stigma that addiction is simply a moral failure, rather than a medical condition. And this has discouraged many addicted individuals from getting the proper medical treatment.

It is also worth noting that even those who were simply prescribed with opioids are at risk of getting addicted. Recreational drug users aren’t the only ones who get addicted. Opioids are very potent substances, and misusing them by accident can lead to the same extreme consequences.

A new study suggests that excessive use of social media should be a cause for concern among parents because there’s an apparent connection between that and drug addiction. New research from the Michigan State University finds that there is a connection between heavy use of social media and behaviors associated with drug addiction.

Researchers surveyed more than 70 participants in order to assess their psychological dependence on social networking sites such as Facebook. The participants were then tasked with a gambling exercise that measures bad decision making, and whether or not they can learn from their mistakes. The test is supposed to analyze if participants are more likely to change their ways or continue down a negative path.

The researchers found that those who performed worse on the gambling task had a tendency to use social media heavily. Those who did better in the task also relied less on social media.

It is important to note that people who abuse substances like opioids tend to perform poorly on the gambling task. And while social media is good and has its purpose, excessive reliance on it can lead to bad results.

Information on things like vaping and social media are important though they may first seem irrelevant to the opioid crisis. There is a behavioral aspect to addiction, and keeping certain actions under control can go a long way in avoiding addiction.

Opioid medications are habit-forming and have a high abuse potential because of their potency. This is why pain patients should always follow their prescription carefully. Do not take larger doses of opioids, and do not take it more often than is prescribed. When in doubt, contact the physician that prescribed the medications.

If someone in the family is struggling with opioid addiction, it is important to seek help. A combination of medical detox and behavioral therapy can go a long way in the fight against drug abuse. But because every individual is affected by addiction differently, a comprehensive program tailored to their specific needs is necessary. Look for a nearby addiction treatment facility today and find out how drug treatment programs work.