Starting in 2010, there's been a policy shift around drugs, addiction and treatment, and it could not have come at a better time, explained David Mineta (deputy director of demand reduction at ONDCP) at yesterday's JMATE plenary. More Americans are dying from drug use than from any other kind of accidental death, including car crashes and gun wounds. "This is a public health problem," stressed Mineta, before explaining that the ONDCP is prioritizing prevention, treatment and diversion programs in its forthcoming 2012 national drug control strategy. [editor's note: we'll share this as soon as it's out]

"Addiction can be overcome and recovery is absolutely possible," said Mineta. "And we need to make sure our young people have the brightest future possible. It's personal for us."  

Following Mineta's moving keynote on addiction and prevention measures, Kris Buffington addressed the issue of trauma and its impact on adolescents.

Buffington explained that traumatic experinces can substantially impact biological, psychological and social development in youth. And unfortunately, symptoms associated with exposure to traumatic events are often misinterpreted as indicating a young person has a behavioral disorder. 

Michael Fishman

At the National Collegiate Recovery Conference Wednesday at Kennesaw State University, Michael Fishman, Director of the Young Adult Program at Talbott Recovery Campus in Atlanta, neatly summed up everything he had learned in 22 years of treating addiction in young adults. The recurring theme of his keynote address: It’s complicated.

“Most young adults are generally poly-substance abusers,” he said.

They aren’t just using marijuana; they’re also drinking, Fishman says. It’s not just opioids, it’s opioids and anti-depressants or any other combination. And that complicates the picture for doctors trying to get to know their patient’s true diagnosis.

“The drugs and alcohol may mask the underlying pathology,” Fishman said. Withdrawal symptoms, he added, “cloud the picture,” as do toxicity and detox.

Additionally, many young adults suffering from addiction are also suffering from mental illness of some kind, what Fishman calls “dual-diagnosis.” Depression and anxiety are common in substance abusers and the addiction may begin as an attempt to self-medicate, which Fishman says doesn’t work.

“Ask any young person who self-medicates how that’s working out for them,” he said with a laugh.

Thank you to Angela (a reader of this blog) for sharing this very informative infographic on the effects of drugs on the human body. In her recent comments, Angela mentioned how helpful this information has been in her work with counseling kids against using drugs and wanted to make sure that our readers had access to it, too. (Click through to see the full infographic.)

This is it! Here are the top 5 stories on juvenile justice and adolescent substance abuse from 2011:

#5. Serious juvenile offenders: Do mental health problems elevate risk?
Researchers looked at the relationship between mental health problems and involvement in criminal activity.

#4. Infographic: Balt Salts abuse
The Pat Moore Foundation shared an incredibly helpful infographic on bath salts, that describes what they are, how they can be abused and the side affects associated with their use.

#3. Most effective juvenile justice policy? Practitioners say it's drug treatment
Dr. Jeffrey Butts surveyed 300 juvenile justice professionals to assess their thoughts on combating and preventing juvenile crime. 

#2. Scared Straight: Don't believe the hype (facts from CJJ)
The Coalition for Juvenile Justice explained why "Scared Straight" approaches to juvenile justice are ineffective, counterproductive and costly.

#1. Beyond "Scared Straight" -- Moving to programs that actually work
Rather than focusing on shaming and terrorizing youth to deter them from future crime, Dr. Laura Nissen made a strong case for investing in evidence-based practices of treatment, supportive services, and community-based recovery support services that teens in the juvenile justice system need to be successful.