Voices from the Community
"After years of therapy, expulsion from school and a mandated substance abuse program, I found myself and my son in a crisis that was escalating beyond our control. In my desperation, I prayed (for help to find a way) to deal with this. My prayers were answered when God led me to the FAIR program…I cannot emphasize enough how the FAIR program made (changes in our life) possible! Without FAIR I would probably be unemployed and my son would have been a high school dropout and then some!"
An excerpt from a letter by Carolyn, a parent of a FAIR Intensive Outpatient graduate.
"The F.A.I.R. program should be a model for treatment of adolescent substance abuse. It is effective with teens, their families, schools, and other community agencies serving this population. FAIR understands that … successful abstinence from drugs requires a support network extending beyond the walls of a hospital. (We) are fortunate to have such an exemplary treatment program in the community, and it is a privilege to applaud their services to you."
An excerpt from a letter by Susan D. Rosseland, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. Special Education Social Worker at Maine West High School.
"Due to the F.A.I.R. program, I have gotten my life back. I was facing expulsion from my school, no one in my family wanted anything to do with me, and my best friend had just died of a heroin overdose. Because of FAIR I graduated school on the honor roll, my family loves me, and I have a Higher Power."
From Lindsey S, former F.A.I.R. patient.
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MARIHUANA Today
Marijuana is not the harmless drug it was once thought. It is now known that Marijuana causes physical and psychological damage, is addictive, and can lead to the use of more powerful mood-altering drugs. The marijuana being sold across the United States is stronger than ever, and there are a growing number of medical emergencies that involve the drug. Adults remember the marijuana of their youth as harmless, but it's really not the same type of drug. The demands of the market have driven growers to cultivate the stronger stuff. Experts believe that today's more powerful marijuana has even more harmful effects on users. Marijuana purchased in the U.S. today is an average of seven to eight times stronger that it was in the 1970's. Due to sophisticated cultivating techniques in Canada, the THC (main active chemical) content can be up to twenty-five times stronger than it was in the seventies. Hashish and hash oil concentrations are higher still, as they are a processed form of the plant.
Facts about Marijuana:
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States.
More kids enter drug treatment for marijuana abuse than for all other illicit drugs combined.
Reasons teens use: the desire to fit in, anxiety, depression, boredom, or to avoid dealing with the problems and challenges of growing up.
Use of Marijuana can lead to lower levels of achievement, symptoms of depression, thoughts of suicide, aggression, social withdrawal, delinquency, rebelliousness and poor family relationships.
Marijuana smokers experience the same health problems as do tobacco smokers.
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Marijuana use negatively affects skills needed to drive safely, such as: alertness, concentration, coordination, and the ability to react quickly.
Short term effects include: memory and learning problems, distorted perception, loss of coordination, increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks.
Long term effects include "Burnout," which is characterized by extreme dullness, slow movement, and inability to respond to questions.
Withdrawal symptoms include: irritability, anger, depressed mood, headaches, restlessness, lack of appetite, and craving for the drug.
Parents remain the most important influence on kids when it comes to preventing drug use.
(Information included in this article comes from the websites of: www.narconon, www.drugabuse.gov, www.hazelden.org, http://www.usdoj.gov, & http://today.reuters.com "U.S. Marijuana even Stronger than Before," 4/25/07 by Maggie Fox)
Overview of the Program
Families and Adolescents in Recovery (F.A.I.R.) is an outpatient treatment facility for teens with substance abuse problems. We provide intensive outpatient and aftercare treatment to adolescents, as well as education and support for their parents and other family members. Families who enter F.A.I.R. become part of a close-knit community, grounded in concern for clients' well-being and guided by years of experience and sound expertise. We know that chaos and confusion abound when drugs, alcohol, and other self-destructive behaviors enter into family life, and the structure and safety that the F.A.I.R. community provides is often reassuring to weary parents and out-of-control kids.
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