Welcome!

The Benevolent and Protective Of Elks would like to welcome you to the resource center for the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. The Elks National Drug Awareness Program is the largest volunteer drug awareness program in the United States. We are very proud of the fact that 1.1 million families are committed to this program and freely give of their time and talents. The Elks are committed to eliminating the use and abuse of illegal drugs by all members of our society and believe the future of our country our children have to be raised in a drug free environment.

The Elks National Drug Awareness Program is totally funded by a grant from the Elks National Foundation. The Elks National Foundation sponsors and funds several National Youth Programs and the foundation is totally funded by generous donations of our loyal Elk members.

This unique Drug Awareness Program was organized in 1983 when members of our order passed the resolution at our National Convention that created the Elks National Drug Awareness Program. The resolution stated The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks affirmed and supported the concept of - No Use of illicit drugs ever and that we oppose the legalization of any drugs, including marijuana, other than by authorized researchers or for scientific study.

Since the program was founded the Elks have become known nationally for the distribution of the latest drug education material. This material is distributed by local members and is available to organizations, both public and private that share our goal of raising our children in a drug free environment.

In addition to latest educational material in printed form the Elks have distributed public service announcements and drug education features both audio and video. In addition to the multi- media distribution of educational material the Elks have over eighty drug education trailers that can carry our drug free message to communities that do not have an Elks Lodge.

All Elk Lodges are encouraged to join forces with community organizations to work together to eliminate drugs from their community. The Elks are very proud of our formed partnerships with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of National Drug Control Policy, PRIDE Youth Programs, Drug Free America, CADCA and many other private and public institutions who are all dedicated to eliminate drugs from our country.

We hope that through this resource center you will become even more familiar with our many programs so we can reach even more people with information about the Elks Drug Awareness Program. All the information that has been mentioned is available at our local lodges across the country at no cost and you have our permission and blessing to print and distribute any drug education material available through this resource center.

Kent Gade National Director

Program News: Steroid Use Among American Youth Alarms Health Professionals When the National Institute on Drug Abuse surveyed 48,025 students in a nationally representative sample of 403 public and private schools about lifetime, past year, past month, and daily use of drugs including steroids, the 2007 report stunned American adults: 2.2 percent of high school seniors reported using steroids at least once. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a not-for-profit organization, joins healthcare professionals nationwide in alerting parents to the warning signs associated with steroid use. Prescription drug abuse increasing, especially among youth As of 2006, an estimated 48 million people over the age of 12, representing approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population, had used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons in their lifetime, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This number has jumped drastically from the reported 15 million prescription drug abusers in 2003 and the 7.8 million in 1992. For Adolescents, Inhalants Are Drug of Choice Inhalants are being used more often than marijuana or prescription painkillers by kids on the brink of being teenagers, a new government report shows. Report maps U.S. drug, mental health issues by state Vermont leads the United States in marijuana use, while Utah has the highest number of people reporting mental health problems, U.S. government researchers said on Thursday, based on a new state-by-state report. Alcohol, Tobacco Products Aimed At Teens America's youth are inundated with visual appeals to drink and smoke, CBS News correspondent Randall Pinkston reports. While the alcohol and tobacco industries insist their products are aimed at adults, critics charge beverages like Sparks and colored tobacco products are tailor-made for teens. There are fruit-flavored cigars and energy drinks that are high-caffeine - and now, a new twist, up to 9 percent alcohol. Experts say drug use likely involved in child abuse The effects of drug abuse are easy to see on the user, but those who don't use are also affected. Experts say it's often kids with addicted parents who end up worst off. Alcohol Dependence and Abuse a Major Health Problem in the United States Now the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death in the United States, excessive drinking accounts for 75,000 deaths each year. Such high numbers have raised awareness about the ill effects of excessive drinking, even as treatment for alcohol dependence and abuse as part of the normal medical practice, have become more common. Going forward, the prevalence of alcohol dependence expects to decrease in the United States, but that of alcohol abuse looks as if it will increase. Ecstasy is back, and it's laced with meth More than 55 percent of the ecstasy samples seized in the United States last year contained meth, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, compared with 44.5 percent the previous year. And the drugs are coming in at rapid pace from Canada. U.S. supply-side strategy is failing as production of the dangerous drugs soars and expansion of its trade widens Recent reports issued by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Washington D.C. have concluded that Mexico has become the United States’ primary source of the methamphetamines now flooding the country. In response, U.S. and Mexican authorities have initiated a major domestic operation to crack down on the production of the dangerous drug. The North American demand for methamphetamines has been growing at a precipitous pace since the early 90s. As a result, the focus of the Bush administration’s current war on the drug has been one of containment and reduction, with less attention being paid to drug prevention and treatment. Most Troops Have Positive View of Military, Eschew Drugs Most active-duty service members have a positive view of their military service and aren’t turning to alcohol or illegal drugs to cope with wartime-related stressors, according to findings from a Defense Department-sanctioned survey conducted in 2005. Study links marijuana smoking to gum disease Smoking marijuana, much like smoking tobacco, may increase a person's risk for gum disease that can lead to tooth loss, researchers said on Tuesday. A study of 903 New Zealanders found that people who smoked marijuana frequently had triple the risk for severe gum disease and a 60 percent higher risk for a milder form of it compared to people who did not smoke the drug, also called cannabis. Study finds popular music awash in booze, drugs WASHINGTON (Reuters) - They have lyrics such as "Tequila makes her clothes fall off" and "Breakin down the good weed, rollin' the blunt/Ghetto pimp tight girls say I'm the man." U.S. popular music is awash with lyrics about drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Medical researchers have reviewed the words of the 279 top songs of 2005 to estimate just how common they are. Abuse Of Cold Medicines High Among Young About 3.1 million people between the ages of 12-25 have used cough and cold medicine to get high, the government reported Wednesday. The number of young people who abused over-the-counter cold medicines is comparable to use of LSD and much greater than that for methamphetamine among the age group, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Drug to treat addiction now on the streets; Suboxone often used to buy time until addicts’ next score It’s supposed to be in doctors’ offices and drug treatment programs. Instead, it’s on the streets. Suboxone, a drug approved by the FDA in 2002 to treat opioid abuse, is showing up in drug arrests throughout the region as addicts look for ways to stave off agonizing withdrawal symptoms, some until they can get into a program, others until they can get more heroin or OxyContin. Smoking in Movies Linked to Kids Lighting Up Young people who start smoking may be influenced to do so by movies they saw in early childhood, new research suggests. What's more, the study found that almost 80 percent of the exposure to smoking scenes in movies came through films rated "G," "PG" and "PG-13." Drugs put swerve on driving skills MOTORISTS under the influence of ecstacy have excellent "weaving" driving skills but are no good at judging distances whereas methamphetamine users are careless and irritable drivers. Marijuana smokers are slow on the road. US Scientists Working On Cocaine Vaccine A husband and wife team based at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) in Houston, Texas, have developed a cocaine vaccine that is currently undergoing clinical trials. The vaccine, which is based on an inactivated form of the drug, teaches the immune system to fight real cocaine and stop it getting to the brain and delivering the expected "high". Little Blue Pills As students across campus gear up for finals, many will be asking themselves one question: how can I manage to learn all this stuff in time for the exam? For some, the answer might simply be a series of trips to Starbucks. But a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University suggests that students are increasingly turning to controlled stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin to help them make it through exams. Candy Flavored Drug On The Rise Police are investigating cases involving a new, candy flavored form of methamphetamine targeted at children. New Study Identifies 4 Major Motivators To Drink Alcohol - 1 Of Them Could Be A Sign Of Problem Drinking Most high school seniors drink because they want to experiment with alcohol, some drink for the thrill of it, and others because it helps them relax. A new study finds that a fourth group of high school students share all those reasons for drinking, but they also drink to get away from problems and to deal with anger or frustration issues. Gender and friendship influences adolescent alcohol use Adolescents who drink alcohol, smoke and/or use drugs tend to have peers who do the same. A new study that looked at other factors which may moderate the influence of peers has found that gender, and gender of friends, can also affect this association. Addiction proves to be lifelong fight More than 10 percent of American men and six percent of American women are chronic drug abusers. Fifteen million are dependent on alcohol. In the space of a year, 1.3 million Americans are treated in hospital emergency rooms for drug abuse, one in four of them for a combination of drugs and alcohol Music promotes drug abuse, rap is the worst Is your teen hooked on rap music? Chances are he or she is hearing a lot about drug abuse -- most of it positive. A new study that analyses the most popular US songs of 2005 says references to drug abuse cut across all genres, but rap was the worst offender -- a whopping 77 percent of the songs made some reference to it. College Drinking - The dangers of over-consumption Though it may not be legal for all students, drinking alcohol is a major part of American college life. Between September and May the majority of weekends on the average college campus are a time of keg stands and beer pong. While most students will not run into any major problems involving their alcohol consumption there is a growing number that will. This minority has been the subject of various drinking prevention programs across the country Report Links Teen Smoking, Depression Teenage Smokers May Also Be at Greater Risk for Alcohol and Drug Abuse By Salynn Boyles WebMD Medical News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Oct. 23, 2007 -- Smoking cigarettes may make teens more susceptible to depression, alcohol abuse, and illegal drug use, a new report states. Based on data from a government drug use survey, researchers concluded that teens who smoke are nine times more likely to abuse alcohol and 13 times more likely to abuse illegal drugs than teens who don't smoke "Huffing" Linked With Suicidal Behavior In Incarcerated Teens Inhaling, or "huffing," the vapors of common household solvents strongly correlates with suicidal thoughts and behavior among adolescents. That's what researchers found in a study of 723 incarcerated youth--the first work to categorize inhalant use into levels of severity and relate this to suicidal ideas and suicide attempts in incarcerated juveniles. It is also one of the few studies to examine gender differences involved. 'Uppers' Keep Going Up An editorial by Professor Hamid Ghodse, Director for the International Centre for Drug policy, in the October issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry warns that a co-ordinated global response is needed to the increasing illegal use of amphetamines ('uppers') sold on the internet ON ANY GIVEN DAY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICAN TEENS ABUSE DRUGS, REPORT FINDS On any given day in America, more than a million teens smoke cigarettes, while hundreds of thousands abuse drugs and alcohol, according to a report released Thursday from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The report, "A Day in the Life of American Adolescents: Substance Use Facts," presents a stark picture of the daily toll substance abuse takes on America's young. The findings are based on a number of surveys, including the National Survey on Drug Use, which interviews more than 60,000 people annually. Calling All Super Heroes! Are you, or do you know a fourth- through eighth-grader? Either way, you need to know about the awesome Elks Drug Awareness Program Marvel Comics Heroes Essay contest! Click on the link for all the super details! Drugs save some lives, but put others at risk The television ads are on day and night encouraging people that they need drugs in order to sleep, wake up, lose weight or have a healthy sex life. Drug companies spend billions of dollars each year trying to get Americans to buy their products. As prescribed by a doctor, prescription drugs save lives and help millions of people to cope with everyday life, but placed in the wrong hands, prescription drugs are just as dangerous as illegal drugs. Abuse Of Painkiller Takes New, Dangerous Form Some doctors are calling it the new crack cocaine -- drug abusers are getting high by smoking the powerful painkiller OxyContin. Teen Drug Slang: A Dictionary For Parents Teen Drug Slang: A Dictionary For Parents Know What Your Kids Are Talking About With This Guide To Today's Drug Terms Is your teen robotripping on CCC? How would you know if you don't even know what that means? "It's very important that parents brush up on ... slang, because just like with text messaging, kids use all these abbreviations and parents don’t know what they mean. But the more they understand what these things mean, the more they will be able to monitor kids’ behavior," says Gregory Pollock, a psychotherapist specializing in addiction at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. PARENTS ARE NOT TALKING ENOUGH ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRUGS Parents are not spending enough time talking to their children about drug use, especially the abuse of prescription and over-the-counter medicines, according to a survey released Tuesday. The annual survey by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America found that 49 percent of parents of youngsters in grades 7 through 12 reported having frequent discussions with their children about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse in 2006, defined as four or more in the year. That was a decline from the 55 percent who reported having had such conversations in 2005 Marijuana Worsens COPD Symptoms In Current Cigarette Smokers Marijuana worsens breathing problems in current smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to a study presented at the American Thoracic Society 2007 International Conference, on Tuesday, May 22 Drug dealers target younger customers In their quest to lure new, younger clientele, drug dealers are mixing their wares with over-the-counter pain remedies and other familiar products — even candy — and peddling them under non-threatening names. NNO - NATIONAL NIGHT OUT NNO - "National Night Out" Against Crime is held in communities across the U.S. on the first Tuesday in August each year from 6:00 pm to Dusk. It is a gathering of neighbors in Unity against Crime in their neighborhoods. Marijuana and Kids: Steer Clear of Pot An estimated three million teens will get their drivers' licenses this year. As they prepare to take on the responsibility of driving, parents and other influential adults (e.g., drivers' education teachers, insurance representatives, and DMV representatives) should be talking to them about the dangers of substance use and other risky behaviors. Unfortunately, many young drivers do not understand the risks associated with marijuana use, even though teens of driving age are at elevated risk for using marijuana. This milestone in teens' lives is a crucial opportunity for parents and other adults to give teens the information and tools they need to drive and live drug-free.

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