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CONFERENCE TO FOCUS ON DANGEROUS TEENAGE BEHAVIOR

The effects of substance abuse on the developing brain will be the main topic at this year's Risky Business Prevention Conference.

The conference, which will be held Tuesday at the St.  John's Portico in Westminster, was started in 1997 as a way to educate the community about dangerous teenage behavior such as drug and alcohol abuse, unprotected sex and depression.

According to Kim Spangler, director of health education at the Carroll County Health Department, the event offers education on trends and statistics, and also provides information on prevention.

Each year, there is an evaluation at the conference where participants list topics they would like to learn about.  Last year, participants asked for information on adolescent substance abuse, said Linda Auerback, an assistant substance abuse prevention coordinator at Junction Inc.  in Westminster.

Junction Inc.  provides substance abuse treatment to adults and adolescents in Carroll County.

According to Auerback, there has been a national increase in prescription drug abuse among adolescents.  At Junction there has been a 28 percent increase of people who abused heroin being assessed between 2006 and 2007.

Auerback said it is important to have this conference every year, because things are constantly changing.

She said there is a drug gaining popularity called "greenies," which is a form of liquid marijuana that can be chewed.

"They look like gumballs," Auerback said.

Without knowing about the drug, most parents would not pay attention to their child chewing gum, but if you know about greenies, Auerback said a person is more likely to look twice instead of ignoring the behavior.