The Mom Column

The FDA is concerned about new flavored dissolvable tobacco products and comparing them to candy.  The FDA claims these may appeal to kids and younger adults.

From NBC:
The FDA's Center for Tobacco Products wrote to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., maker of Camel cigarettes, and the smaller Star Scientific Inc. on Monday voicing concern over smokeless products that are consumed like breath mints but made from finely milled tobacco.

I have to say this really shocked me.  Teen heroin use and teen deaths from heroin use are on the rise, experts say.  Dealers are making heroin cheaper and more powerful.  Experts say a small bag of heroin is usually less expensive than buying a six pack of beer.  Some teenagers are saying that they don't think they can get addicted because they believe it is less dangerous as they are snorting it and not injecting it and believe it is a 'purer' form.  Another scary fact is that the users are getting younger.  Experimenting is starting as young as middle school.  So what can you do?

• Know the warning signs of teen drug abuse. Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
• Talk to your teen and be involved in their life.  
• Know your teen's friends.  
• Keep your teen busy with activities.  
• Keep yourself informed about teens and drugs.  
• Make family time.  Remember the family dinner table?
• Be a good role model.

Other Terms for heroin:  Smack, dope, mud, black tar, big H, junk, brown sugar

Good Books to Read:

The Teen Code: How to Talk to Them about Sex, Drugs, and Everything Else--Teenagers Reveal What Works Best

How to Talk to Teens About Really Important Things: Specific Questions and Answers and Useful Things to Say

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

How to Say it to Teens

Getting Through to Your Kids

This is an old story but worth revisiting as I am sure many kids still have this toy in the closet or for the matter we all probably have some sort of magnet in our house.  A few years back there were reports about the dangers of Magnetix, a toy with round marble-like magnets.  Toddlers were swallowing these and dying because the magnets can attract to each other inside the body and block off or perforate the intestines.  Here is the story that ran on NBC:

From NBC:  A 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets that twisted his small intestine and created a blockage, federal officials said. Three other children, between the ages of 3 and 8, suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care. And a 5-year-old boy inhaled two magnets that had to be surgically removed from his lungs.

What is sexting?  According to Wikipedia, sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.

Sexting is a very common thing in the teen world.  Teens do not think much of this thinking it is harmless fun.  Kids today have grown up with a much different view on privacy than previous generations.  Everything is out there for everyone to see.  We see this with Facebook, My Space, and other social networking sites.  Take notice next time you are on one of these sites of how many teenagers have their sites open.  Unfortunately they do not see the seriousness of being an open book.

These images are being spread around schools.  Just think about how fast one image can be sent right through a school and beyond, it only takes minutes.  That image is there to stay.  It will be there when they apply for colleges, for their first interview, and for all of life's other important moments.  It will never be deleted.

Sadly, these images can be used in malicious ways.  Last year the Today Show aired a story about a 17-year-old teenager who committed suicide after an image she sent to her boyfriend was forwarded on to other girls.  These girls taunted her calling her names like slut and whore.  Read more about this store here.

There was a story recently in Illinois about a 12-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl who sexted each other images of themselves naked.  Both of them were charged with child exploitation and and child pornography.  If these charges go through, both of these children could be required to register as sex offenders.

Last April an 18-year-old teenager sent a naked image of his then 16-year-old girlfriend she had given him to her friends and family after they had an argument.  He was charged with sending child pornography and is now registered as a sex offender next to the same people who have raped and molested kids.

Don't think your teen is texting?  According to PC's N Dreams here are the statistics:

• 20% of teenagers overall
• 22% of teen girls
• 18% of teen boys
• 11% of young teen girls ages 13-16

• 39% of all teenagers
• 37% of teen girls
• 40% of teen boys

Teenagers and parents need to start taking this more seriously.  Teens need to be taught the consequences. Parents need to talk to their kids and schools need to provide more real life education about this.  Parents should also be monitoring their kid's cell phone usage.  This is a real part of life now and it is time we face it and deal with it.

UPDATE:  Ann Curry talks with momlogic.com about sexting and how kids and parents think nothing of it or parents don't realize kids are sexting.  See this here.