Is it just me, or does it seem like just about everyone is trying to find a way to alter their mind? By this I am not talking about those doping yoga or deep meditation, I am talking about those using chemical substances to, for lack of a better phrase, get a buzz.

From the most common drugs of alcohol and marijuana to cocaine, meth and heroin, to prescription medication and some of the newer chemical substances, people are getting buzzed.

You know what really scares me? I am sober! I don’t have the luxury of getting my own buzz on, having full knowledge that a ridiculously high number of people driving around me, are under the influence of something.

As a counselor for both in class and online alcohol awareness classes, my students and I often discuss some of the lesser known “buzzes” that many of them and their friends use. I assure you, there are ways kids are getting buzzed nowadays that, pun intended, will blow your mind!

Blow Your Mind!

This article aims to address some of the recent “trendy buzzes” and how lethal they can be. What is especially terrifying is that some of these buzzes remain legal.

Having been sober long enough not to have ever had a medical card to purchase medicinal marijuana, I had no idea all of the products you can purchase in a medical marijuana dispensary. Of course there are edibles like cookies, brownies and candy. But did you know they had pot-laden peanut butter and THC-hopped jelly?

There is also honey, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, lollipops and a variety of pot-filled beverages.

Grooming products like soap and shampoo, hair gel and of course bath tonic – all made with marijuana and capable of getting a person buzzed.

Toxic Bath

One of the more frightening recent trends is bath salts. Yep, you read that correct – bath salts. These are not the Calgon bath salts advertised on to television whose slogan was “will take you away.” No, these bath salts are capable of killing.

One emergency room physician claimed to have treated a patient who came in with a temperature over 107 degrees. Other ER reports speak consistently of highly elevated blood pressure and heart rate. Patients enter in such horrible condition that they can even go into kidney failure.

I know what you’re thinking – really who knew. How can bath salts do this must also come to mind.

The primary chemicals in these bath salts are mephedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone. They supposedly act very much like synthetic marijuana, which has only recently started to be banned in certain states. These synthetic stimulants create quite a buzz.

Not Soaked, but Snorted and Smoked

These bath salts do not enter the body through the pores after a long hot soak. Because they come in powder and crystal form they are commonly snorted or injected or even smoked.

How can they remain legal?

It seems like the time is getting near where there will be legislation banning, or at least restricting the sale of these bath salts. Just last March the DEA got five chemicals banned that are commonly found in both synthetic marijuana and can be found in some bath salts. There are now congressmen and state senators aware of the problem and I do not think it will be too long before the DEA is forced to get involved. At this point more than 20 states have banned the sale of these bath salts.

These bath salts are really that dangerous. How dangerous?

Acting Crazy

One of the primary complaints from ER personnel from patients coming in after soaking in these bath salts is they are completely physically out of control. Doctors often discharge them from the ER and they are admitted directly into the psychiatric wards because they are completely out of their minds.

Often it takes four or more hospital personnel just to control them as they flail violently out of control. Heavy doses of sedatives are required to bring them down. This is crazy stuff.

Teenagers are more prone to risk taking because their brain is not fully developed. They tend to get attracted to unhealthy habits easily. Teenage is the critical period for the onset of unhealthy habits such as substance abuse. According to a recent report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, 9 in 10 addicted people began smoking, drinking and/or using other drugs before the age of 18 years.

Substance abuse during the teenage has some crippling consequences on the individuals. Some of the consequences may include lower grades, unemployment, traffic accidents, risky sex, chronic health problems, crime and violence. It may also lead an individual to suicide or death.

As a responsible parent, it is your duty to make sure that your teen does not get into these devastating unhealthy habits. Here are few tips that can help you guide your teen away from unhealthy habits.

Your kid is getting older You need to accept the fact that your kid is growing and he/she may change. Once they get into teenage years, they change physically and psychologically. They feel independent and try to form their own social circles. They believe that teenage is a freedom from all the rules and regulations set by parents and teachers. This is the time when the possibility of making wrong choices is more. As a parent, you should monitor their activities and guide them in a right direction.

Maintain open communication As discussed above, many teenagers like to be independent. But maintaining an open and trusting communication with your teen is essential to help your teen make right choices. Communicate with your teen regularly and encourage him to talk about his interests, dreams, problems and fears.

Remember, strict monitoring and pestering or yelling at their activities will result in a communication gap. If you are setting certain restrictions, explain their importance so that they do not take it in a negative sense.

Help your kid choose friends wisely The influence of friends on teenagers is very powerful. Many teens simply follow their friends without bothering about the consequences. Teens many times use drugs or alcohol to fit in their friends circle. Many teens start with experimentation due to peer pressure and end up in addiction.

Teach your kid in the early stages on how to choose a friend. Help your kid develop a sense of identity in which he feels secure. This makes him create a set of standards for himself and choose friends who match those standards.

Offer tips on how to avoid peer pressure Peer pressure is often a result of not choosing friends wisely. There are enough teens in our society, who can encourage your kid to get into unhealthy habits. Teenagers who lack confidence and self-esteem are more likely to join these groups for emotional support.

Teens do not turn to bad peers if they get enough support from parents. So spend time with your kid and offer tips on how to avoid peer pressure. In this way, you can teach him how to stay away from unhealthy friends and strengthen your relationship.

Explain about risks associated with unhealthy habits Preventing teens from unhealthy habits requires constant monitoring and proper corrective measures, which your kid may dislike. Instead, you can achieve your objective by continuously explaining them about the risks associated with unhealthy habits. Tell him how it negatively impacts his physical, financial and social well-being. Give examples, of people who are suffering due to their unhealthy habits. Keep him busy with healthy activities such as physical exercises, sports, yoga, etc.

Set yourself as an example The environment in which the kid has been brought up determines his habits. Try to be a good role model for your kid. What you practice is a more powerful message than what you teach. Set right your behavior and attitudes towards unhealthy habits. Remember, you cannot expect your kid to stay away from bad habits to which you are addicted.

Help your kid understand the nature of addiction and risks associated with teen substance use. Remember, prevention is better than cure. It is better to prevent your teen from getting into unhealthy habits, than making him quit them later.

You will be surprised to know that thousands of people are losing their precious lives unable to quit unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol or substance abuse each year. You don’t want to be one of them. Do you?

“The best time to correct a bad habit is immediately, before it becomes established” said a famous author. If you don’t quit, it takes no time for a bad habit to become an addiction. Yes, it is painful to quit a habit. But remember, ‘no pains – no gains’. If you are struggling with the above mentioned unhealthy habits, it is worth looking at the benefits of quitting them.

Better health
The major difference you will notice after quitting these habits is the improvement in health. Staying out of unhealthy habits does not merely mean the absence of diseases or infirmity; you will be in a state of complete physical and mental well-being. Avoiding harmful substances like tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs decreases the risk of heart attacks, cancers, liver damage, brain damage, and many other health related issues.

Longer life
Unhealthy habits like smoking, alcohol and substance abuse pose serious threat to the health of the abuser. It can also lead to premature death. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average, adults who smoke die 14 years earlier than those who do not smoke. Researchers from the University of Maryland Medical Center state that long-term use of alcohol decreases life expectancy by about 15 years. Illicit drug abuse is more dangerous. Many Heroin addicts don’t even make it to the age of 50 years. Many studies have shown that quitting unhealthy habits helps a person lead a longer life – even if he is badly addicted.

Respect in family and society
A person is respected by his behavior, conduct and his habits. Though unhealthy habits are personal, they convey the sense of irresponsibility of the person. If you are into these unhealthy habits, people in the society will consider you as a loser trying to console yourself by abusing substances. Your family and employers look at you as incapable person of doing job. Your friends may withdraw from you. Until you come out of these habits, you will be out casted in the family and society. Hence, in order to get respect in the family and society, you should quit unhealthy habits.

Better career
For people who are career conscious and want to lead a respectable life, it is important to stay away from unhealthy habits. These habits not only ruin the health but also destroy the careers. Substance abuse is associated with many workplace issues such as absenteeism, injuries, health insurance claims, lost productivity, employee morale, theft and accidents. Employers try to get rid of people who abuse harmful substances. Many companies conduct drug testing programs to make sure that they don’t employ substance abusing individuals.

Longer life, respect in the family and society, and good career – what else is required to lead a happy life? Hence, it is advised to quit unhealthy habits which give temporary pleasure and spoil bright future.