CAM News
CAM Receives $40,000 Grant Check
January 2010  
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Georgia Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Mike Beatty and James Thompson from the Georgia Appalachian Regional Commission made an official check presentation to CAM last month at the Georgia Bank & Trust. CAM is the recipient of one of the 19 grant awards from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). CAM was awarded a $40,000 grant to implement Gordon County – Ready for Our Wake-Up (Project Grow), a substance abuse prevention program that will be completed in partnership with Gordon County Schools. Project GROW seeks to reduce the use of illegal and prescription drug use in Gordon County. The primary focus of the project is to implement Project Alert with middle school students and Wyman Teen Outreach Program (TOP) with high school students. Both are evidenced based substance abuse prevention curricula designed to ultimately teach students life skills and prevent and reduce substance abuse. The final approval of the ARC grant was dependent upon applicants providing matching funds. The majority of CAM’s match money was raised and contributed by the Calhoun Woman’s Club. The grant project is funded through May 31, 2010. |
Adolescents Perceive Greater Risk to Tobacco Products than Illicit Drugs
Adolescents across all age groups perceive a greater risk to smoking cigarettes than the use of alcohol and other substances including cocaine and LSD, according to a new report based on a national survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An individual’s perception of risk about a substance can be a key factor whether they decide to refrain from using. The survey found that although the perception of risk in terms of cigarette smoking remained relatively constant among all adolescent groups, the perception of risk associated with other types of substances varied considerably by gender and age. Key findings from the NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health) survey include:- Nearly 70 % of adolescents aged 12-17 perceived great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day.
- Only 40 % of adolescents perceived great risk from binge drinking (having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week)
- 34.2% perceived great risk from smoking marijuana once a month.
- 49.7% perceived great risk in using cocaine once a month or LSD once or twice (50.9%)
- Females were more likely than males to perceive great risk from smoking one or more packs of cigarettes per day, from having five or more drinks of alcohol once or twice a week, and from smoking marijuana once a month; males were more likely than females to perceive great risk from trying heroin once or twice.