Emily Bauer (pictured) from Texas had smoked the drug with her boyfriend, and after 15 minutes began to complain of migraines.

She went on to wet herself and suffer from violent hallucinations, which caused her to run into walls.

She was then rushed to hospital where she suffered numerous strokes, which has left her paralysed and brain damaged.

With these drugs being sold to young people of any age and being so easy to get hold of, nobody really understands the actual damage that they do.

You can read more information on this tragic story here.

If the government has not banned a drug, does that mean it’s safe to use?

What are your thoughts on this?

(Editors note: Emily’s family have set up a non-profit organisation to educate people about the dangers of using synthetics marijuana and help them to recognise the warning signs of it.)

This story was donated by Merthyr Noise. To share your personal story, email post@red-button.org. This was written by a young person in Merthyr Tydfil. The views expressed in it are their own and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: http://www.facebook.com/safe4emily

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Thank to a study conducted by Alcohol Concern Cymru and the Royal College of Psychiatrists (also known as RCPsych) have found that one in six of those responded to the survey that has had an addiction to alcohol has also experienced problems with gambling.

The report is named A Losing Bet?, and it calls for many things, including a wider access to treatment for both problems and a national database to measure the scope of problems associated with gambling.

Because of past scientific research, we now know that alcohol’s effect on the brain when they combine results in an initial pleasurable alteration in mood, which decays to unpleasant mental and physical effects as more alcohol enters your system. That’s neuro-chemicals for you.

Thanks to this report, it seems that gambling has the same effect on the brain. Instead of a substance coming in contact with the brain, it’s the chance of winning money that stimulates the brain. Although the study is still under development, it has been discovered that both alcohol and gambling effect the same area in the brain.

The full report on the survey can be downloaded here (PDF file).

Red-Button’s A-Z » Alcohol

This story was donated by theSprout.co.uk. To share your personal story email post@red-button.org. This was written by a young person in Cardiff. The views expressed in it are their own and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: monkeyc.net

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Last year it was Arctic Ice, now it’s fake Selekt Imperial Vodka.

Cardiff Trading Standards have seized several batches of it and tests reveals that some of it contains isopropanol, which is usually found in cleaning liquids and aerosol de-icers rather than booze.

Selekt Imperial is a legitimate brand of vodka made by G&J Distillers UK but the bad batches are counterfeit concoctions and not only do they contain potentially dangerous compounds, they also fall below the legal minimum of 37.5%vol alcohol for something to be called vodka.

The simplest way to identify counterfeit bottles of Selekt vodka is to look for poor labelling; legitimate Selekt vodka has a high gloss finish on the label and the AGC stamp on the bottom of the bottle.  If you have any concerns about a bottle of Selekt Imperial vodka contact G&J Distillers customer services on 01925 286439. You can also contact the Food Standards Agency food fraud hotline on 020 7276 8527 if you discover any vodka – or other food substance – which you think may be counterfeit.

Last year we produced a seminal guide on how to spot fake vodka, it’s worth another look just for the amazing pictures.

Red-Button’s A-Z » Alcohol

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The idea? To spend the first 31 days of 2013 alcohol free.

That’s right: No alcohol whatsoever. Zilch, dim, zero, and any other ways you can say “none”.

Its main purpose is to highlight the fact that there can be a real difference made to the lives of those harmed through alcohol misuse, and by raising money for Alcohol Concern by getting sponsored by friends and family.

It’s not just an incentive to raise money, either. The challenge can also be beneficial to you too, with the personal bonuses of feeling better, saving money, and maybe reducing your waistline.

If you want to read more about it or sign up to this, visit Dry January’s website, or follow the challenge on Facebook and Twitter.

This story was donated by Shouttawe.co.uk. To share your personal story email post@red-button.org. This was written by a young person in Swansea. The views expressed in it are their own and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: TMAB2003

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Red-Button’s A-Z » Alcohol

This was drawn by a young person in Cardiff. The views expressed in it are their own and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

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About a year ago, I received the most life-changing thing on this planet, a beautiful little baby. Soon after she was born, I was diagnosed with a mental disability and lost my home and my child.

Soon after that happened I turned to all sorts of drugs including coke, weed and injecting myself with lethal concoctions of drugs. Because of these stupid things I did to myself I ended up in rehabilitation.

My health deteriorated over a number of weeks and months, and I hurt a lot of close people to me such as family and friends. I am now on medication for blood clots and breathing difficulties.

I would like you all who are reading this to take this as a warning on what mental health and drugs can do to you and people who love you. Please, learn from someone who has been through this – me – it will ruin your life and career if you have one lined up.

I may have done damage to myself but after being clean for over five months, I am now in contact with my beautiful daughter who is now turning one and am happily engaged. This is helping me become the boy I used to be.

Please do not make the same mistakes as I did by resorting to drugs and drink.

If you feel as if you are slipping into the Devil’s dirty habit, there are several organisations for mental health and drugs; they are there to help you.

Thank you for reading.

Take care.

Alter Bridge 1234.

This story was donated by NitroTorfaen.co.uk. To share your personal story email post@red-button.org. This was written by a young person in Torfaen. The views expressed in it are their own and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: bored-now

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Unfortunately, these are true, and they are also talking points for this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week, which runs 19th-25th November 2012.

This year, the week aims to encourage discussion about drinking. And not just the obvious like teenage drinking and violence fuelled by drink. There will be talks about how drinking impacts your work and how drinking in the privacy of your own home can be as damaging as a night out on the lash.

And as Britain now stands with the highest binge-drinking rate in Europe, and with around 33,000 alcohol-related deaths a year, it’s a hot topic that’s worth discussing.

This was written by a young person from Cardiff. The views expressed in it are those of the author and not necessarily those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: bachmont

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So what is a dry bar? It’s the same as a normal bar, however it simply doesn’t serve alcohol. Dry bars are different to cafes in the way that they have an adult atmosphere and open late at night like your average bar, as well as offering child friendly activities during the day.

Dry bars aim to give people who don’t want to drink a place to hang out in the evening so they feel just as important as those who drink alcohol. Many dry bars have karaoke nights, quizzes and live music to keep people entertained. They also help recovering addicts as well as those who just want an alcohol free night out. Dry bars encourage the idea that you don’t need alcohol to have a good time.

Founder of Liverpool’s dry bar Jacquie Johnston-Lynch states that “We get all sorts of people in – from yummy mummies to young women on nights out. The most important thing for us is that people who don’t want to drink alcohol shouldn’t be made to feel ‘less’ than people who do.”

This was written by a young person in Cardiff. The views expressed in it are their own and not those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: Tomas Hawk

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Why take risks?

Adolescence is a time of many conflicting emotions. Childhood has been left behind and adulthood is just round the corner. It can be difficult to find your place in this new world.

To counteract this, many feel the need to talk to their friends and classmates, meaning peer pressure is at its highest.

Its not just friends who encourage risk-taking: there are countless adverts and films that paint this behaviour as glamorous and hip, but I can tell you now, it is definitely not! No one wants to be described as naive or clueless, but risk-taking isn’t an easy way to find adulthood.

It may be a way to gain new experiences, but there’s no guarantee you’ll like the end results or that it will impress your peers, and there can be permanent consequences to your well-being.

Why don’t parents like us to take risks?

Curiosity and experimentation are common and good. They help you to find and develop a greater understanding or yourself and society. But some risk-taking can have long-term consequences for your health and even put your life in danger. This is at odds with the safe environment that parents want for children.

What can you do to protect yourself?

It isn’t as simple as sticking to legal versus illegal drugs. Going to the pub may be a regular part of peoples lives, but it still has the potential harm, if it leads to binge drinking. This can then lead to aggressive behaviour, etc.

So what can help you to minimise any likely harm?

Knowledge and responsibility: Try to find out the good and bad effects of drugs and alcohol. This will give you a chance to take responsibility for what you decide to do.

Communication: Try to get yourself to talk to your parents or other adults. Sometimes, you will have to educate them. Remember, they were teenagers once too, but the world they grew up in was very different; so don’t expect them to instantly understand. But if they care about you (which they probably do!) they will try!

Self-esteem: You must be confident, because high self-esteem is powerful. Not only will you be able to stand firm against pressure from the crowd, but you could start to feel that the crowd starts to follow you.

How do you know if you or your friends are using drugs?

1. Change in behaviour

2. Decline in school performance

3. Hanging out with new friends and dropping others

My opinion

I think drugs are very bad and no one should take them! But obviously, I cannot control what you do – it is your life! But I’m telling you now, you will not like the end results! Sure it will give you a kick for a bit, but what will it do to the rest of your life? Think about that if your taking drugs or want to.

I would love to hear your views and opinions!

This story was donated by TheSprout.co.uk. To share your personal story email post@red-button.org. This was written by a young person in Cardiff. The views expressed in it are their own and not those of Red-Button.

IMAGE: ddaa

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Kick Butts Day is an event organised by a partnership between Tenovus and Faith, ASH Wales Youth Programme.

The aim of the event is to ” allow young people to learn about the ill health caused by tobacco use along with the wider subjects of the tobacco industry in peer groups and within local communities”.

Ffaith seeks to reduce the acceptability and use of tobacco products by young people across Wales.

Of the 40 nations in the WHO Health Behaviour of School Age Children Survey only Greenland and the Russian Federation perform more poorly than Wales with respect to the number of 13-year-old girls who smoke at least once a week.

Between 66-90% of adult smokers begin smoking before and are addicted in their adolescence. This is particularly concerning because early uptake of smoking is associated with heavier smoking patterns, a lesser likelihood of quitting, and a higher probability of becoming ill from a smoking related disease.

Kick Butts Day will take place on the 4th of April across Wales.

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