Do you have questions about what drugs really do to you? Get the inside information on how different drugs can affect the brain and body. Stretch your brain - play a game and test your knowledge. Read real stories about the challenges teens faced when turning their lives around. All of this can be found at the NIDA for Teens website where "science behind drug abuse" is shared.

In October 2011, the Missouri State PTA delegates approved the resolution “Distracted Driving”.  The facts are clear.  Distracted driving is a dangerous activity that kills many Missourians each year.  These alarming statistics were published recently on distraction.gov, a government website dedicated to reducing distracted driving:

• In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in crashes involving driver distraction, and an estimated 448,000 were injured.
• 16% of fatal crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
• 20% of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving.
• Teen drivers are more likely than other age groups to be involved in a fatal crash where distraction is reported. In 2009, 16% of teen drivers involved in a fatal crash were reported to have been distracted.
• Distracted Driving is the number one killer of American teens.

Take a few minutes and watch the following video about a fatal distracted driving accident.  Ask your teen driver, or even your child that is too young to drive, to watch the video with you.  Promise your child that you will not use your cell phone while you are driving and ask them to do the same.  A life isn’t as important as the urge to text or call.  Be an example for your child.  Make the promise and then follow through.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwAUkh_7pKA

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network website, a food allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. Once the immune system decides that a particular food is harmful, it creates specific antibodies to it. The next time the individual eats that food, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, including histamine, to protect the body. These chemicals trigger a cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, skin, and/or cardiovascular system. Scientists estimate that approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies.

Ever find yourself wanting a "teen compass"… something to help you navigate through the sea of MP3 players, social networking sites, and questionable clothing choices?

What teens do versus what parents know are often two different things.  The same is true for drugs and alcohol. The AntiDrug.com is here to get parents up-to-speed on what they need to know.

Note: Missouri PTA adopted a resolution about food allergies/anaphylaxis and schools at the 2008 convention. Units and councils are encouraged to share ideas about how parents and schools can work together to ensure that students with food allergies have a safe and productive learning environment. This success story is written by the parent of a child with severe food allergies. 

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By Jaxon's Mother 

Ten years ago, food allergies had a very different meaning to me. I had heard of food allergies; who hadn’t? I’m sure I knew someone who knew someone else that broke out in a rash every time they ate strawberries. But what I didn’t know about food allergies was how this genetic disorder was about to change every day of the rest of my family’s life.