Monthly Archives: November 2012

California Wet Reckless SB 1176 Alcohol Program

Register for California 12 Hour Online Wet-Reckless Class
If you received a DUI in the State of California and live in another state you might be required to take an Alcohol Education Class as part of your sentence. Please get court approval before enrolling.
Tom Wilson Counseling Center offers several options for those who got a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) offense in the State of California but are not a resident of California. All classes are online and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You can work on your class on your time and at your convenience from any location with an internet connection.

Online SB 1176 Wet Reckless, 12 Hour First Offender Class for California Out-of-State Residents: $225.00

Basic computer and internet skills, with a knowledge of how to use a browser required to complete the class. Classes are best viewed on PCs with latest versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari and Opera, but can also be viewed and completed using Smart Devices. Many of our students have successfully completed our classes on a Smart Device, such as an iPad or other Droid tablets. Please be advised that the classes contain a lot of textual content and some images, links and videos that may be difficult to see on a smaller Smartphone device such as a Droid, Blackberry, iPhone, etc…

Click here for all Online California DUI Classes for Out-of-State Residents

Click here for all DUI Classes

Click here for all Alcohol / Drug Education Classes

Tom Wilson Counseling Center has been providing online APPROVED DUI, Alcohol, Drug and Anger Classes since 2005. Tom Wilson Accreditations.

Alcohol Drug Class for Teens

Tweens, Teens and Young Adults Benefit from Alcohol Drug Awareness

Copyright Tom Wilson Counseling Center
 
Educating your tweens and teens on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse won’t solve all your problems as a parent but it may help your kids better understand the consequences of their decisions if it comes from another source, such as an online alcohol drug awareness class.
 
Binge drinking seems to be at surprisingly high levels these days and is the most common pattern among underage drinkers. Binge drinking among teens and young adults is defined as 5 or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days. Health, social and academic problems occur when young men drink 5 or more drinks per occasion and young women drink 4 or more drinks per occasion. Those numbers are even more shocking when you consider college aged young adults from 18 to 25 where the rate of binge drinking in 2010 was almost 41% according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Huse and Health. Those rates have been consistent for the past several years.
 
Other statistics on rates of binge alcohol use in 2010:
 
  • 1.0 percent among 12 or 13 year olds
  • 6.7 percent among 14 or 15 year olds
  • 15.3 percent among 16 or 17 year olds
  • 33.3 percent among persons aged 18 to 20
  • and peaked among those aged 21 to 25 at 45.5 percent.
Binge drinking rates for 12 or 13 year olds and for 16 or 17 year olds were lower in 2010 (1.0 and 15.3 percent, respectively) than they were in 2009 (1.6 and 17.0 percent, respectively). Lower rates may be attributed to the availability of Alcohol and Drug Awareness Education Programs in schools, online and by parents smart enough to enroll their kids in programs early, such as a Minor in Possession class.
 
How Widespread is Underage Drinking?
 
Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. Many young people are experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age. As a result, underage drinking is a leading public health problem in this country. Each year, approximately:
 
  • 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking
  • 1,900 deaths are from motor vehicle crashes
  • 1,600 deaths are from homicides
  • 300 from suicide
  • Hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings.

Underage Drinking and the Affects on Health
 
People who started drinking before age 15 were 4 times more likely to meet the definition for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives.
 

New research shows that serious drinking problems (including what is called alcoholism) typically associated with middle age actually begin to appear much earlier, during young adulthood and even adolescence.
 
Frequent binge drinkers (nearly 1 million high school students nationwide) are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including using other drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, having sex with six or more partners, and earning grades that are mostly Ds and Fs in school.
 
Whatever it is that leads adolescents to begin drinking, once they start they face a number of potential health risks. Although the severe health problems associated with harmful alcohol use are not as common in adolescents as they are in adults, studies show that young people who drink heavily may put themselves at risk for a range of potential health problems.
 
Brain Effects—Scientists currently are examining just how alcohol affects the developing brain, but it’s a difficult task. Subtle changes in the brain may be difficult to detect but still have a significant impact on long-term thinking and memory skills. Add to this the fact that adolescent brains are still maturing, and the study of alcohol’s effects becomes even more complex. Research has shown that animals fed alcohol during this critical developmental stage continue to show long-lasting impairment from alcohol as they age. Alcohol will affect the long-term memory and learning skills of people who began drinking heavily as adolescents.
 

Liver Effects—Elevated liver enzymes, indicating some degree of liver damage, have been found in some adolescents who drink alcohol. Young drinkers who are overweight or obese showed elevated liver enzymes even with only moderate levels of drinking.
 
Growth and Endocrine Effects—In both males and females, puberty is a period associated with marked hormonal changes, including increases in the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone. These hormones, in turn, increase production of other hormones and growth factors, which are vital for normal organ development. Drinking alcohol during this period of rapid growth and development (i.e., prior to or during puberty) may upset the critical hormonal balance necessary for normal development of organs, muscles, and bones. Studies in animals also show that consuming alcohol during puberty adversely affects the maturation of the reproductive system.
 
 
 
The Center offers 4 Hour Online Minor in Possession Class for $75.00 and 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 Hour Online Alcohol Drug Classes. The most comprehensive Drug Awareness class is our new Online Drug Awareness and Diversion Class that includes a wealth of information about well known drugs and the latest ‘designer’ drugs, including marijuana, synthetic marijuana or spice, salvia, inhalants, bath salts, prescriptions drugs, methamphetamine, steroids, ketamine, and over-the-counter drugs.

Online Alcohol Drug Class for Teens

Tweens, Teens and Young Adults Benefit from Alcohol Drug Awarness

Copyright Tom Wilson Counseling Center 
 
Educating your tweens and teens on the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse won’t solve all your problems as a parent but it may help your kids better understand the consequences of their decisions if it comes from another source, such as an online alcohol drug awareness class.
 
Binge drinking seems to be at surprisingly high levels these days and is the most common pattern among underage drinkers.  Binge drinking among teens and young adults is defined as 5 or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days.  Health, social and academic problems occur when young men drink 5 or more drinks per occasion and young women drink 4 or more drinks per occasion.  Those numbers are even more shocking when you consider college aged young adults from 18 to 25 where the rate of binge drinking in 2010 was almost 41% according to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Huse and Health. Those rates have been consistent for the past several years. 
 
Other statistics on rates of binge alcohol use in 2010:
  • 1.0 percent among 12 or 13 year olds
  • 6.7 percent among 14 or 15 year olds
  • 15.3 percent among 16 or 17 year olds
  • 33.3 percent among persons aged 18 to 20
  • and peaked among those aged 21 to 25 at 45.5 percent.
Binge drinking rates for 12 or 13 year olds and for 16 or 17 year olds were lower in 2010 (1.0 and 15.3 percent, respectively) than they were in 2009 (1.6 and 17.0 percent, respectively).  Lower rates may be attributed to the availability of Alcohol and Drug Awareness Education Programs in schools, online and by parents smart enough to enroll their kids in programs early, such as a Minor in Possession class.
 
How Widespread is Underage Drinking?
 
Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. Many young people are  experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age. As a result, underage drinking is a leading public health problem in this country. Each year, approximately:
  • 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking
  • 1,900 deaths are from motor vehicle crashes
  • 1,600 deaths are from homicides
  • 300 from suicide
  • Hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings.
Underage Drinking and the Affects on Health
 
People who started drinking before age 15 were 4 times more likely to meet the definition for alcohol dependence at some point in their lives. 

New research shows that serious drinking problems (including what is called alcoholism) typically associated with middle age actually begin to appear much earlier, during young adulthood and even adolescence.
 
Frequent binge drinkers (nearly 1 million high school students nationwide) are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, including using other drugs such as marijuana and cocaine, having sex with six or more partners, and earning grades that are mostly Ds and Fs in school.
 
Whatever it is that leads adolescents to begin drinking, once they start they face a number of potential health risks. Although the severe health problems associated with harmful alcohol use are not as common in adolescents as they are in adults, studies show that young people who drink heavily may put themselves at risk for a range of potential health problems.
 
Brain Effects—Scientists currently are examining just how alcohol affects the developing brain, but it’s a difficult task. Subtle changes in the brain may be difficult to detect but still have a significant impact on long-term thinking and memory skills. Add to this the fact that adolescent brains are still maturing, and the study of alcohol’s effects becomes even more complex. Research has shown that animals fed alcohol during this critical developmental stage continue to show long-lasting impairment from alcohol as they age. Alcohol will affect the long-term memory and learning skills of people who began drinking heavily as adolescents.

Liver Effects—Elevated liver enzymes, indicating some degree of liver damage, have been found in some adolescents who drink alcohol. Young drinkers who are overweight or obese showed elevated liver enzymes even with only moderate levels of drinking.
 
Growth and Endocrine Effects—In both males and females, puberty is a period associated with marked hormonal changes, including increases in the sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone. These hormones, in turn, increase production of other hormones and growth factors, which are vital for normal organ development. Drinking alcohol during this period of rapid growth and development (i.e., prior to or during puberty) may upset the critical hormonal balance necessary for normal development of organs, muscles, and bones. Studies in animals also show that consuming alcohol during puberty adversely affects the maturation of the reproductive system.
 
 
The Center offers 4 Hour Online Minor in Possession Class for $75.00 and 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 Hour Online Alcohol Drug Classes.  The most comprehensive Drug Awareness class is our new Online Drug Awareness and Diversion Class that includes a wealth of information about well known drugs and the latest ‘designer’ drugs, including marijuana, synthetic marijuana or spice, salvia, inhalants, bath salts, prescriptions drugs, methamphetamine, steroids, ketamine, and over-the-counter drugs.
 
 

Anger Management Classes by a Licensed Counselor

Avoid Simple Mistakes when Selecting the Right Online Anger Management Class © 2012 Thomas Wilson

Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor; Internationally Board Certified Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist

If you are required to complete an anger management class, then taking an anger management class online is a great alternative for meeting your court requirements. The court often requires you to complete anger managment classes before releasing you from supervision.

However, a simple mistake such as choosing the wrong class or choosing the wrong online program provider could get you into even more trouble with the court.  If you want to resolve your case quickly, avoid these common mistakes.
Mistake # 1: Enrolling in a class from a provider that does not have the proper credentials or is not accredited or approved to provide anger management counseling. 
Anger management classes are taught by professionals who are licensed in counseling and have several years of experience.  If you are unsure, ask for a copy of their license or credentials to provide to the court.   
Mistake #2: Enrolling in the wrong class.  Be sure to enroll in the right class that is required by the court. 
Normally these classes are called anger managment classes.  Remember that anger management classes are not the same as domestic violence classes, which can be 26 to 52 weeks in length.  If you are unsure or don’t know the exact name of the class, you should call the office of the program provider and ask for assistance. Licensed and credentialed course providers are happy to help you find the right class. 
Mistake #3: Enrolling in an online class without getting approval from your court or agency. 
A credentialed course provider will not encourage you to sign up unless you have gotten permission from the court or agency that requires the class.  Be sure you have permission from the court, agency or your attorney take the online class.  It’s always a good idea to call and get an OK. 
Mistake #4: Enrolling in the cheapest class. 
Just because the class is the cheapest, does not necessarily mean it will meet court requirements, or provide technical support. Some providers charge extra for certificates or other paper work required by the court. Inquire about all the cost involved in getting proof of enrollment, completion of certificates and mailing costs. Some providers make their money by charging inflated fees for services that are normally included at no cost by licensed or credentialed programs. 

Underage Drinking Improves with Alcohol Awareness Education

2010 Underage Alcohol Use in the US

In 2010, about 10.0 million persons aged 12 to 20 (26.3 percent of this age group) reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Approximately 6.5 million (17.0 percent) were binge drinkers, and 2.0 million (5.1 percent) were heavy drinkers. The rate for binge drinking was lower than that obtained in 2009 (18.1 percent).

Rates of current, binge, and heavy alcohol use among underage persons declined between 2002 and 2010. The rate of current alcohol use among 12 to 20 year olds went from 28.8 percent in 2002 to 26.3 percent in 2010. The binge drinking rate went from 19.3 to 17.0 percent, and the rate of heavy drinking went from 6.2 to 5.1 percent.

Rates of current alcohol use increased with increasing age among underage persons. In 2010, 3.1 percent of persons aged 12 or 13, 12.4 percent of persons aged 14 or 15, 24.6 percent of 16 or 17 year olds, and 48.9 percent of 18 to 20 year olds drank alcohol during the 30 days before they were surveyed. This pattern has remained stable since 2002 (Figure 3.6).

Figure 3.6 Current Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20, by Age: 2002-2010

 + Difference between this estimate and the 2010 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.

More males than females aged 12 to 20 reported current alcohol use (28.3 vs. 24.1 percent), binge drinking (19.8 vs. 14.0 percent), and heavy drinking (6.7 vs. 3.5 percent) in 2010 (Figure 3.7).

Figure 3.7 Current, Binge, and Heavy Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 to 20, by Gender: 2010

Among persons aged 12 to 20, past month alcohol use rates in 2010 were 15.4 percent among Asians, 20.4 percent among blacks, 22.9 percent among American Indians or Alaska Natives, 24.2 percent among those reporting two or more races, 24.4 percent among Hispanics, and 29.3 percent among whites.

In 2010, among persons aged 12 to 20, binge drinking was reported by 19.8 percent of whites, 18.4 percent of American Indians or Alaska Natives, 16.0 percent of Hispanics, and 15.1 percent of persons reporting two or more races, but only 9.9 percent of blacks and 7.8 percent of Asians reported binge drinking.

Across geographic regions in 2010, the underage current alcohol use rate was higher in the Northeast (30.7 percent) than in the Midwest (26.4 percent), West (25.6 percent), and South (24.6 percent).

In 2010, the underage current alcohol use rate was similar in large metropolitan areas (25.9 percent), small metropolitan areas (27.4 percent), and nonmetropolitan areas (25.5 percent).

In 2010, 81.6 percent of current drinkers aged 12 to 20 were with two or more other people the last time they drank alcohol, 13.1 percent were with one other person the last time they drank, and 5.2 percent were alone.

A majority of underage current drinkers in 2010 reported that their last use of alcohol in the past month occurred either in someone else’s home (55.3 percent) or their own home (29.9 percent). Underage females were more likely than males to have been in a restaurant, bar, or club on their last drinking occasion (10.1 vs. 7.2 percent).

Among underage current drinkers in 2010, 30.6 percent paid for the alcohol the last time they drank, including 8.8 percent who purchased the alcohol themselves and 21.6 percent who gave money to someone else to purchase it.

Among underage drinkers who did not pay for the alcohol the last time they drank, the most common source was an unrelated person aged 21 or older (38.9 percent). Other underage persons provided the alcohol on the last occasion 16.6 percent of the time. Parents, guardians, or other adult family members provided the alcohol 21.6 percent of the time. Other sources of alcohol for underage drinkers who did not pay included (a) took the alcohol from home (6.0 percent), (b) took it from someone else’s home (3.8 percent), and (c) got it some other way (8.1 percent).

Underage drinkers were more likely than persons aged 21 or older to use illicit drugs within 2 hours of alcohol use on their last reported drinking occasion (19.0 vs. 5.1 percent, respectively). The most commonly reported illicit drug used by underage drinkers in combination with alcohol was marijuana, which was used within 2 hours of alcohol use by 18.0 percent of current underage drinkers (1.8 million persons) on their last drinking occasion. 

Click on class below to begin registration:

Tom Wilson Counseling Center assists individuals in overcoming harmful patterns of abuse by providing DUI, Alcohol, Drug & Substance Abuse and Education Classes as well as classes for Relapse Prevention, Anger Management, Parent Divorce and Defensive Driving Education Classes accepted in most states.  

ALL classes developed and monitored by Tom Wilson, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who is also a Certified Alcohol and Substance Prevention Specialist. Tom is the author of “Taming Anger and Aggression“, an anger management program which has been taught to hundreds of people at the counseling center over the last twelve years. He specializes in adapting evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs for delivery through the web and other electronic media. 

California Drivers License Restoration

1650 Waiver Packet

You are eligible for the 1650 waiver packet after your suspension is up. Usually you request a packet about one month before your suspension has expired. After you receive a 1650 waiver packet, you are not required to complete classes for the DMV.  You get one in a lifetime. This will terminate the action against the driver’s license. This waives privileges to have a license or drive in California for three years. If you want a license within 3 years you have to complete classes in California.

DMV Mandatory Actions Unit
Phone: 916-657-6525
PO Box 942890
Sacramento, CA 94290

26 Hour Online Deferred Entry of Judgment Drug Diversion Class: $450.00

DUI in California and live OUT of STATE?

12 Hour Online DUI Wet-Reckless SB 1176 Program: $225.00
32 Hour/3 Month First Offender or AB 541 Program: $600.00
45 Hour/6 Month First Offender or AB 762 Program: $845.00
60 Hour/9 Month First Offender – AB 1353 Program: $1125.00
78 Hour/18 Month Second Offender – SB 38 Program: $1463.00        

Online Alcohol Class might help lower these statistics

2010 ALCOHOL USE in the United States

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) includes questions about the recency and frequency of consumption of alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, whiskey, brandy, and mixed drinks. An extensive list of examples of the kinds of beverages covered is given to respondents prior to the question administration. A “drink” is defined as a can or bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a wine cooler, a shot of liquor, or a mixed drink with liquor in it. Times when the respondent only had a sip or two from a drink are not considered to be consumption. For this report, estimates for the prevalence of alcohol use are reported primarily at three levels defined for both males and females and for all ages as follows:
  • Current (past month) use – At least one drink in the past 30 days.
  • Binge use – Five or more drinks on the same occasion (i.e., at the same time or within a couple of hours of each other) on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.
  • Heavy use – Five or more drinks on the same occasion on each of 5 or more days in the past 30 days.
These levels are not mutually exclusive categories of use; heavy use is included in estimates of binge and current use, and binge use is included in estimates of current use.

This chapter is divided into two main sections. Section 3.1 describes trends and patterns of alcohol use among the population aged 12 or older. Section 3.2 is concerned particularly with the use of alcohol by persons aged 12 to 20. These persons are under the legal drinking age in all 50 States and the District of Columbia.

3.1. Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 or Older

Slightly more than half of Americans aged 12 or older reported being current drinkers of alcohol in the 2010 survey (51.8 percent). This translates to an estimated 131.3 million people, which was similar to the 2009 estimate of 130.6 million people (51.9 percent).

Nearly one quarter (23.1 percent) of persons aged 12 or older participated in binge drinking at least once in the 30 days prior to the survey in 2010. This translates to about 58.6 million people. The rate in 2010 was similar to the rate in 2009 (23.7 percent).

In 2010, heavy drinking was reported by 6.7 percent of the population aged 12 or older, or 16.9 million people. This percentage was similar to the rate of heavy drinking in 2009 (6.8 percent).

Age

In 2010, rates of current alcohol use were 3.1 percent among persons aged 12 or 13, 12.4 percent of persons aged 14 or 15, 24.6 percent of 16 or 17 year olds, 48.9 percent of those aged 18 to 20, and 70.0 percent of 21 to 25 year olds (Figure 3.1). These estimates were similar to the rates reported in 2009.

Figure 3.1 Current, Binge, and Heavy Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 or Older, by Age: 2010

Among older age groups, the prevalence of current alcohol use decreased with increasing age, from 65.3 percent among 26 to 29 year olds to 51.6 percent among 60 to 64 year olds and 38.2 percent among people aged 65 or older.

Rates of binge alcohol use in 2010 were 1.0 percent among 12 or 13 year olds, 6.7 percent among 14 or 15 year olds, 15.3 percent among 16 or 17 year olds, 33.3 percent among persons aged 18 to 20, and peaked among those aged 21 to 25 at 45.5 percent. Binge drinking rates for 12 or 13 year olds and for 16 or 17 year olds were lower in 2010 (1.0 and 15.3 percent, respectively) than they were in 2009 (1.6 and 17.0 percent, respectively).

The rate of binge drinking in 2010 was 40.6 percent for young adults aged 18 to 25. Heavy alcohol use was reported by 13.6 percent of persons aged 18 to 25. These rates were similar to the rates in 2009 (41.7 and 13.7 percent, respectively).

The rate of binge drinking among persons aged 65 or older in 2010 was 7.6 percent, while the rate of heavy drinking was 1.6 percent in this age group. The binge drinking rate for this age group was lower than it was in 2009, when it was 9.8 percent.

The rate of current alcohol use among youths aged 12 to 17 was 13.6 percent in 2010. Youth binge and heavy drinking rates were 7.8 and 1.7 percent, respectively. These rates were all lower than those reported in 2009 (14.7, 8.8, and 2.1 percent, respectively).

Gender

In 2010, an estimated 57.4 percent of males aged 12 or older were current drinkers, higher than the rate for females (46.5 percent). However, among youths aged 12 to 17, the percentage of males who were current drinkers (13.7 percent) was similar to the rate for females (13.5 percent). The rate among males aged 12 to 17 dropped from 15.1 percent in 2009.

Among young adults aged 18 to 25, an estimated 57.0 percent of females and 65.9 percent of males reported current drinking in 2010. These rates were similar to those reported in 2009 (57.7 and 65.9 percent, respectively).

Pregnant Women

Among pregnant women aged 15 to 44, an estimated 10.8 percent reported current alcohol use, 3.7 percent reported binge drinking, and 1.0 percent reported heavy drinking. These rates were significantly lower than the rates for nonpregnant women in the same age group (54.7, 24.6, and 5.4 percent, respectively). Binge drinking during the first trimester of pregnancy was reported by 10.1 percent of pregnant women aged 15 to 44. All of these estimates by pregnancy status are based on data averaged over 2009 and 2010.

Race/Ethnicity

Among persons aged 12 or older, whites in 2010 were more likely than other racial/ethnic groups to report current use of alcohol (56.7 percent) (Figure 3.2). The rates were 45.2 percent for persons reporting two or more races, 42.8 percent for blacks, 41.8 percent for Hispanics, 38.4 percent for Asians, and 36.6 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives.

Figure 3.2 Current, Binge, and Heavy Alcohol Use among Persons Aged 12 or Older, by Race/Ethnicity: 2010

Note: Due to low precision, estimates for Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders are not shown.

The rate of binge alcohol use was lowest among Asians (12.4 percent). Rates for other racial/ethnic groups were 19.8 percent for blacks, 21.5 percent for persons reporting two or more races, 24.0 percent for whites, 24.7 percent for American Indians or Alaska Natives, and 25.1 percent for Hispanics.

Among youths aged 12 to 17 in 2010, Asians had lower rates of current alcohol use than any other racial/ethnic group (4.8 percent), while 10.8 percent of black youths, 11.1 percent of American Indian or Alaska Native youths, 13.0 percent of youths reporting two or more races, 13.9 percent of Hispanic youths, and 14.9 percent of white youths were current drinkers. The rate for white youths was lower than it was in 2009, when it was 16.1 percent.

Education

Among adults aged 18 or older, the rate of past month alcohol use increased with increasing levels of education. Among adults with less than a high school education, 36.8 percent were current drinkers in 2010, significantly lower than the 69.1 percent of college graduates who were current drinkers.

Among adults aged 18 or older, rates of binge and heavy alcohol use varied by level of education. Among those with some college education, 27.4 percent were binge drinkers, and 8.0 percent were heavy drinkers. Among those who had graduated from college, rates of binge and heavy drinking were 23.1 and 6.6 percent, respectively.

College Students

Young adults aged 18 to 22 enrolled full time in college were more likely than their peers not enrolled full time (i.e., part-time college students and persons not currently enrolled in college) to use alcohol in the past month, binge drink, and drink heavily. Among full-time college students in 2010, 63.3 percent were current drinkers, 42.2 percent were binge drinkers, and 15.6 percent were heavy drinkers. Among those not enrolled full time in college, these rates were 52.4, 35.6, and 11.9 percent, respectively.

The pattern of higher rates of current alcohol use, binge alcohol use, and heavy alcohol use among full-time college students compared with rates for others aged 18 to 22 has remained consistent since 2002 (Figure 3.3).

Figure 3.3 Binge Alcohol Use among Adults Aged 18 to 22, by College Enrollment: 2002-2010

+ Difference between this estimate and the 2010 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.
Among young adults aged 18 to 22, the rate of binge drinking appears to be declining somewhat. In 2002, the binge drinking rate within this age group was 41.0 percent compared with the current 38.4 percent. Among full-time college students, the rate went from 44.4 to 42.2 percent, but the change was not significant. Among part-time college students and others not in college, the rate decreased from 38.9 to 35.6 percent during the same time period.

Employment

The rate of current alcohol use was 64.8 percent for full-time employed adults aged 18 or older in 2010, higher than the rate for unemployed adults (56.1 percent). However, the rates of binge and heavy drinking among unemployed persons (32.8 and 11.1 percent, respectively) were higher than among full-time employed persons (29.7 and 8.5 percent).

Most binge and heavy alcohol users were employed in 2010. Among 56.6 million adult binge drinkers, 42.3 million (74.7 percent) were employed either full or part time. Among 16.5 million heavy drinkers, 12.2 million (74.0 percent) were employed.

Rates of binge and heavy alcohol use did not change significantly between 2009 and 2010 for full-time employed or unemployed adults.

Geographic Area
The rate of past month alcohol use for people aged 12 or older in 2010 was lower in the South (47.5 percent) than in the Northeast (57.8 percent), Midwest (54.7 percent), or West (51.0 percent).

Among people aged 12 or older, the rate of past month alcohol use in large metropolitan areas (54.1 percent) was higher than the 50.6 percent in small metropolitan areas and 46.2 percent in nonmetropolitan areas. Binge drinking was equally prevalent in large metropolitan areas (23.5 percent), small metropolitan areas (22.8 percent), and nonmetropolitan areas (22.1 percent).

The rates of binge alcohol use among youths aged 12 to 17 were 7.8 percent in large metropolitan areas, 7.7 percent in small metropolitan areas, and 8.5 percent in nonmetropolitan areas.

Association with Illicit Drug and Tobacco Use

As was the case in prior years, the level of alcohol use was associated with illicit drug use in 2010. Among the 16.9 million heavy drinkers aged 12 or older, 31.8 percent were current illicit drug users. Persons who were not current alcohol users were less likely to have used illicit drugs in the past month (4.0 percent) than those who reported (a) current use of alcohol but no binge or heavy use (6.8 percent), (b) binge use but no heavy use (17.7 percent), or (c) heavy use of alcohol (31.8 percent).

Alcohol consumption levels also were associated with tobacco use. Among heavy alcohol users aged 12 or older, 54.5 percent smoked cigarettes in the past month, while only 17.9 percent of non-binge current drinkers and 16.1 percent of persons who did not drink alcohol in the past month were current smokers. Smokeless tobacco use and cigar use also were more prevalent among heavy drinkers (11.8 and 17.1 percent, respectively) than among non-binge drinkers (2.2 and 3.7 percent) and nondrinkers (2.0 and 2.3 percent).

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol

In 2010, an estimated 11.4 percent of persons aged 12 or older drove under the influence of alcohol at least once in the past year (Figure 3.4). This percentage has dropped since 2002, when it was 14.2 percent. The 2010 estimate corresponds to 28.8 million persons.

Figure 3.4 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2002-2010

+ Difference between this estimate and the 2010 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.

Driving under the influence of alcohol was associated with age in 2010. The rate was highest among persons aged 21 to 25 (23.4 percent) (Figure 3.5). An estimated 5.8 percent of 16 or 17 year olds and 15.1 percent of 18 to 20 year olds reported driving under the influence of alcohol in the past year. Beyond age 25, these rates showed a general decline with increasing age.

Figure 3.5 Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol in the Past Year among Persons Aged 16 or Older, by Age: 2010

Click on class below to begin registration:
OTHER ONLINE CLASSES at Tom Wilson Counseling Center:
ALL classes developed and monitored by Tom Wilson, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who is also a Certified Alcohol and Substance Prevention Specialist. Tom is the author of “Taming Anger and Aggression“, an anger management program which has been taught to hundreds of people at the counseling center over the last twelve years. He specializes in adapting evidence-based substance abuse prevention programs for delivery through the web and other electronic media. 

Drug Use and Diversion in the US

2010 National Survey on Drug Use

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) obtains information on nine categories of illicit drug use: use of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, and inhalants, as well as the nonmedical use of prescription-type pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives. In these categories, hashish is included with marijuana, and crack is considered a form of cocaine. Several drugs are grouped under the hallucinogens category, including LSD, PCP, peyote, mescaline, psilocybin mushrooms, and “Ecstasy” (MDMA). Inhalants include a variety of substances, such as nitrous oxide, amyl nitrite, cleaning fluids, gasoline, spray paint, other aerosol sprays, and glue. Respondents are asked to report use of inhalants to get high but not to report times when they accidentally inhaled a substance.

The four categories of prescription-type drugs (pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives) cover numerous medications that currently are or have been available by prescription. They also include drugs within these groupings that originally were prescription medications but currently may be manufactured and distributed illegally, such as methamphetamine, which is included under stimulants. Respondents are asked to report only “nonmedical” use of these drugs, defined as use without a prescription of the individual’s own or simply for the experience or feeling the drugs caused. Use of over-the-counter drugs and legitimate use of prescription drugs are not included. NSDUH reports combine the four prescription-type drug groups into a category referred to as “psychotherapeutics.”

Estimates of “illicit drug use” reported from NSDUH reflect the use of any of the nine drug categories listed above. Use of alcohol and tobacco products, while illegal for youths, is not included in these estimates.

In 2010, an estimated 22.6 million Americans aged 12 or older were current (past month) illicit drug users, meaning they had used an illicit drug during the month prior to the survey interview (Figure 2.1). This estimate represents 8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older.

Figure 2.1 Past Month Illicit Drug Use among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2010

1 Illicit Drugs include marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, or prescription-type psychotherapeutics used nonmedically.

The overall rate of current illicit drug use among persons aged 12 or older in 2010 (8.9 percent) was similar to the rate in 2009 (8.7 percent), but it was higher than the rates in 2002 through 2008 (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2.2 Past Month Use of Selected Illicit Drugs among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2002-2010

+ Difference between this estimate and the 2010 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.

In 2010, marijuana was the most commonly used illicit drug, with 17.4 million current users. It was used by 76.8 percent of current illicit drug users and was the only drug used by 60.1 percent of them. Also in 2010, 9.0 million persons aged 12 or older were current users of illicit drugs other than marijuana (or 39.9 percent of illicit drug users aged 12 or older). Current use of other drugs but not marijuana was reported by 23.2 percent of illicit drug users, and 16.7 percent used both marijuana and other drugs.

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current users of marijuana in 2010 (17.4 million or 6.9 percent) were similar to the estimates for 2009 (16.7 million or 6.6 percent), but the estimates in 2010 were higher than those in 2002 through 2008. Between 2007 and 2010, the rate increased from 5.8 to 6.9 percent, and the number of users increased from 14.4 million to 17.4 million.

An estimated 9.0 million people aged 12 or older (3.6 percent) were current users of illicit drugs other than marijuana in 2010. The majority of these users (7.0 million persons or 2.7 percent of the population) were nonmedical users of psychotherapeutic drugs, including 5.1 million users of pain relievers, 2.2 million users of tranquilizers, 1.1 million users of stimulants, and 374,000 users of sedatives.

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current nonmedical users of psychotherapeutic drugs in 2010 (7.0 million or 2.7 percent) were similar to those in 2009 (7.0 million or 2.8 percent) and to those in 2002 (6.3 million or 2.7 percent) (Figure 2.2).

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current nonmedical users of stimulants in 2010 (1.1 million or 0.4 percent) were similar to those in 2009 (1.3 million or 0.5 percent) (Figure 2.3). 

Figure 2.3 Past Month Nonmedical Use of Types of Psychotherapeutic Drugs among Persons Aged 12 or Older: 2002-2010

 + Difference between this estimate and the 2010 estimate is statistically significant at the .05 level.

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current users of methamphetamine in 2010 (353,000 or 0.1 percent) were similar to those from 2007 through 2009, but lower than those from 2002 through 2006. The previous numbers and percentages were 502,000 (0.2 percent) in 2009, 314,000 (0.1 percent) in 2008, 529,000 (0.2 percent) in 2007, 731,000 (0.3 percent) in 2006, 628,000 (0.3 percent) in 2005, 706,000 (0.3 percent) in 2004, 726,000 (0.3 percent) in 2003, and 683,000 (0.3 percent) in 2002.

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current users of cocaine in 2010 (1.5 million or 0.6 percent) were similar to those in 2009 (1.6 million or 0.7 percent), but lower than those from 2002 through 2008. The previous numbers and percentages were 1.9 million (0.7 percent) in 2008, 2.1 million (0.8 percent) in 2007, 2.4 million (1.0 percent) in 2006, 2.4 million (1.0 percent) in 2005, 2.0 million (0.8 percent) in 2004, 2.3 million (1.0 percent) in 2003, and 2.0 million (0.9 percent) in 2002.

The number and percentage of persons aged 12 or older who were current users of hallucinogens in 2010 (1.2 million or 0.5 percent) were similar to those in 2009 (1.3 million or 0.5 percent). These include similar numbers and percentages for current users of Ecstasy, with 695,000 (0.3 percent) current users in 2010 and 760,000 (0.3 percent) current users in 2009. 


Tom Wilson Counseling Center’s Online Drug Diversion Program is for first offense drug defendants. Diversion is the procedure of suspending the criminal prosecution of an individual, by allowing the offender to complete a drug education, drug treatment, or drug rehabilitation program instead of further criminal proceedings.

Diversion has become a very popular method of alleviating congested court calendars, while at the same time allowing first-offenders to avoid the blemish of a drug conviction on their record. The program allows offenders to avoid a criminal record by completing drug education or a drug counseling program.

If a first offense drug defendant has an otherwise clean criminal record, judges generally will find a defendant eligible for the drug diversion program without requiring a formal eligibility evaluation.

You must obtain preauthorization from the court before enrolling. Policies may change without notice, and there is no guarantee that you will be approved for online classes by the county courts. 

Court Procedures for Deferred Entry of Judgment Program in California

Under California Penal Code 1000 (PC 1000) the defendant must agree to have his or her case referred to the probation department to determine if they are eligible for the diversion program. If the probation department agrees that the offender is eligible, the judge will set a hearing after the referral to the probation department. 
At the DEJ hearing the judge will determine eligibility for the diversion program. If found eligible by the judge, program requirements will be described to the defendant, including the program length and the consequences of not enrolling or completing the program. 
In court, the defendant is advised that he or she must plead guilty to the charges, and pay a restitution fee of not less than $100 and not more that $1000. 
The defendant is advised that they are responsible for treatment, education or rehabilitation costs, and also for reasonable probation fees and costs. 
The defendant is advised that if he or she successfully completes the program, the criminal charges will be dismissed and the arrest for the charge(s) deemed to have never occurred. 
However, if the defendant fails to enroll in the diversion program or fails to comply with or complete the program requirements, diversion will be terminated and criminal proceedings against the defendant will proceed.