As medical professionals who care for children, adolescents and their families, we know the detriment tobacco, alcohol and other drugs (TAOD) pose to health—and as primary care providers we are in an ideal position to detect and intervene in situations where TAOD use is suspected.

To provide education on how to best detect and treat TAOD use in a family setting, the American Academy of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital and The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University are offering Pediatrician and Substance Use: Practical strategies to minimize the impact of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs on infants, children, teens and young adults.

This two-and-a-half day conference will bring together experts in the fields of general pediatrics, adolescent medicine, developmental medicine and addiction to discuss the developmental, behavioral and medical aspects of TAOD use, and provide a comprehensive approach to addressing substance use in the primary care setting.

Participants will learn best practices for addressing substance use by patients or family members, and suggestions on how to best implement these practices. Major topics will include:

• tobacco use
• drug-endangered children
• risk and protective factors for adolescent substance use, interviewing adolescents, screening, brief intervention, referral to treatment (SBIRT)
• parent guidance
• opioid misuse
• the adolescent brain’s unique susceptibility to the effects of TAOD
• cannabinoid physiology and evolving marijuana policy
• treatment for opioid dependence
• new psychoactive drugs used by teens and other youth

Attending participants can earn a maximum of 13.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. For more information on the conference, including registration, please visit http://www.aap.org/substanceuse2013.

Along with involved parents, medical professionals are often the first line of defense against substance use in young people—April’s conference will provide the information you need to ensure that defense is as strong as possible.