Substance Abuse
Resources
Introduction
Although the rate of alcohol and
other drug use by adolescents has waxed and waned since the early 1960s,
there has been a continual increase in the overall reported use of illicit
drugs within our society. In 1997 the University of Michigan's Institute
for Social Research found that over 42% of seniors in high school reported
the use of an illicit drug in the past year. As most people realize now,
the problems associated with the abuse of alcohol and other illicit drugs
is not limited to a specific geographical area or population. The
children, adolescents, and young adults of St. Clair County are not immune
from the effects of drugs or the negative consequences associated with
drug abuse. These problems directly or indirectly affect everyone.
This article will provide basic
information regarding various types of drugs; the effects those drugs have
on the health of children and adolescents; and the way individuals and
families can address the problems associated with the use of alcohol and
other drugs.
Drug Information
In order to understand the
problems associated with the use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, it
is important to describe these substances and their direct and indirect
effect on people. The information provided is by no means all-inclusive.
Many of the drugs discussed will be ones that have been described and
discussed in the media for years. Other drugs will be new substances
(synthetic or designed drugs) that have recently been introduced into
society.
Alcohol - The abuse of alcohol
is usually associated with a pattern of problem drinking that results in
negative health consequences, legal difficulties, economic problems,
social conflict, and educational or work related troubles. The use and
abuse of alcohol has both immediate and long-term consequences. The
short-term effects of alcohol include impaired judgment, altered
perceptions and emotions, distorted vision and hearing, and loss of
motor coordination. An individual, whether an adolescent or adult, is
directly affected by this altered state. The results can be
catastrophic. The risky behaviors associated with alcohol abuse include
drunk driving accidents, increased violence (assaults, homicides and
suicides), acute health problems (from minor injuries to blackouts to
death), relationship problems, as well as school difficulties and work
problems (missed days, accidents, poor performance and production). The
long-term health consequences are even more dramatic. Alcohol affects
virtually every organ in the body. Long-term drinking can cause various
types of cancer (liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx); cirrhosis of the
liver; heart and central nervous system damage; memory loss; stomach
ailments; skin problems; sexual impotence; and many other associated
medical difficulties.
Binge drinking continues to be a
significant problem among adolescents and young adults. A recent report
by the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
(funded by the U.S. Department of Education) revealed 44% of the college
students interviewed indicated that they had engaged in binge drinking
in the past two weeks. For a majority of those students, this behavior
had begun in high school.
Marijuana – There are over 200
slang terms for marijuana including "pot", "weed",
"boom", "Mary Jane", "gangster", and
"chronic". Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (called
a joint or a nail) or in a pipe or bong. A recent study by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that almost 18.4 million Americans
have used marijuana in the past year.
The main active chemical in
marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). The short-term effects
of marijuana use include problems with memory and learning; distorted
perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of
coordination; and increased heart rate, anxiety, and in some cases panic
attacks. Recent studies by the U.S. National Institute on Health
indicate that chronic use of marijuana produces actual structural
changes in the brain. These changes can result in long-term impairment
in attention, memory and learning. A direct result of this structural
change is significant impairment in short-term memory that is needed to
learn and perform tasks required in most educational and work settings.
In addition, someone who smokes
marijuana regularly may have many of the same respiratory problems that
tobacco smokers have. This includes a chronic cough, symptoms of chronic
bronchitis, and an increased susceptibility to colds and flu. Regardless
of the THC content, the amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and
the level of carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater
than that among tobacco smokers. A drug is addictive if it causes
compulsive, often uncontrollable drug craving, seeking and drug use even
in the face of negative health and social consequences. Every year more
than 165,000 people seek treatment to help them stop their use of
marijuana.
LSD – LSD (lysergic acid
diethylamide) is one of the major drugs making up the hallucinogen
class. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, a fungus that grows on rye
and other grains. LSD is commonly referred to as "acid" and is
sold on the streets in tablets, capsules and occasionally, liquid form.
The drug is odorless, colorless and has a slightly bitter taste. Most
often LSD is added to absorbent paper, such as blotter paper, and
divided into small squares, with each square representing one dose of
LSD. People who have used LSD report that they started using the drug,
on average, at 15 years of age. A significant problem associated with
any "street drug" is the highly varying levels of the drug’s
strength. A dose of LSD can range from 20 to 200 micrograms of LSD per
dose.
The effects of LSD are highly
unpredictable. They depend on the amount taken; the user’s
personality, mood and expectation; and the surroundings in which the
drug is taken. Usually, the user feels the first effects of the drug
thirty to ninety minutes after taking it. The physical effects include
dilated pupils, higher blood temperature, increased heart rate and blood
pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and
occasionally tremors. Sensations, perceptions, and feelings change much
more dramatically than the physical signs. The user may feel several
different emotions at once or swinging rapidly from one emotion to
another. If taken in a large enough dose, the drug produces delusions
and visual hallucinations. The user's sense of time and self are
altered. For some people, these changes can be frightening and can cause
panic. People who use LSD often refer to the experience as a
"trip". And some of these sensory changes may last over 12
hours. Individuals experiencing a "bad trip" describe their
experience as terrifying thoughts and feelings, and loss of control,
insanity, and despair. There are numerous documented cases of
individuals having fatal accidents or harming themselves during states
of LSD intoxication.
Although many individuals who
use LSD indicate that they are taking the drug to "expand their
consciousness", few if any positive insights or ideas are produced
during LSD experiences. This is because the individual’s "state
of mind" while taking LSD is usually more a result of confused
emotions and drug produced delusions.
Another unpredictable result of
taking LSD is the "flashback" affect experienced by some LSD
users. These "flashbacks" are a reappearance of certain
aspects of the person’s LSD experience without actually having to take
the drug again. A flashback occurs suddenly, often without warning, and
may occur within a few days or more than a year after the LSD use. The
flashbacks usually occur in people who use hallucinogens chronically or
have an underlying personality or emotional disorder. However, otherwise
healthy people who only use LSD occasionally may also have flashbacks.
Methamphetamine -
Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant drug that strongly
activates certain parts of the brain. The drug is made in illegal
laboratories and has a high potential for abuse and ongoing dependency.
Street methamphetamine is a powder referred to by many names, such as
"speed", "meth", and "chalk".
Methamphetamine hydrochloride is a different form of the same drug. In
this state, it is a clear chunky crystal resembling ice, which can then
be inhaled by smoking, and is referred to as "ice",
"crystal", and "glass".
Methamphetamine releases
extremely high levels of chemicals in the brain that enhance mood and
body movement. The user that smokes the drug experiences these as
intensive sensations called a "rush" or "flash".
Oral or intravenous use produces euphoria, but not a rush. Users become
quickly addicted and will attempt to use the drug with increased
frequency and in increased amounts.
Research going back more than 20
years shows that high doses of methamphetamine damage brain cells. These
brain cells do not replenish themselves or "grow back". The
negative effects of this drug include insomnia, confusion, tremors,
convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressive behavior. Use of the drug
causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and can cause
irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes.
Other effects of methamphetamine include respiratory problems, irregular
heartbeat, heart attacks, convulsions, and death.
Ecstasy (MDMA) - On the street,
this drug is referred to as "Adam", X-TC", or
"ecstasy". This is a synthetic (laboratory produced)
mind-altering (psychoactive) drug with hallucinogenic and
amphetamine-like properties. Beliefs about ecstasy are reminiscent of
similar claims made about LSD in the '60s. According to proponents, MDMA
can make people trust each other, break down relationship barriers, and
enhance physical experiences. However, the truth is substantially
different from these claims. Once again, research shows that MDMA
destroys the brain cells and can play a direct role in the development
of motor disturbances like Parkinson's Disease. Many of the problems
encountered with use of this drug are similar to those found with the
use of amphetamines and cocaine. They include psychological
difficulties, confusion, depression, sleep problems, severe anxiety, and
paranoia. Even psychotic episodes have been reported with the use of
this drug. Physical symptoms include muscle cramps, nausea, blurred
vision, faintness, chills, increased heart rate and blood pressure, and
an increased risk of circulatory or heart disease.
Inhalants – Inhalants are
breathable chemical vapors that produce mind-altering effects. Although
people are exposed to volatile solvents and other inhalants in the home
and in the workplace, many do not think of inhalants as drugs, because
most of them were never meant to be used that way. Young people use
inhalants because they are inexpensive and easily accessed. Inhalants
generally fall into three categories including solvents (paint thinners,
degreasers, gasoline, correction fluids, felt-tip-markers and glues);
gases (butane lighters, refrigerant gases, spray paints, hair or
deodorant sprays, fabric protector sprays, and medical anesthetic
gases); and nitrites (cyclohexyl nitrite, amyl nitrite, and butyl
nitrite).
The health hazards surrounding
inhalants are extensive. Sniffing highly concentrated amounts of any of
these chemicals can directly induce heart failure and death. This is
especially true for fluorocarbons and butane-type gases. Other
irreversible effects caused by inhaling specific solvents include
hearing loss, central nervous system and brain damage, limb spasms, bone
marrow damage, liver and kidney damage, and massive lung damage. Initial
use of inhalants often start early. Research suggests that chronic or
long-term inhalant abusers are among the most difficult to treat,
because they experience multiple physical, psychological, and social
problems. In 1997 the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse indicated
6.7% of high school seniors reported that they had used an inhalant
within the past year.
GHB – GHB (Gamma Hydroxy
Butyrate) is known by a number of street names including "Liquid
X", "Liquid Ecstasy", "Scoop", "Grievous
Bodily Harm" and "Georgia Home Boy". This drug is popular
at clubs and raves (dance music scene) for its euphoric effects. GHB,
like Rohypnol, may also be used as a "date rape" drug. GHB was
originally developed as an anesthetic, but was withdrawn from the market
due to its many side effects.
GHB is usually available as an
odorless, colorless, and nearly tasteless liquid. Sometimes the
substance is also available as a powder or in a capsule. At very small
doses, GHB encourages a reduction of social inhibition (somewhat similar
to alcohol) and increases physical sensations. At higher doses, the drug
causes sedation. Reported symptoms include vomiting, drowsiness,
respiratory distress, loss of consciousness, dizziness, vertigo,
amnesia, seizures, and coma. After excessive use, some users have
experienced loss of consciousness, depressed respiration, tremors, and
coma. GHB-related hospital admissions and death reports have increased
dramatically over the past five years.
How Can You Help with Alcohol
and Other Drug Problems
It is frightening to think that
your child, brother or sister, family member, or friend may be taking
drugs. You may feel anger, confusion, helplessness, and be plagued by
doubt and worry. You wonder how this could happen to someone you know and
care about. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Although this may be a
difficult problem, the best thing to do is to face it.
The important thing is to stay
calm, don't panic, find out what's going on, and get whatever help you
need to stop the alcohol or drug problem. Drug use is a preventable
behavior, and drug addition is a treatable disease. Like many other
diseases, the sooner it is detected and faced, the sooner a person can
begin to get well.
What to Look For - Young people
use drugs for a variety of reasons that have to do with how they feel
about themselves, their relationship with others, their past experiences
within their family, and how they are currently living. No one factor
determines who will use drugs and who will not, but there's some things to
watch for including:
A significant change in the
person's behaviors and relationships. This may include deterioration
in family relationships, loss of old friends, hostile or uncooperative
behavior, and fatigue, withdrawal, and carelessness about personal
grooming.
The person’s interests and
daily functioning changes. This can be seen in low grades or poor
school performance, aggressive and rebellious behavior, excessive
influence by peers, lack of interest in hobbies, sports and other
favorite activities, and changes in the person’s eating or sleeping
patterns.
What to Do - Positive answers to
the questions above may indicate alcohol or other drug use. Some of these
signs may also apply to individuals who are not using drugs or may be
having other problems at school or in their family. When in doubt, seek
help. This may come in the form of your family doctor, school counselor,
church worker, or through a professional mental health or substance abuse
clinic.
Watch for signs of drugs and drug
paraphernalia as well. Possession of common items such as pipes, rolling
papers, small medicine bottles, eye-droppers, or butane lighters may
signal that your youth is using drugs. Even when the signs are obvious,
usually after the child has been using drugs for a time, parents sometimes
do not want to admit their child or family member could have a problem.
Anger, resentment, guilt, and a sense of failure are common reactions.
If someone you know is using
drugs, it is important to avoid blaming yourself with a problem and to get
whatever help is needed to stop the drug use. If you face the problem
promptly, there's a good chance you can be helped. Never confront a person
who is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. Wait until he or she
is sober. Then discuss your suspicions with the person objectively. It is
not easy to do this. Take your time, remain calm, and if needed bring in
other members of your family or friends to help confront this issue.
Many people lie about their
alcohol and other drug use. If you think your child or family member is
not being truthful and the evidence is pretty strong, you may wish to have
them evaluated by a health professional experienced in diagnosing alcohol
and drug related problems. Don't make this visit to the doctor or clinic
seem like a threat or punishment. Remind the person that you are concerned
about them and you're trying to help.
Talking with Kids About Drugs and Alcohol
- The subject of alcohol and drugs can be very confusing for a
child or adolescent. If drugs are so dangerous, why is the family medicine
cabinet full of prescriptions? If alcohol is bad for you, why do family
members drink beer or wine at dinner?
It's not just parents who send
mixed messages about drugs and alcohol. While public service announcements
and school educational programs warn about the danger of substance use,
movies, TV, music, and advertising often glamorize it. Parents and other
caregivers and can help youth sort out the facts from the fiction. And it
is never too soon to begin. The average age a child first uses alcohol is
12; for marijuana, it’s 13; and LSD is 15. Many children start becoming
curious about the substance even sooner.
The Partnership For A Drug-Free America
offers the following tips about talking to youth about drugs:
Listen Carefully – Student
surveys reveal that when parents listen intently to their children's
concerns and feelings, kids feel comfortable talking to them, and are
more willing to stay drug-free.
Let Children Know It’s Okay to
Act Independently - This is particularly important since peer pressure
is a primary reason kids give for trying drugs. Let the child know
through your words and deeds that it is okay to act independently from
the group. Peer comparisons are often reinforced when the parent
consistently compares the child to a sibling or another child. Letting
the child know that they are unique and can act independently is an
important factor when dealing with peer pressure.
Role Play How to Say NO -
Children develop habits and behaviors through repetition and practice.
It is the same way with drug refusal. Role-play ways in which a child
can refuse to go along with friends without becoming a social outcast.
Let them know the rules in your family about alcohol and other drug use.
Then give them the chance to come up with good responses when pressured
to use alcohol or other drugs. Offer them a few suggestions like
"No, thanks. Let's play another game of basketball", or
"No, thanks. I don't drink beer".
Encourage Healthy Choices -
Allow your child plenty of opportunity to become a confident
decision-maker. A young child can help choose the clothes they wear to
school for that day. A nine-year-old is capable of deciding if she wants
to invite certain friends to her birthday party or just a few close
pals. An older child can help decide whether they want to go out for
baseball or participate in another school activity. As the child becomes
more skilled at making healthy choices, both you and the child will feel
more secure in their ability to make decisions regarding alcohol and
other drugs.
Provide Age Appropriate
Information – Make sure that the information you offer fits your
child's age and knowledge level. When the child is very young, a parent
may want to reinforce healthy habits by saying: "There are a lot of
things we need to do to keep our body strong and healthy, like a
brushing our teeth and eating healthy food. There are also things that
hurt our bodies, like smoking or taking medicines when we are not
sick". As the child gets older and can understand a simple lesson
about specific drugs like marijuana or alcohol, you will want to be more
direct in your communication with your child. When watching a TV show
where marijuana is used, you may want to ask them if they know what
marijuana is. You may also want to reinforce that marijuana is a harmful
drug that can hurt their body and can limit their ability to learn new
things. Make your comments simple and brief. Repeating this message
often enough will get your ideas across to the child.
Establish a Clear Family
Position on Drugs - It is okay simply to say, "we don't allow any
drug use, and children in this family are not allowed to use drugs or
drink alcohol. The only time you can take any drugs is when the doctor
or your mother or father give you the medicine because you are sick. We
make these rules because we care about you very much. Drugs can hurt
your body and make you very sick; some drugs can even kill you. Do you
have any questions about this?"
Do the Right Thing - Obviously
it is important for parents to provide correct role models for the
children. If your children see you drinking to excess or taking drugs
irresponsibly, it completely undercuts your well-intentioned
discussions. So after an exhausting day at work, try not to reach for a
beer the minute you walk in the door. That conveys to the child the
message that drinking is the best way to unwind. Also take care not to
use medications, even over-the-counter remedies, indiscriminately. Your
behavior needs to reflect your beliefs that drugs and alcohol must be
used both responsibly and sparingly.
