Recognizing Drug Use/Abuse

Recognizing Drug Use/Abuse Brian Maloney Delta High School

Overview • Statistics on drug use/abuse and why students use. • What are some signs of drug or alcohol use/abuse? • What are the more popular drugs among students and how do they affect the student specifically? • How do I respond to situations when I believe a student is using or abusing drugs and/or alcohol, what happens after I report, and how does the school respond to these situations? • Resources and Helplines

Substance use Statistics(SAMHSA) • 44% of American youth have tried cigarettes by 12th grade • 20% are current smokers • 58,000 children ages 12-17 were using illicit drugs. • 141,000 for ages 18-25 • 26.4% of underage persons (12-20) consumed alcohol • Binge drinking was 17.4% • 27,000 children ages 12-17 in Indiana needed but had not received treatment for illicit drug use. • 26,000 alcohol • 20.1 million Americans ages 12 or older (8.0%) were current (past-month) illicit drug users.

Cigarette use among youths aged 12-17 by Gender (SAMHSA)

Current, binge, and heavy alcohol use among persons aged 12 or older in 2009 (SAMHSA)

Past month illicit drug use among persons aged 12 or older (SAMHSA)

First specific drug associated with initiation of illicit drug use among past year illicit drug initiates aged 12 or older in 2009 (SAMHSA)

Why do they use? • To feel grown up • Want to be like adults; grown up means freedom to make their own decisions • To belong • Want others to like them; may use substances in order to fit in with a group. • Feel better and relax • Some children develop unhealthy ways to deal with problems and stress; they think substances will comfort them and cheer them up permanently • To take risks • Youth are courageous and may have high risk behaviors; they think they are untouchable • Curiosity • They want to know about tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs; information from school other sources may not satisfy their curiosity

Tips to Help Recognition • Maintaining good relationships with students will help in recognition of warning signs. • No one symptom is a definite sign of use/abuse of substances. • Most often there will be a number of signs that can be recognized. • Warning signs can be recognized through physical, emotional, or social changes as well as through changes in academic achievement and extracurricular activities • Important to look at friends, changes in behavior, changes in physical appearance, changes in eating/sleeping patterns, changes in school performance, and students having excessive amounts of money.

Warning Signs of Drug and Alcohol Abuse • Physical • Fatigue • Repeated health complaints • Red and glazed eyes • Lasting cough • Frequent headaches • Emotional • Personality change • Sudden mood changes • Irritability • Neglecting responsibilities • Low self-esteem • Poor judgment • Depression • Social • Problems with personal relationships/ new friend groups • Problems with the law • Changes to less conventional styles of dress/music • School • Decreased interest • Negative attitude • Drop in grades • Many absences • Truancy • Discipline problems • Abandoning activities that were previously enjoyed

Marijuana • In addition to warning signs mentioned previously, marijuana may cause: • Impaired short term memory • Shortened attention span • Delayed reflexes • Relaxed inhibitions • Disoriented behavior • Breathing problems • Difficult to recognize unless under the influence at time of observation • Distinct odor • Highest rate of use and considered a gateway drug

Alcohol • Often used by substance abusers to enhance the effects of other drugs • In addition to warning signs mentioned previously, alcohol may cause: • Difficulty with memory • Secretive behaviors • Change in participation of extracurricular activities • Loss of appetite • Shakiness • Depression • Violence

Inhalants • There are over 1000 common household and classroom products that can be used as inhalants. • In addition to warning signs mentioned previously, using inhalants or “huffing” may be recognized by: • Chemical smell on student or clothing • Carrying products like markers, lighters, glue, nail polish remover, etc. • Drowsiness or lightheadedness • Apathy • Slurred speech • Sudden Death Syndrome

OTC Drugs • Over the counter drugs are abused substances very popular among the high school population because they are easy to acquire and inexpensive. • Cough syrups and tablets, aspirin, diet pills, motion sickness drugs (Dramamine), etc. • In addition to warning signs mentioned previously, OTC drugs may cause: • Nightmares • Poor memory • Nausea • Confusion • Numbness • Blurry vision • Hallucinations • Abuse of OTC drugs can cause depression, brain damage, seizures, stroke, and death.

Rx Drugs • Myth – “Prescription drugs provide a medically safe high.” • Opioids (Vicodin, OxyContin), depressants (Valium), and stimulants (Adderall) • In addition to warning signs mentioned previously, Rx drugs may cause: • Drowsiness • Anxiety • Paranoia • Episodes of euphoria

How to Respond • When a student is thought to be using/abusing substances illegally: • Teachers should report to the students guidance counselor • The counselor then reports to an administrator with the reported information • The principal will contact the student’s parent/guardian with the information that was reported and recommend to the parent/guardian that the student be given a drug test. • If results are positive, counseling agencies will be recommended to help the student and parent/guardian with treatment alternatives. • If student is witnessed using a substance or being in possession of a substance on school grounds, the student will be taken to an administrator or counselor immediately.

Reasonable Suspicion Policy • Our goal is to be a drug free school with the help of parent/guardians, students, and the school faculty and staff. • “This program will not affect the policies, practices, or rights of the School Corporation in dealing with drug and/or alcohol possession or use where reasonable suspicion is obtained by means other than random sampling provided herein. The Delaware County Community Schools also reserves the right to request the parent of any student who exhibits cause for reasonable suspicion of drug and/or alcohol usage to permit testing of a student and follow current practices as outlined in the Due Process Procedures.” -Delta High School Student Handbook-

Student Assistance Program • “Students who violate the alcohol or drug policies for the first time in their middle school or high school career may be eligible fro the Delaware Community School Corporation Student Assistance Program in lieu of suspension and expulsion from school. This is only true if the student has not sold or transmitted the drug or substance for profit.” – DHS Handbook • “This program is open to first time offenders only and is available to students only once during their middle school career and only once during their high school career. Parents and students must agree to attend counseling sessions as specified by the sponsoring agency plus any other reasonable requirements deemed necessary by school officials. In addition, the student must serve five days of intensive supervised study.” – DHS Handbook • Students who are not eligible for this program are subject to suspension and expulsion procedures

What can schools do to reduce substance use? • Schools can not completely stop the use of substances by students, but we can reduce student use by: • Being aware of the signs and how to respond • Providing strong no-use messages throughout the year • Having strong and common sense substance use policies • Work with community agencies • Create a school climate that • Engages parents in their children’s education • Develop high levels of student attachment to schools • Help students build supportive peer groups and resist negative peer pressure • Encourage students to report classmates who have problems

Resources for Further Information • Treatment Centers • Meridian Services Corp (Muncie) • Muncie Living Life Clean (Muncie) • House of Hope of Madison County Inc. (Anderson) • Hotlines • 24/7 Addiction Helpline • (877) 442-8360 • National Institute of Drug Abuse Hotline • (800) 662-4357 • Online • National Institute on Drug Abuse • www.drugabuse.gov/nidahome.html • www.abovetheinfluence.com

Questions?

References • Adolescents and Substance Abuse - Alcohol Use - Drinking - Drugs - Teens. (n.d.). Help for Troubled Teens Boarding Schools - Aspen Education. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.aspeneducation.com/factsheetsubstance.html. • Drug Facts. (n.d.). Above the Influence. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/drugspresciptionotconline/. • Drug Use Among Teens. (n.d.). CasaCanada. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from www.casacanada.com/drug3.html. • Frisch, S. (n.d.). Facts about...warning signs of alcohol and other drugs abuse. All & Well News Online. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from www.aliveandwellnews.com/ facts/prevention/warning_signs.shtml#Stimulants. • Results from the 2009 NSDUH: Summary of National Findings, SAMHSA, OAS. (n.d.). OAS Home: Alcohol, tobacco & drug abuse and mental health data from SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/ 2k9NSDUH/2k9Results.htm#2.1.

References • SADD Statistics. (n.d.). Welcome to SADD. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm • Smith, M., & Saisan, J. (n.d.). Drug Abuse and Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drug Problems and Substance Abuse. Helpguide.org: Expert, ad-free articles help http://helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_tr eatment.htm. • Teen Paths - review of the most common drugs used by teens. (n.d.). TeenPaths.org - Advocating Time-tested Boarding Schools for Difficult Teens In Trouble. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.teenpaths.org/drugreview.htm. • Warning Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse - Life123. Articles and Answers about Life - Life123. Retrieved July 1, 2011, from http://www.life123.com/parenting/ tweens-teens/drug-abuse/prescription-drug-abuse-2.shtml.

Recognizing Drug Use/Abuse