Drug Awareness Information

Prescription and OTC drugs such as cold

medicines, pain relievers, sleeping aids,
and even ADHD medicines are commonly
abused by young people. They are
readily available, and can be more
dangerous than other drugs. Some side
effects include dizziness, nausea,
vomiting, coma, and even death. Abusing
prescription drugs is a growing problem in
the US, therefore, start talking to your
child today about the dangers of drugs.

Addiction is a Developmental Disease:

It Starts Early
First Marijuana Use, (Percent of Initiates)

67%
26%

5.5%

1.5%

<12

12-17

18-25

>25

Basic Science Tells Us that Adolescents

Brains Are Still Developing

Why Do Kids Try Drugs?

The top reasons given by young peo

include

1. To feel grown up
2. To fit in and belong
3. To relax and feel good
4. To take risks and rebel
5. To satisfy curiosity

Source:Keeping Youth Drug-Free progra

U.S. Department of Health and Hum
Services.

Do Adolescents React Differently

than Adults to
Substances of Abuse?

Rats Exposed to Nicotine in Adolescence

Self-Administer More Nicotine Than
Rats First Exposed as Adults

Sources: Collins et al, 2004, Levin et al, 2003, NIDA Notes

v19.2

Do We Need Fundamentally
Different Strategies At
Different Stages of Adolescence?

Vulnerability
Why do some people
become addicted while
others do not?

We Know Theres A
Big Genetic Contribution To
Drug Abuse and Addiction
And the Nature of this Contribution
Is Extremely Complex

COMORBIDITY

Example: SMOKING EPIDEMIOLOGY

normal population:
23%
alcoholism:
90%+
other addictions:
90%+
schizophrenia:
85%
depression:
80%

Self-medication
hypothesis

Causal effects of
substance abuse

substance abuse begins as a

means to alleviate symptoms
of mental illness

Substance abuse may increase

vulnerability to mental illness

Common or correlated
causes

the life processes and risk

factors that give rise to
mental illness and substance
abuse may be related or
overlap

Alcohol & Drugs

The Basics

PPT-039-02

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Substance Abuse
When someone abuses or has an addiction to alcohol
or other drugs it affects themselves as well as other
people around them:
Emotionally
Behaviorally
Physically

PPT-039-02

45

Alcohol
Odor (breath or on person)
Intoxication/drunk
Glazed look
Lack of focus
Uncharacteristically passive or
combative
Argumentative
Deterioration of personal hygiene
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Alcohol
Dysfunctional
Absenteeism (Mondays)
Blackouts
Loss of memory
Fixated on drinking (both
social & professional)
Trouble with relationships
Difficulty walking
PPT-039-02

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Cannabis (Marijuana)
Other: Hashish, Hashish oils
Active ingredient: Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
Not physically addictive, moderately addictive
psychologically

PPT-039-02

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Cannabis
Effects
Euphoria

Loss of coordination

Impaired memory

Loss of motivation

Concentration

Animated behavior

Knowledge retention

Other similar
conditions that impair
work and personal
relationships

PPT-039-02

49

Cannabis What the Supervisor May See

Work level decrease

Increase of incidents
Loss of concentration
Repeating instructions
Breakage
Out of character behavior

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Inhalants

Not regulated as typical drugs

Commonly found substances that produce
certain effects similar to scheduled drugs
Examples: glue, marking pens, gasoline,
butane, amyl nitrite and aerosol sprays

PPT-039-02

51

Inhalants

Loss of muscle control

Slurred speech
Respiratory failure
Cardiac arrest
Number of other
physical symptoms
Brain & lung damage
Can be fatal (even in
small amounts)
PPT-039-02

52

Inhalants What the Supervisor may see

Paint on nose or fingers

Drunk-like reaction
Trouble breathing
Loss of strength/control
Fatigue
Lack of coordination

PPT-039-02

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Stimulants
Signs & Symptoms
Increased heart rate

Agitation

Alertness

Decreased appetite

Respiratory
functioning

Psychological
dependency

Restlessness

Physical dependency

PPT-039-02

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Stimulants
Effects

Dilated pupils
Dry mouth
Drug nose look
Runny nose
Sinus/nasal problem
Nose bleeds
Bad breath
Euphoria

Fidgeting
No interest in
food or sleep
Irritability
Argumentative
Nervous
Talkative with
no direction

PPT-039-02

55

Stimulants What the Supervisor may see

Increase in errors
Increased risk of
accidents
Weight loss (facial)

PPT-039-02

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Depressants
Frequent doctor trips for nervousness, anxiety,
stress, etc.
Acting drunk (without odor)
Limited or no facial expression or animation
Personality is flat
Lacking energy
Slurred speech

PPT-039-02

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Narcotics
Signs & Symptoms
Acting lethargic or
drowsy
Constricted pupils/not
reactive
Redness & raw nostrils
from inhalation
Track marks
Slurred speech

Frequent trips to doctors

for pain medication
Increase in frequency and
amount of prescribed pain
medication w/o doctor
consent
Sweating, vomiting,
coughing & sniffling,
twitching, loss of appetite

PPT-039-02

58

Why Synthetic?
Feels like a marijuana high
Danger of not knowing all of the ingredients in
the synthetic product
Contaminated with impurities
Do not test positive on THC drug test
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Designer Drugs
Psychoactive substances, stimulant
Amateur chemists - cookers
Injected, smoked, snorted or ingested
Rapid onset (1-4 minutes)
Short duration of action (30 minutes
to a few hours)
Fentanyl is one of the 3 common
bases for designer drugs = 80 to 100
times more potent then Heroin

PPT-039-02

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Designer Drug
Common Drugs

Effects

Physical

Ecstasy
Adam
Lovers Speed
Special K
Fantasy
Natures Quaalude

Hypertension, blurred
vision, tremors,
drooling, anorexia,
impaired speech,
paralysis, seizures,
brain damage, death

Psychological
Confusion, irritability,
anxiety, emotional,
irrational, depression,
amnesia, violent
behavior, insomnia
PPT-039-02

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Hallucinogens
LSD
Peyote
Psilocybin
Mushrooms
PCP
PPT-039-02

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Hallucinogens
Signs & Symptoms
Dilated pupils

Self absorbed

Heavy sweating

Slurred speech

Strong body odor

Confusion

Distorted senses

Isolated/detached

Hallucinations

Time (unaware)

Distorted view of
themselves

Changes in mood
and behaviors
PPT-039-02

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Hallucinogens What the Supervisor may see

Fixed small pupils

Sweating
Hyper sensitive
Separated from reality

PPT-039-02

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OTC Drugs
Both prescription and OTC drugs can affect
the worker in numerous ways especially if a
reaction or drug interaction occurs
Hard to predict; may have the same symptoms
as alcohol or drug use, but could be caused
by legal drugs
Consider a policy on OTC drugs in the
workplace based on the job description
PPT-039-02

69

Common OTC & Prescription

Opioids
Topiramate
Antihistamines
Antidepressants
Sedative Hypnotics

Skeletal muscle
relaxants
Anti-Diabetic
Medications
Cold medicines
Allergy Medications

Anti-Anxiety
Medications

PPT-039-02

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Why focus on drug abuse

internationally?
I. Drug abuse is a global
phenomenon
5 percent of people aged 15-64

II. Intertwined dual-epidemics of

drug addiction & HIV/AIDS

UNODC 2005 World Drug

Report

HIV Infections Attributed to

Injection Drug Use and Risky
Sexual Behaviors Related to
Drug Abuse

III. Take advantage of unique opportunities to advance scientific

knowledge through research

Where Do We Need
to Go From Here?
We Need to

Advance the
and to

Erase the

SCIENCE
STIGMA

Substance abuse is a preventable

problem. You are powerful as a parent.
Most kids say they stay away from drugs
because they might
upset their parents.
Teach your kids the risks of drug use
and your stand on them.

Get and stay closely involved in

your kids lives. Know what is
going on in their lives, who
their friends are, and the five
Ws--who, what, when,
where, and why.

Talk early and often to the kids

about drugs and alcohol use
(average age kids start drugs is
9-12).

Be a parent, not a pal.

Children need boundaries and
guidelines.

Talk to your kids today

about the dangers of
drugs. You are their antidrug.