Drugs Erin Gahan, Maria Diaz, Peter Do, Sarah Crawford, Thao Hoang

Marijuana ●Derived from the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa ●Gateway Drug

Legal Implications of Weed ●Medical License ●<1 Oz ●>1 Oz

Effects of marijuana use ●Anxiety ●Appetite Increases ●Paranoia

Adolescent Use

Possible Health Risks ●Lung Complications (Unproven) ●Life achievements, Physical and mental health, cognitive abilities, social life, and career status (Heavy)*

Cocaine ●Derived from the leaves of the coca plant ●Commonly used in wealthy people

Method of use: ●Swallowed ●Snorted ●Smoking in rock form (Crack Cocaine) o Absorbed in 10 seconds o Can be made cheaply o Addicted quickly

Image taken from Google

Cocaine and Pregnancy ●Early stage → miscarriage ●Later stage → Trigger labor, unborn baby to die, stroke that can cause brain damage. ●Placenta may pull away from the uterus and can harm the unborn baby

Cocaine Babies ●Low birth weight → 40 times more likely to die ●Organs are malformed and have missing limbs ●Go through withdrawal in the beginning of birth ●Twice as likely to have delay in mental skills by age 2. ●Have lower test scores ●14% scores in the mental retardation range.

Hallucinogens ●Hallucinogenic compounds found in some plants and mushrooms have been used for centuries ●Many have chemical structures similar to those of natural neurotransmitters. ●Research suggests these drugs work by temporarily interfering with neurotransmitter action or by binding to their receptor sites. ●4 common types: o LSD o Peyote o Psilocybin o PCP

LSD ●Description/Usage ●Effects on the Brain ●Other adverse health effects ●Abuse

Peyote ●Description/Usage ●Effects on the Brain ●Other adverse health effects ●Abuse o Difficult to gauge the extent of its use because most data sources that quantify drug use exclude this drug, along with Psilocybin.

Psilocybin ●Description/Usage ●Effects on the Brain ●Other adverse health effects ●Abuse

PCP ●Description/Usage ●Effects on the Brain ●Other adverse health effects ●Abuse

Treatment for Hallucinogens ●Treatment is usually sought as a result of “bad trips” ●Treatments usually supportive ●Occasionally medications are used ●Very little published data on treatment outcomes for specifically PCP intoxication

Methamphetamine ●Also known as: o Meth o Crystal o Chalk o Ice ●Extremely addictive stimulant ●Normally takes a white, odorless, bitter-tasting form drugabuse.gov

How It’s Made: ●Synthetic chemical ●Manufactured in illegal, hidden labs ●Made out of household items: o Common cold remedies (Sudafed) o Battery acid o Drain cleaner o Lantern fuel o Antifreeze ●Dangerous! *drugfreeworld.org

Who Uses? ●1 in 33 teens surveyed has tried meth, and 25% of those said it was readily available ●1.4 million persons aged 12 or older (0.6% of the US population) had used methamphetamine during the past year ●600,000 (0.2% of the US population) had used it during the past month

Methods of Use: Can be: ●Injected (most frequent) ●Smoked ●Snorted ●Ingested jcsd.org

Short Term Effects: ●Loss of appetite ●Increased heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature ●Dilation of pupils ●Disturbed sleep patterns ●Nausea ●Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior ●Hallucinations, hyperexcitability, irritability ●Panic and psychosis ●Convulsions, seizures and death from high doses drugfreeworld.org

Long Term Effects: ● Permanent damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes and death ● Liver, kidney and lung damage ● Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed ● Respiratory (breathing) problems if smoked ● Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected ● Malnutrition, weight loss ● Severe tooth decay ● Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion ● Strong psychological dependence ● Psychosis ● Depression ● Damage to the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and epilepsy drugfreeworld.org

Meth & Pregnancy: Estimated 19,000 crystal meth users are pregnant Life Threatening Conditions ● High blood pressure ● Eclampsia ● Abrupted placenta Complications During Labor and Delivery ● Preterm labor and delivery ● C-Section Effects of Meth on the Fetus ● DNA damage ● Intra-uterine growth retardation ● Premature birth ● Mortality/morbidity ● Fetal stroke ● Life-long challenges pregnancy.loveetoknow.com

Meth & Death

Prevention Programs - Montana Meth Project:

Signs & Treatment: Signs and symptoms: ●Dilated pupils ●Weight loss ●Eye twitching ●Loss of appetite ●Repetitious behavior ●Hyperactivity Treatment: ●Detoxification & withdrawal ●Treatment uses both medication and psychology to address underlying issues ●Meth has one of the highest relapse rates

Inhalants What are inhalants? They are toxic substances consumed through the nose or mouth

● Volatile Solvents ○Liquids that become a gas at room temperature ● Aerosol ○Sprays that contain propellants and solvents ● Gases ○household or commercial products, used in the medical field to relieve pain. ● Nitrites ○used primarily for sexual enhancers Types of Inhalants

Volatile Solvents ●nail polish remover ●degreaser ●dry-cleaning fluid ●gasoline ●correction fluid Aerosol ●spray paint ●hair spray ●deodorant spray ●vegetable oil spray ●fabric protector spray

Gases ●butane lighters ●propane tanks ●whipped cream dispensers ●nitrous oxide (laughing gas) Nitrites ●video head cleaner ●room odorizer ●leather cleaner ●liquid aroma

Short Term Effects ●Drunk, Dizzy, dazed appearance ●Inability to coordinate movement ●Hallucination / Delusions ●Hostility ●Apathy ●Impaired Judgement ●Unconsciousness ●Headaches

Long Term Effects ●Muscle Weakness ●Disorientation ●Lack of coordination ●Irritability ●Depression ●Damage to the heart, liver, kidney, lungs, brain ●Memory impairment ●Bone Marrow damage

●Decrease in Inhalant use in the past 4 years ●8th Graders have the highest percentage of past month, past year, and lifetime inhalant use

Ways teachers and parents can recognized if kids are using inhalants ●Chemical odor on breath or clothes ●Slurred speech ●Lack of coordination ●Depression ●Hidden empty sprays/ chemical soaked rags or clothes ●Stains (chemical) in face, hands, or clothes