Teaching Substance Use & Abuse What do you need to know? What do your students need to know?

Marilyn Grechus, Ph.D.Professor of Health EducationUniversity of Central Missouri

(660)543-8904grechus@ucmo.edu

Teaching Substance Use & Abuse

What do you need to know?What do your students need to

know?

AlcoholThe equal opportunity

destroyer

Who Drinks?•10 people•10 drinks•How are they divided up?

Who Drinks?

Teenagers•4.6 million teenagers have a

drinking problem. •4% of high school seniors

drink alcohol every day.

Teenagers• Lower body weight–Higher blood alcohol

concentration level than adults –Greater effects for longer

periods of time

Alcohol & other drugs

20-35% Suicides

62%Assaults52% Rapes

38% Child abuse

50% Traffic fatalities

49% Murders

68% ManslaughterCharges69%

DrowningsHealth Concerns Associated with Alcohol Use

Up to 50% Spousal abuse

Another Problem -

Effects on Children

Tobacco

In Missouri• 8,600 kids under 18–Daily new smokers

• MO has 11th highest smoking rate–39th lowest life expectancy

• $400 million spent on tobacco ads

Cheaper Alternatives• ‘Pipe’ tobacco to roll own

cigarettes• Small cigars formulated to

look like cigarettes – Lower taxes

New Products

Video

http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=139561

http://www.9news.com/9slideshows/gallery.aspx?slideshowname=Tobacco%20or%20Candy%20Test

Packaging

• Don’t know yet where they will be placed in the store

• Easily transported • Easier to start

•Smokeless pouches

• Keep in mouth until dissolved

• Smokeless, not dangerless

Alternative Cigarettes• Exotic•Made with ‘natural’, ‘healthier’

ingredients• Flavored• Contain less tobacco–Non-porous leaves • nicotine cannot be weakened by air

–Receive 2–7 times the nicotine

•Harder to keep lit•Breathe deeper, more often•Toxins go deeper into lungs

•More than 5 X amount of tar–2X risk of lung cancer–5X risk of heart disease–More at risk for cancer

Herbal Blends

KreteksClove cigarettesHookasWater Pipes1 hour of Hooka is likeSmoking 100 cigarettes!

Problems of Quitting•Withdrawal Symptoms•Parents become agitated•Children think they aren’t loved

Inhalants•Dangers– Brain– Lung•Common among

children

Teaching Inhalants• Not a ‘drug’• Safety issues–Labels – “Use in well-ventilated

area”–Reasons for labels–Discuss types of products

Caffeine: A Daily Drug• ~80-90% of the world's population

consumes daily• 76% of children consume daily

Breath Mints & Spray

Candy Bars

Inhaler

Energy Strips

Add to coffeeTime-release capsules Cereals

Beef Jerky

Patches & Gel to apply to the body

Caffeinated Beer

Mixing Energy Drinks with Alcohol

Gum

Caffeinated lip balm & soap

Caffeinated sunflower seeds & potato chips

Effect on Children•Smaller bodies - Greater effect•During school•Late night (ball games, etc.)

Over-the- Counter &

Prescription Drugs

Dextromethorphan• Semisynthetic narcotic–Related to opium• OTC cough suppressants–Robitussin, Vicks Formula 44,

Drixoral, Delsym, Pertussin, etc.•“DM,” “Tuss,” or “Maximum Strength”

DXM• Legal• Less publicized than illegal

drugs• Easily obtained–Not intimidating like heroin–OTC = Safe?

Other Dangers•Toxic side effects from other ingredients–Liver damage from acetaminophen

Prescription Drugs• Types of drugs–Pain Killers–Antidepressants–ADHD stimulants

• Steal drugs & prescriptions• Buy from others• Take from parents – ‘Pharm Parties’

Marijuana

Stronger now than in

the ‘60’s

K-2• Synthetic Marijuana• Sold as incense or

potpourri–Herbs, spices–Synthetic THC

Playing Russian Roulette• Never tested on humans• Affects the central nervous system–Hallucinations, seizures–Fast heart beat, dangerously

elevated blood pressure, pale skin and vomiting

Bath Salts• Names–Ivory Wave, Bliss, White

Lightning and Hurricane Charlie • Chemicals cause–hallucinations, paranoia, rapid

heart rate and suicidal thoughts

Bath Salts

•Reacts in brain like combination of Meth & Cocaine•Creates aggressive tendencies like PCP

MethMISSOURI – METH CAPITAL

OF THE COUNTRY

Meth addicts• Don’t eat or sleep–Sometimes up to a month

• No energy for normal tissue repair–Body starts to rot•Gums break down, teeth fall out•Major organs disintegrate• Induce strokes, psychosis,

schizophrenia

Hiding Drugs

Scope of Classroom

Drug Education

• Scare tactics don’t work• Teach drugs are not the answer

to problems • Don’t play down child’s

problems - may make drugs more appealing•Teach alternatives

Milk activity

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Activities•Things to create

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Activities