Staying Drug-Free

One of the best ways to stay drug-free is to know what behavior and circumstances can lead to drug use. What makes teens choose drugs in the first place? What can you do to avoid the pitfalls?  Following are some of the red flags of which you should be aware:

• Gateway Drugs– Drugs like alcohol, tobacco can lead the way to more elicit drug use. Gateway drugs tend to be inexpensive and readily available.  Close the door om the use of harder drugs by steering clear of these substances.
• Escape– Many teens site boredom; the need to forget their troubles and relax; and the desire to ease their pain as reasons for drug use. Indeed, everyone needs a release, but drug use should not be one of them. Instead get involved in a hobby- sports, clubs, music lessons, volunteering and after-school activities are great choices!
• Peer Acceptance– Most teens want to be viewed and being “COOL” or as part of the “IN-CROWD.”  Interestingly, teens tend to switch peer groups to be around those who have made similar lifestyle choices. So, be cautious of who you choose as friends.  Hang around others who have also chosen to be drug-free.
• Self-Esteem– Drug use and poor self-esteem seem to go hand in hand. Again, stay focused on doing your personal best at school and other activities.  Look to people like your parents, teachers, coaches or other mentors who can reinforce your positive view of self.

Opioids

Opioids are drugs with morphine-like effects, derived from opium.

Natural opiates include morphine, codeine, and thebaine. Semi-synthetic/manmade opioids are created in labs from natural opiates. Semi-synthetic opioids include hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and oxycodone (the prescription drug OxyContin), as well as heroin, which is made from morphine.

Common slang terms for heroin include:

Smack, Dope, Mud, Horse, Skag, Junk, H, Black tar, Black pearl, Brown sugar, Witch hazel, Birdie powder, Dragon, Hero, White stuff, China white, Boy.

Sudden Death/ Overdose- Heroin is one of the most lethal drugs in the world

Cocaine

If a person is abusing powdered cocaine and they don’t want you to know, they may disappear to use the drug and then return in a very different mood. They may seem excited and act more confident and exhibit a greater sense of well-being. They may be more excited sexually and talkative. Their energy will be pumped up and they probably will not have much appetite for food and will not have a normal sleep pattern.

Also known as Coke, Flake, Snow, Blow, Toot, Girl, White, Powder, and Candy.

Bath Salts

Is one of the newest drugs to hit the streets. These drugs have nothing to do with bathing. They are called bath salts because they are usually packaged as a product “for a soothing bath, not for human consumption.” Before the drugs making up bath salts were illegal, this kept sellers from having the drugs confiscated. Sellers were usually convenience stores, head shops and similar businesses.

Inhalants

Glue, Kick, Bang, Sniff, Huff, Poppers, Whippets, Texas Shoe-Shine – the various names for inhalants may sound harmless enough, but the health hazards are anything but. Although chemical inhalants are found in everyday household items like cleaning fluids, glue, paint, nail polish remover, aerosol sprays, white-out and marker pens- just to name a few – when used other than their intended use, the effects can be deadly.

• Sudden Death – One sniff of an inhalant can cause immediate death. Even if inhaled on hundreds of other occasions, the next whiff can be your last. It’s like playing Russian roulette with your life.
• Altered State – Inhalant use can cause slurred speech; a drunken, dazed appearance; strange breath odor; red eyes and a runny nose.
• Bodily Harm – Inhalant users lose their sense of smell; experience nausea and nose bleeds; and develop liver, lung and kidney disorders. Inhalant use starves the body of oxygen, which forces the heart to go into overdrive and beat rapidly and irregularly.
• Losing Streak- Chronic inhalant use can cause a wasting away of your muscles, as well as reduced muscle tone and strength. It permanently impairs physical and mental ability of everyday functions like walking, talking and thinking. Chances are you won’t make that game winning point.

Most teens aren’t using inhalants. Ninety-four percent of teenagers have never tried inhalants. Don’t be one of the few who do.

Tobacco

Tobacco comes in many different forms and has even more names – cigarettes, smokes, chew, dip, spit tobacco, snuff. Even more plentiful than its names are the number of chemicals it contains. Did you know that there are 200 known poisons in cigarette smoke?

• Damage to Your Health – Smoking is the leading cause of cancer of the mouth, throat, bladder, pancreas, and kidney. And, while cancer may seem like something reserved for the distant future, tobacco is particularly harmful in your growing and developmental teenage years.
• Kills your good looks—Smoking yellows your teeth and fingers. It can dry out your skin and cause wrinkles.  Research has shown a possible relation to premature grey hair and hair loss.
• Lose your competitive edge—Smoking causes shortness of breath and dizziness.  Chewing tobacco causes dehydration.  None of these health effects will benefit your game.

Ecstasy

Typically found in the club scene, Ecstasy is also known as X-TC, Adam, Eve, Essence, Stacy and Clarity among others. Ecstasy is a hallucinogenic stimulant that can be found in tablet, capsule or powder forms.

• Bodily Harm- Ecstasy can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, muscle tension, faintness, chills, tremors, loss of appetite, insomnia, convulsions and a loss of control over voluntary body movements.  Its results have been reported to last from one to 14 days.
• A Fantasy World- An ecstasy high usually last 3 to 4 hours. Users report a sense of euphoria, mental clarity anxiety or paranoia.  Heavier doses can result in hallucinations, sensation of floating, depression and violent, irrational behavior. 
• Poor Performance- Ecstasy users are at a risk for heat exhaustion and dehydration typical with the physical exertion that results in a dance-party setting or with sports.

Marijuana

Weed, Pot, Grass, Reefer, Ganja, Mary Jane, Blunt, Joint- the many names for marijuana still don’t nearly reflect the more than 400 known chemicals found in marijuana.

• Health Risks– THC, marijuana’s active ingredient, damages the nerve cells in the brain that facilitate memory. Marijuana use can limit the body’s infection fighting capability and can increase your heart rate-leading to frequent chest colds.
• Poor Sport– Marijuana can seriously affect your sense of time and judgment for doing things that require coordination- like playing sports. It can also make you feel unmotivated, anxious and dizzy.
• More then Meets the Eye– Before it is sold, marijuana can sometimes be laced with such dangerous drugs and chemicals as cocaine, PCP or embalming fluid.

Steroids

Arnolds, Gym Candy, Pumpers, Stackers, Weight Trainers, Juice- all are names of steroids. Steroids use can seem attractive to so athletes, but the repercussions are disastrous.

• Mood Shifts-  Using steroids can cause outburst of anger and rage for no apparent reason.  Addicts’ withdrawal symptoms include mood swings, suicidal thoughts and/ or attempts, fatigue, restlessness, loss of appetite and sleeplessness.
• Physical Changes- Steroids abuse can cause some specific changes in boys and girls. Boys can begin to bald, develop breast and become impotent.  Girls may experience growth of facial hair, a deepened voice, breast reduction and male-pattern baldness.
• Health Hazards- Sharing needles put you at increased risk for HIV/ AIDS and hepatitis. Steroid abuse has been associated with cardiovascular disease, heart attacks and strokes- even in athletes under the age of 30.

Alcohol

In our society, drinking alcohol can be made to seem glamorous and the cool thing to do. Its effects are often made to seem not only inconsequential, but even socially beneficial- the way to have fun. However, alcohol is the most abused drug in the world.  It can be addictive; cause traffic related deaths; and can destroy lives and families.

• Unhealthy Effects– Alcohol can cause damage to every organ in your body.  Particularly in a teenager’s developing body, the effects of alcohol have a greater impact on their physical and mental wellbeing. Those who begin drinking before the age of 15 are also four times as likely to develop alcoholism than those that begin at the legal age of 21.
• Not at All Star– Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgement, slowed reflexes and distorted vision- seriously impairing your athletic abilities.
• Overdose– Drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause blackouts, coma and death.
• Poor Decisions– Alcohol’s affects on your central nervous system in a lowering of your inhibitions, which impairs your judgment. You may expose yourself to risky behavior like drinking and driving or having unprotected sex.

Alcohol is an insidious drug- particularly for teens. Drinking and driving is the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15-24 years old. Approximately half of all deaths of youth due to drowning, fire, suicide and murder are alcohol related.  Finally, buying or having alcohol ion your possession under the age of 21 is illegal, so steer clear of it.

School Safe

School shootings and violence has become a frequent occurrence in America’s schools. It has made a place that should be one of the safest places for our youth, one of the most hazardous.  Fortunately, there are warning signs to spot potential offenders.

• On the Outside– Such youth tend to be loners with few or no close friends. Being a target of bullying tends to accompany this social standing. Alternately, they may be involved with a gang or an antisocial group that is unaccepted by their peers.
• A Time to Share– Perpetrators of school violence often shares their feelings of isolation, anger, depression, or frustration prior succumbing with violence to those emotions.
• Violent Tendencies– Dangerous teens may have a preoccupation with weapons and / or explosives. They may display angry or violent behavior towards people and / or animals. Violence is often a theme in such youth’s choice of TV shows, movies, music or in the teens written projects.
• Trouble with Authority– A history of disciplinary problems, suspension or expulsion is characteristic of dangerous teens. A lack of supervision and support from parents or a concerned adult also figures prominently.