Drug Awareness - The Register

“Just Say No” is not enough. “Just Don’t Do It” doesn’t
do it. But what IS the answer to questions teens and
pre-teens face about drugs?...
Information!
Information about what different drugs
do to your body. Information about highs
and lows and all the moods in between.
Information about the cost in dollars
Everyone has to make
and cents. Information about the cost
choices in life. And today,
to relationships with family, friends,
every young person has to
boyfriends, girlfriends.
make choices about legal
Drugs exist. Kids try or use them.
and illegal drugs.
They probably aren’t going away
This special newspaper section,
any time soon.
“Drug Awareness,” is designed to give
You need to know all you can about
you information for making choices.
them. You need frank talk, physical
It will discuss the the effects of illegal
facts, and a chance to voice your
drugs like crack, marijuana, or cocaine.
opinions. You need a chance to do
and
It will discuss legal drugs like alcohol
the talking, as well as an opportunity
iences.
nicotine, which affect even wider aud
to listen.
ting
It will examine the huge cost of figh
drugs — and treating drug abuse.
ces
And it will examine the drug experien
.
of your parents as they relate to you
Shannon Hoon
Shannon Hoon of Blind Melon (age 28), died from
an overdose of cocaine in October 1995 — just
weeks after he had finished heroin rehab.
Hoon’s death prompted the National Academy
of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) to
convene a closed door meeting of more than
300 industry leaders to find a way to combat
drug abuse and drug deaths in the music world.
CHOICES
TO MAKE
WHAT IS A DRUG?
So let’s get one thing straight: A drug
is any substance that
cha nge s how the bod y wor ks onc
e it get s insi de the bod y.
Onc e dru gs ent er the bloo dstr eam
, the y trav el thro ugh out
the ent ire bod y.
They travel fastest to organs with a
rich blood supply — the heart,
the lungs and the brain. Drugs that
are inhaled, smoked or injected
directly into the bloodstream get into
the brain the fastest.
Drugs that get into the brain fastest
— as in the case of smoked
nicotine or cocaine —are most likely
to result in addiction, studies
show. You are addicted if you cannot
easily stop using a drug or
if you need to take the drug to feel
well. The number of addicts
varies from drug to drug. For example,
about 100,000 people seek
treatment for marijuana use each year
.
Drugs come in all sorts of surprising
forms, and some can be put to
good use as well as bad. The challeng
e for each of us is to figure out
how to make healthful, safe choices
about the drugs in our world.
LEARN FROM LIFE
Life experiences will play heavily in the
discussion in this section. Not only your
experiences, but the experiences of:
●
■
2
Professional athletes who
have had to deal with
drug dependency or
other problems.
●
■
Entertainers who have been
forced into treatment centers
like the Betty Ford Clinic.
●
■
Talented people who blew their chances for
success, or died from bad drug decisions.
Drugs are
often in the
class,
news — drug , drug dealing and more. As ar stories
fo
ting
abuse, drug figh aper today or for several days into
search the newsps. Separate the stories you findl” or
that involve drugr the headings “Local,” “Nationa mmon
categories unde Which type of story is most cocase?
“International.” Why do you think that is the
not
in your paper?
t of drugs, and e
lo
a
e
us
e
w
,
on
ot
s prom
As a nati
. TV and print ad
es
on
al
eg
ill
st
ju
products to cure
d
an
s
ll
pi
l
ga
le
’s
a variety of
the ads in todayght.
an
Sc
s.
m
le
ob
ads toni
physical pr
ep a log of TV . What type
ke
or
,
er
ap
sp
w
ne
that is advertised
List every drug advertised most? What is the
of treatment is so many drug ads?
effect of seeing
8. This substance increases levels
of serotonin and endorphins,
chemicals that make people feel
good. It also contains phenylethylamine (PEA), a stimulant that raises
blood pressure and heart rate and
has been said to create a feeling very
much like falling in love. It has been
blamed for a variety of medical
problems, from acne and headaches,
to insomnia, kidney stones and high
blood cholesterol. Recent medical
studies dispute some of those connections. This substance can also
contribute to obesity. This substance
contains large amounts of theobromine, which acts like caffeine.
Most users — 90 percent — of
this substance are women. It comes
in powdered form, solid blocks,
and bars.
A BLIND TEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Every day, we hear a lot about drugs. The names of different substances are all
through the news. But can you tell what is an illegal drug without knowing the
name, just by knowing what it does? The blind test on this page will gauge how
much you know about different substances. Read each description, then write
out what you think it is. Don’t assume anything. There may be some surprises.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
2. This substance is consumed
mainly as a liquid. It can improve
your mood, and fight drowsiness,
fatigue and boredom. But it can
also raise blood pressure and, in
large amounts, increase the risk
of irregular heartbeats. People who
consume a lot every day and then
try to quit can develop headaches,
become depressed, anxious or tired.
(
______________)
answer:
3. More than 434,000 people die
each year because of this substance.
More than 46 million adults and
nearly 3 million children and
teenagers use it. Each day, more
than 3,000 children start to use it.
Although there has recently been
debate about whether this substance
is addictive, the U.S. government
believes it to be and scientific studies
conclude that it can cause heart disease, lung cancer, emphysema and
oral cancers. It increases the heart
rate and blood pressure and stimulates the gastrointestinal tract. It
can also cause skin to wrinkle and
give the user bad breath.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
4. This liquid substance depresses
brain activities, tranquilizes users and
can slow down behavior governed
by the brain, such as how a person
acts and moves. It can affect a
person’s ability to learn and remember new information, numb normal
inhibitions and unleash aggressive
behavior. It can also change the way
nutrients are absorbed, stored and
used, thus stunting growth in young
people who consume it. In 1992,
2,691 deaths of young people on
d
streets and highways were attribute
on
milli
15
ut
Abo
to this substance.
people in the United States are
addicted to it.
_
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
5. These substances are found in
practically every household. They can
be absorbed through the lungs and
distributed rapidly to the brain and
other organs. Most leave the body
through the lungs. Low levels of
exposure often make users giddy.
Longer exposures can sedate users,
as if they had a large number of
alcoholic drinks. Users can experience
light-headedness and fantasies,
nausea, vomiting and extreme
salivation. At high doses, users can
pass out and risk seizures. Some of
these substances may cause heartbeat irregularities which, in turn,
can lead to death. These substances
affect coordination, dissolve cell
membranes and enter all cells of
the body. Long-term users often lose
weight, have nosebleeds or mouth
sores and are irritable or depressed.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
6. This is considered highly
addictive, but doctors use it
som etim es to help patients.
For example, it can be used as
an anesthetic in eye surgery.
Abusers can consume this
substance in a number of
ways. They can inject, smoke
or snort it. Heavy users can
suffer from high blood
pressure, hallucinations,
sleeplessness, nervousness,
violent behavior. An overdose
can lead to heart problems,
tremors, convulsions and death.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
7. This substance has been
legal in Europe as an anesthetic
and, in a limited way in the
U.S., to treat narcolepsy, a
sleeping disorder. Bodybuilders
were the first to use the substance illegally. They could
buy it in health food stores
and use it instead of steroids
to build up their bulk. It is
now popular in some nightclubs
among young people
and among ravers, who like
its anesthetic qualities at the
all-night parties called “raves.”
It can cause nausea and vomiting,
breathing problems, seizures and
comas. It has been blamed for
several deaths.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
9. This substance is a hallucinogen.
It was first popular in the 1960s in
its crystalline form, known as angel
dust. Now it is commonly used in
a liquid form, drenched over mint
or parsley leaves and sold in glassine
bags. Users often smoke it in
cigarettes. Sometimes they mix it
with crack cocaine, creating what is
called a spaceball. Sometimes they
mix it with other substances like
marijuana to increase their high.
This substance alters moods and,
when swallowed, can cause reactions ranging from a trance to
aggressive behavior. It causes the
user to lose coordination. It can
also cause convulsions.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
10. Visits to hospitals for emergencies caused by this substance have
risen, which means this substance
has become more popular. Years
ago, the common way to use this
substance was to inject it into a vein
.
Now, many users prefer to heat it,
either as a powder or as a resin, on
a piece of silver foil. As the substance liquifies and evaporates, its
smoke is inhaled through a straw.
Some people call this procedure
“chasing the dragon.” Users
who inject this substance are also
vulnerable to HIV infection from
contaminated needles.
(answer:_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ )
Answers
1. Marijuana
2.
Caffein
e
3.
Nicotin
e,
which
appears in tobacco products 4. Alcoho
l 5. Inhalants, including adhesives
cleaning agents like dry cleaning fluid,
like model airplane glue, aerosols like
food products like whipp
ed
cream
spray paint,
aeroso
ls
and
solven
ts
as liquid E, liquid X, GHB. Its chemical
and gases like nail polish remover
6. Cocaine. 7. Liquid Ecstasy, also known
name is gamma hydroxybutyric acid
8. Chocolate 9. PCP, Its chemical
name is phenylcyclohexylpiperidine
10. Heroin
1. This substance is a green, brown
or gray mixture. Using it can lead to
feelings of contentment or feelings
of anxiety or paranoia. Some people
become dependent on this substance. It goes by a variety of street
names. The main active chemical in
this substance helps relieve the nausea and vomiting caused by certain
cancer treatments. It can also help
AIDS patients eat more to keep up
their weight. It is now illegal in most
places, but some doctors would like
it to become a legal substance so
they can give it to patients.
3
DESIGNER DRUGS
Designer drugs are a class of drugs
SPECIAL K
amine
Special K is made from ket
used as
ely
wid
g
hydrochloride, a dru
in pet
s
vet
an animal tranquilizer by
cin
hallu ogen,
surgery. It is a powerful
e drug is
similar to LSD and PCP. Th
etimes
som
is
usually snorted but
rijuana
ma
sprinkled on tobacco or
frequently
and smoked. Special K is
h other
used in combination wit
roin and
he
y,
drugs, such as Ecstas
cocaine
of
cocaine. A combination
“CK.”
and Special K is known as
d a lost
an
s
on
ati
cin
Profound hallu
ntity
ide
d
an
g
sense of time, feelin
yan
ts
are part of the high. It las
ho
to 2 urs.
where from a half-hour
their arm.
ECSTASY
Ecstasy, or MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine), is a synthetic drug that acts simultaneously
as a stimulant and a hallucinogen.
Users sometimes take Ecstasy for a
sense of well being, sensory distortions, or to stay awake through an
hours long rave. It stimulates the
central nervous system. Ecstasy has
been shown to cause brain damage
in animals. It depletes the brain
chemical, serotonin, which affects
Darryl Strawberry
4
mood, sleeping , thinking processes,
, and
aggressive behavior, sexual function
sensitivity to pain.
His substance abuse and abusive behavior cost the
slugger his major league career. As a New York
he was already a star at age 19. But cocaine Met,
alcohol hurt his performance on the field and and
personality off the field. He got back in the his
leagues only after agreeing to go clean and gobig
the minors to prove he could play drug free. to
he relapsed and was forced to leave the YankBut then
ees.
Drug-Free America
Source: Partnership for a
SAY WHAT?
Can you identify drugs by
some of their nicknames?
A. Copilots, bumble bees, hearts or footballs
B. Crank, crystal, batu, shabu
C. Microdot, window pane, white lightning, blue heaven
D. Roach, rope, R2, La Roche
E. Goodfella, synthetic heroin
E. designer drugs
Amphetamines are stimulants
or “uppers” that are usually made
synthetically in homemade labs.
The effects include stimulation of
the central nervous system; a sense
of well-being and high energy;
a release of social inhibitions; and
feelings of cleverness, competence,
and power. These effects last from
4 to 6 hours depending on dose
and potency. Amphetamines can
be taken orally, injected, smoked,
or snorted. Injecting or smoking
leads to an immediate intense
“rush” that lasts only a few minutes
and is described as extremely pleasurable. Oral or nasal use produces
a milder effect: a high, but not a
rush. Chronic amphetamine use
produces a mental condition that
resembles schizophrenia and is
characterized by paranoia, picking
at the skin, and hearing and
visual hallucinations.
often associated with “raves,” the
all-night dance parties frequented
by teens and college students.
Designer drugs are modifications of
restricted drugs, made by underground chemists. An example of a
designer drug is Ecstasy (see below).
Designer drugs are sometimes
derived from Fentanyl and/or
methamphetamine. The respiratory
paralysis that may occur from injected Fentanyl-derived designer drugs
is so sudden after drug administration that victims who injected often
are found with the needle still in
me for a
Rohypnol is the brand na
, which is
drug called Flunitrazepam
more powera sedative that is 10 times
l is not legally
ful than Valium. Rohypno
in the U.S.,
available for prescription
ntries worldbut is legal in over 60 cou
omnia. The
wide for treatment of ins
ity in the last
drug has gained popular
l drug called
few years as a recreationa
s a sleepy,
“roofies.” The drug create
g that lasts
relaxed, and drunk feelin
ohol, “roofies”
2 to 8 hours. Used with alc
n around the
produce amnesia. Wome
ing raped
country have reported be
sedated with
after being involuntarily
en slipped
“roofies,” which were oft
er.
ack
into their drink by an att
D. rohypnol
AMPHETAMINES
ROHYPNOL
Answers: A. amphetamines B. methamphetamines C. LSD
In the Blind Test on Page 3, you identified some
of the common illegal drugs people encounter —
marijuana, cocaine, Liquid Ecstasy , PCP and heroin.
You also got a chance to compare their effects with
some legal drugs like alcohol and nicotine.
But they are just some of the substances used
and abused in America. And the list is always
changing with new drugs or variations on old
drugs gaining attention or interest.
Knowing what is out there is the first step to
understanding the drug choices kids make.
panic, confusion,
The user may experience
s of control. LSD
suspicion, anxiety, and los
addicting drug
is not considered to be an
ce compulsive
because it does not produ
cocaine, heroin,
drug-seeking behavior like
or nicotine do.
g to
again between 1996 and 1997, accordin
d by
the yearly nationwide survey conducte
t
gran
a
the University of Michigan under
Abuse.
from the National Institute on Drug
ed
The 1998 and 1999 surveys show that
use
for the first time in six years, teen drug
has evened out.
That is the good news, the researchers
said. But there is still cause for concern.
tMarijuana use, though declining sligh
a
rly
ly, is still “widespread” with nea
quarter of all eighth graders having
ers.
tried it, and nearly half all 12th grad
ent of
Marijuana accounts for nearly 90 perc
s.
teen
preillegal drug use among teens and
the
On top of that, use of ecstasy, one of
ity at
ular
pop
of
so-called “club drugs” because
in 1999, the
dance clubs, rose among older teens
an upturn in
Michigan study found, and there was
alcohol use
binge drinking in younger grades. And
all high school
remains common. Fully one third of
hol at least
students reported being drunk on alco
was taken.
once in the 30 days before the survey
ent of
Other surveys have shown that 75 perc
had gone
high school seniors report that they
than half
drinking in the past year, and more
said they had gotten drunk.
The last few years have seen a lot
ee America
In 1992, the Partnership for a Drug-Fr
of change in drug use among teens
disapproved
found 70 percent of teens said they
and pre-teens. Some change has been
val rate was
of drugs. Four years later the disappro
for the better. Some has not.
just 56 percent.
In the 1990s drug use among teens
hip
Even more significantly, a 1997 Partners
increased from 1993 to 1995 and
years
12
to
9
ds
study found that pre-teens —ki
drugs as
old — are growing more tolerant of
risks
drug
ut
abo
they receive less information
ces.
from the media, schools and other sour
orized
auth
ton
To combat this, President Clin
on TV to
use of blunt public information ads
1999
The
use.
showcase the results of drug
gers
Michigan study found ads showing dan
use.
lant
inha
ce
of inhalants had helped redu
“These ads were designed to knock
America upside the head and get
.
America’s attention,” the President said
In the 1990s, the government spent
billions of dollars to fight drug sales
and use, with more than $1 billion
a year going to federal prisons.
Leaders in Washington, D.C., in
various state capitals, and in cities
large and small have committed
resources and police to fighting
a War on Drugs.
Neighborhood groups have staged
vigils on city drug corners in an effort
to put dealers out of business. Suburban and city police have teamed
up to discourage suburban kids from
driving into cities for drug buys. Some
schools have conducted regular locker
searches, installed video cameras,
banned beepers and inspected backpacks in an effort to keep drugs off
school property.
Drug education courses are everywhere. And if you want to see a
politician act or talk tough, ask him
what he’ll do about drugs.
A LOOK AT RESULTS
WEB INFO
The Partnership for a Drug-Free
America website is a complete, nonpreachy source of information on
drugs, drug effects and anti-drug
efforts. Its address is:
www:drugfreeamerica.org
A newspaper is
like a library.
It gives you
all kinds of information on
an issue important to ever issues important to you. Here’s
yone: Why do people use
drugs? Look through the sto
or deal
lect evidence that could he ries in today’s paper and colStretch your thinking. Reasolp you answer the question.
they may include such thing ns may go beyond “pleasure”;
s as “work.”
There is also a downside,
using or dealing drugs. Goof course, to
paper again and find evide back through the
fallout from drug use or dru nce that shows
g dealing.
GREAT DEBATE:
Should Some Drugs Be Made Legal?
Most of our country’s effort to fight drug use and drug abuse has
focused on stamping out supply and urging kids to “Just Say No.”
But now another approach is getting attention. And it is very
controversial. Some politicians say that money now spent on
imprisoning people who sell or possess illegal drugs could be
better spent on other things. These politicians say some drugs
should be made legal, since efforts to fight illegal drugs are
expensive, have not had the effect that was wanted or have
not worked very well.
On the other side, people argue that legalizing drugs would
encourage more people to experiment with them and increase
addiction. Polls have found that most people still agree with
that view. Even so, the states of California and Arizona recently
passed laws to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes.
The Arizona legislature later reversed its law.
In California, the new law allows marijuana to be grown and
used by anyone, even a minor, with a recommendation from a
doctor. But it does not let doctors prescribe marijuana.
The U.S. government is unhappy with this law and has threatened to punish doctors if they prescribe marijuana for patients.
But some doctors say that is unfair, since some patients, like those
who have painful cancers or AIDS, clearly benefit from marijuana.
TALK ABOUT IT . . .
, for
Why are some drugs legal and some illegal? Why
not to
example, is it legal for adults to use tobacco and
scribe drugs
use marijuana? Should doctors be allowed to pre
ients?
like marijuana and heroin if those drugs help pat
5
Political leaders and the Food and Drug Administration of the federal government
are both pushing tougher controls on tobacco on the ground that cigarette makers
use nicotine like a drug.
Nicotine is an important — and addictive — ingredient in cigarettes. The FDA
sought to more closely regulate tobacco, so it could be able to decide, for
example, how much tobacco is allowed in cigarettes and how those cigarettes
may be sold.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in March 2000 that the FDA
does not have the authority to regulate tobacco. The U.S.
Congress now will be asked to give the FDA that power
through a new law.
Even before the proposed
In the last few years there has been a lot of debate
ned
cigarette settlements, the FDA had plan
about who should pay for health care of people harmed
appeals to
restrictions in cigarette advertising that
by smoking.
rictions include:
teenagers and children. Those ad rest
In the summer of 1997 cigarette makers agreed to pay $368
ts on
● restricting tobacco advertisemen
BILLION over 25 years to offset the health effects of smoking.
billboards;
But the deal fell through after the U.S. Congress proposed
y
● keeping billboards 1,000 feet awa
that the cigarette companies pay a greater amount.
nds;
grou
play
and
from schools
In November 1998 the cigarette companies reached a
g
enting tobacco companies from givin
prev
●
separate agreement worth more than $206 billion with all
ple;
away items like T-shirts to young peo
states that had sued to recover health costs paid by the states
Camel;
Joe
like
s
logo
● banning use of cartoon
for smoking illnesses.
hip
sors
spon
e
● blocking brand name cigarett
The agreement would limit future lawsuits against the
of sports events.
cigarette companies.
of laws
But in his 1999 State of the Union address, President Clinton
The FDA started tougher enforcement
iring
requ
by
18
er
said the U.S. Justice Department would seek to file a lawsuit
against sales to people und
ne
anyo
by
es
of its own to recover billions of dollars spent on smokingphoto IDs for purchase of cigarett
of
s
related illnesses through the Medicare health program.
under age 27. It also wants to ban sale
s.
hine
mac
Under the new settlement with the states, cigarette compaing
cigarettes from vend
advertising?
nies agreed to pay for a $1.7 billion anti-smoking and research
Why all the attention to cigarette
are
rs
campaign designed to reduce smoking by teens and pre-teens.
One recent study says that teenage
ond
A 1998 University of Michigan study found that one in five
three times as likely as adults to resp
eighth graders smoke, one in four 10th graders and one in
ts.
men
to cigarette advertise
three 12th graders.
EYE ON ADS
■
■
■
■
■
6
The battle
over the effect
weigh
forced people toof free
of cigarette
s
ha
s
en
te
on
ising
ght
and liquor advertainst the important American ri a debate.
e
public health ag ass, break into teams and stag be most
speech. As a cl gue that public health should shouldn’t
Have one side arand the other that free speech ou think
important issue by brainstorming a solution y
be limited. Finishto all.
mewould be fairest
alth issues are soct
he
te
la
gu
re
at
affe
Laws th
ial because theypeople.
rs
ve
ro
nt
co
es
m
ti
employ a lot of
companies that wspaper for other stories
e ne
Look through th ws or rules that affect the
about health la operate. Write a summary
way businesses the problem it is trying to fix.
of one law and
ONLI NE NEWS
To keep kids and parents informed on cases
and policies regarding cigarettes, the FDA has
set up a hotline phone number — 1-888-FDA4KIDS — and a “Children and Tobacco” link
on its Internet home page —
http://www.fda.gov.
LIQUOR CONTROLS
Tobacco is not the only ind
ustry under attack
for trying to appeal to you
ng people.
Companies that sell liquo
r like vodka, gin and
tequila recently decided
to start advertising on
television and radio again
after years of agreeing not to.
That decision has upset an
ti-alcohol groups and
some politicians, who fea
r the new advertising
will encourage young pe
ople to drink.
But these liquor companie
s argue that their
voluntary ban on advertisi
ng was out of date,
especially since beer and
wine companies can
advertise on television an
d radio.
TALK ABOUT IT . . .
t appealed
Describe a recent television, print or radio ad tha advertise
ld you
to you. What made this ad effective? How wou
would you
tobacco or liquor to appeal to young people? How people?
ng
advertise the dangers of tobacco or liquor to you
Oksana Baiul
‘FACTS’ ABOUT ALCOHOL ARE OFTEN FICTION
most
Alcohol not only is the most widely used of all drugs — it may also be the
alcohol.
misunderstood. There are numerous “facts” that “everybody knows” about
n
commo
more
the
of
some
are
Actually, these so-called facts are fiction. Here
myths about alcohol:
YOU’RE NOT AN ALCOHOLIC
UNLESS YOU DRINK A PINT A DAY.
There’s no simple rule of thumb.
Experts have concluded that how
much people drink may be far less
important than when they drink, how
they drink, why they drink, and what
happens to them when they drink.
“THANK GOODNESS THE
KIDS AREN’T ON DRUGS!”
on
If you’re hooked on drinking, you’re
endrugs. With 15 million Americans dep
ped
stop
we
dent upon alcohol, it’s time
pretending it isn’t a drug. The kids’
nts’
favorite drug is the same as the pare
favorite: alcohol.
MOST ALCOHOLICS ARE
MIDDLE-AGED OR OLDER.
A University of California research
team has found that the highest proportion of drinking problems is among
men in their early 20s. The second highest incidence occurs among men in their
40s and 50s.
ALCOHOLICS ARE MORALLY WEAK.
Although there are still people who disagree, alcoholism has been medically and
legally classified as an illness. Alcoholics
are no more responsible for their drinking
than tuberculosis patients are for their
coughing.
ALCOHOL IS A STIMULANT.
Alcohol is about as good a
stimulant as ether. Although in
small quantities, it may be initially
stimulating or irritating, it is
primarily a depressant. The first
area of the brain alcohol affects
is the area that regulates inhibitions,
judgment and self-control. It is the
lack of such restraints that causes
the “stimulated” behavior, and
people may do things they might
not otherwise do.
, it
After she became an Olympic skating champion y
man
e
com
looked as though Oksana Baiul had over
child.
obstacles, including being orphaned as a young cut
She had purchased an expensive house in Connectiey.
and was well on her way to making lots of mon
But after crashing her car, she pleaded guilty and
to drunk driving. She agreed to therapy
community service as part of her sentence.
ALCOHOL TEST
FOR TEENS
MIXING DRINKS CAUSES
GREATER INTOXICATION.
Only the consumption of ethyl
alcohol, the ingredient common
to all alcoholic beverages, causes
intoxication, not the mixing of drinks.
A person may tend to consume more
when there is a variety of drinks, but
it is still only the total amount of
ethyl alcohol that counts.
1. Do you miss school days or class
periods because of drinking?
2. Do you drink to overcome
shyness and build up selfconfidence?
3. Is drinking affecting your
reputation at school or
elsewhere?
4. Do you drink to get away
from study or home worries?
YOU CAN’T BECOME AN ALCOHOLIC BY ONLY DRINKING BEER.
Even though the alcohol percentage
is relatively low (2-5 percent), beer
still contains the potentially addicting
ingredient, ethyl alcohol. People who
drink beer merely have to drink more
liquid to get drunk than they would
with wine or whiskey.
5. Does it bother you if someone
says you drink too much?
6. Do you have to take a drink
to go on a date?
7. Do you ever get into money
troubles because of buying
alcoholic beverages?
WOMEN DON’T
BECOME ALCOHOLICS.
Women do become alcoholics, but are not
as likely to be diagnosed as such, since they
are more easily camouflaged by the protective
setting of the home. During recent years, the
estimated ratio of men to women alcoholics
has dropped from 6:1 to 3:1.
THE REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM
IN OUR SOCIETY IS DRUG ABUSE.
Right. And the No. 1 drug problem
is alcohol abuse. About 450,000
Americans are addicted to heroin,
but about 15 million are addicted
to alcohol.
Alcohol remains the most popular
drink among teens. How do you
know when it is becoming a problem. Answer “Yes” or “No” to the
following questions:
“WHAT A MAN! STILL ON HIS
FEET AFTER A WHOLE FIFTH.”
When we stop thinking it’s manly to
drink too much, we have begun to grow
up. It’s no more manly to over-drink
than it is to over-eat. Often people who
seem to be able to out-drink others
are developing a tolerance and
become dependent upon it.
8. Have you lost any friends
since you began drinking?
COFFEE AND A COLD
SHOWER WILL SOBER YOU UP.
Alleged methods for sobering up
range from hot coffee to cold showers,
ct
from fresh air to food. The only effe
is
e
hav
any of these treatments can
to produce a wide-awake drunk. An
awakened drunk, feeling sobered up,
may attempt to perform such tasks as
driving, of which he/she is no more
capable than the sleepy drunk. Time
is the only method for sobering up.
aThere is no way to increase the oxid
the
ch
tion rate — the rate at whi
body eliminates alcohol.
9. Have you ever had a loss of
memory from drinking?
10. Have you ever been stopped
by police, arrested, or put into
a hospital or jail because of
drunken driving?
“Yes” to one question is a warning. A “yes” to as few as three
questions means that alcohol has
almost certainly become — or is
becoming — a problem.
This questionnaire is based
on a test developed by Johns
Hopkins University in Baltimore.
7
Reproductive Organs
ct
OIDS seriously affe
• ANABOLIC STER
ms. In males they
reproductive syste
cles and sterility;
cause withered testi
le masculine traits
in females irreversib
breast reduction.
develop, along with
ACK cause harm to
• COCAINE and CR
rn
pment of infants bo
health and develo
ile pregnant.
to women using wh
IJUANA can affect
• Heavy use of MAR
g
ale hormones. Youn
both male and fem
g
layed puberty. Youn
men could have de
e drug disturbs their
women may find th
strual periods.
ovulation and men
at
es brain chemical th
• ECSTASY deplet
tion.
affects sexual func
e decreased sex
• HEROIN can caus
rence to sex; it can
pleasure and indiffe
egularity in women
cause menstrual irr
e
ARIJUANA users ar
• Babies born to M
ad
and have smaller he
shorter, weigh less
rn to mothers who
sizes than those bo
e
. Smaller babies ar
do not use the drug
s.
lop health problem
more likely to deve
Body/Limbs
• ANABOLIC STEROIDS
caus
e
mor
e
than
70 side effects as they increase muscle
and
body weight. With young adults, they
can
interfere with bone growth and stun
t growth.
• AMPHETAMINES over-stimulate the
central nervous system.
• ECSTASY stimulates central nervous
syste
m.
• SPECIAL K can impair motor
func
tion
s.
• MARIJUANA can lead
to
loss
of
coor
dination.
• ALCOHOL can slow motor coordina
tion
• Long-term users of INHALANTS ofte
n
lose
weight and have liver and kidn
ey
dam
age.
• NICOTINE can stimulate the gastroin
testinal
tract.
• ECSTASY can cause muscle tension,
chills,
sweating and tremors.
• LSD can cause elevated body tem
perature,
tremors and high blood pressure.
• CAFFEINE is believed by some to
irritate
ulcers and other gastrointestinal diso
rders.
In some women, it may
infla
me
brea
st
tissue, making breasts swell and hurt
.
Skin
AMPHETAMINES can cause
men
tal
psychosis that resembles schizophren
ia
and paranoia.
• ROHYPNOL, also known as “ROOFIE
S”
or the “date rape” drug, causes dizziness and disorientation 10 minutes
after use; with alcohol can cause
heavy sedation and loss of memory.
• ANABOLIC STEROIDS can have long
term link to strokes and can cause
aggressive behavior and depression.
Heart
•
A
N
A
BO
LI
C
ST
EROIDS serious
ly affect the
cardiovascular
system and cont
ribute to
heart attacks.
• MARIJUANA
can cause increa
sed heart
rate, anxiety, pa
nic attacks.
• NICO
TI
N
E
ca
n
in
cr
ease the heart
rate and
bl
oo
d
pr
es
su
re
and can cause
heart disease.
• HERBAL ECST
ASY has been
re
ported to
raise blood pres
sure.Some type
s of
INHALANTS ca
n suppress the
production
of
bl
oo
d
ce
lls
,
which, among
other functions
help protect yo
,
u from infectio
n.
• H
ER
O
IN
ca
n
ca
use slow, irregul
ar heart rate.
• ECSTASY ca
n cause increase
d heart rate
and blood pres
sure.
• AMPHETAMINES
can cause a parano
ia that causes
people to pick at th
eir skin.
• NICOTINE can ca
use skin to wrinkle
.
• HEROIN can caus
e dry skin, itching,
skin infections.
• ECSTAS
Y
ca
n
ca
us
e
dr
y
skin, itching, skin in
fections.
Other body parts
• Animal studies have found that THC
in MARIJUANA
can damage the cells and tissues that
help protect
people from disease.
• HERBAL ECSTASY has been linked
to liver failure
in some reports.
• HALLUCINOGENIC MUSHROOM
S
gen
eral
ly cause
feelings of nausea before the
hall
ucin
atio
n takes effect.
• ROHYPNOL, also known as “roofies”
or the “date
rape” drug causes nausea and feelings
of being too
hot and too cold simultaneously.
• HEROIN can cause vomiting, constipa
tion and
reduced appetite.
Ears
• COCAINE users can suffer from hall
ucinations, sleeplessness, nervousness,
paranoia, depression and violent
behavior.
srupts the
ARIJUANA, di
e chemical in M
ories are
• THC, the activ
ain where mem
e part of the br
call recent
nerve cells in th
r the user to re
akes it hard fo
ers from
formed. This m
e user also suff
n while high. Th
s trouble
events and lear
d touch and ha
, sound, time an
distorted sight
oblem solving.
down the
thinking and pr
s and can slow
anquilizes user
• ALCOHOL tr
act and move.
ain damage.
user’s ability to
nations and br
n cause halluci
ch affects
• ECSTASY ca
serotonin, whi
brain chemical
itivity
It depletes the
nction and sens
inking, sexual fu
mood, sleep, th
that affects
to pain.
“downer” drug
• HEROIN is a
heroin
systems. Injected
brain’s pleasure
nds;
n in 15-30 seco
reaches the brai
in 7 seconds.
smoked heroin
linked to
ASY has been
• HERBAL ECST
strokes.
ds, fight
n improve moo
• CAFFEINE ca
m. It can
ue and boredo
drowsiness, fatig
ople
pe
le jittery. Many
also make peop
pression,
re headaches, de
suffer from seve
hen they
zzy thinking w
fatigue and fu
try to quit.
NTS can
ers of INHALA
• Long-term us
irritable
be
ing ability and
lose their reason
cause
halants can also
or depressed. In
brain and
ent damage to
severe perman
.
nervous system
Brain/Head
Y DO.
HOW THEY WORK. WHAT THE
• AMPHETAMINES can cause visual
hallucinations.
• ECSTASY can cause blurred vision.
• MARIJUANA and HASHISH can caus
e bloodshot eyes.
• HEROIN can cause constricted pup
ils, droopy eyelids,
impaired night vision.
Eyes
• AMPHETAMINES can cause hearing hallucinations.
Mouth
• NICOTINE ca
n yello
w
te
et
h,
an
d
give the user ba
• HERO
IN
ca
n
d breath.
ca
us
e
slowed or slurr
ed speech.
• Users of INHA
LANTS suff
er
fr
om
m
ou
th
sores and nose
bleeds.
Lungs
• Fe
nt
an
yl
-d
er
iv
ed
DESIGNER DRU
GS
can cause sudd
en respiratory
paralysis.
• People
w
ho
sm
ok
e
MARIJUANA of
ten develop
the
sa
m
e
ki
nd
s
of
breathing prob
lems as
ci
ga
re
tt
e
sm
ok
ers, such as coug
hing, and they
tend to ha
ve
m
or
e
ch
es
t colds than no
• SPECIAL K ca
n-users.
n cause potent
ially fatal
respira
to
ry
pr
oblems.
• NICOTINE ca
n
ca
us
e
lu
ng
ca
ncer and emph
•
H
ER
O
ysema.
IN
ca
n
cause respirato
ry depression.
• Fumes from
AMPHETAMIN
E production
can be toxic.
INTERVIEW YOUR FAMILY
Drugs can bring enormous stress
to families. Arguments between
teens and parents can cause tension and anger.
Drug use by parents or kids can
create abusive environments,
cause turmoil in relationships, and
drain family finances.
Drug use can even move from
generation to generation, by the
example adults set, and in some
cases, by genetics.
Children of alcoholics are more
likely to become alcoholics themselves, more likely to have troubles
in school, more likely to face
violence, depression and other
problems than children whose
parents are not alcoholics.
Mothers who are crack users,
heroin addicts or alcoholics can
give birth to babies who are addicted to these drugs. Mothers who
smoke can give birth to small,
underweight babies.
Sometimes drugs or alcohol hurt
families because the person who
uses drugs is unable to properly
care for his children. That person
may spend money on drugs instead
of groceries. Or, under the influence
of drugs, he may neglect or hurt
his children.
In extreme cases such as these,
few would argue about the
negative effects of drugs.
DIFFERENT ATTITUDES
l drug use?
But what about moderate, recreationa
r. And part of that
In this area the picture is not so clea
of the Baby Boomer
nts
may be due to the fact many pare
drugs, and don’t have
generation used or tried recreational
ious generations.
as strong feelings about them as prev
ter for Addiction
A recent survey by the National Cen
-thirds of parents
and Substance Abuse found that two
r teens would
who had used or tried drugs felt thei
ent of parents
use drugs sometime. And about 40 perc
ther teens used
felt they had little influence over whe
k. The survey
dran
or
illegal drugs, smoked cigarettes
found that:
of 1,200 teens and 1,166 parents also
● 49 percent of boomer parents
tried marijuana during youth
nts
● 32 percent of kids think their pare
used or tried marijuana
ld tell
● 92 percent of parents said they wou
na use.
ijua
mar
their teens about their own
■
■
■
IMPACT OF PARENTS
r choices? Say you
How does this information affect you
for something and you
go into your parents’ closet to look
the shoe box and
find a shoe box. Let’s say you look into
some blunts and a
you find drug paraphernalia, maybe
roach clip. What do you do?
story. Say that the
Now add another dimension to this
rs you some marijuana
very next day someone at school offe
or another drug.
pt because you
Would you be more inclined to acce
parents have
your
that
know — or believe you know —
drug decisions
nts’
used drugs? How do (or don’t) your pare
affect yours?
Every generation forms its
own attitudes
on everything from fashions
Look through the newspape to music to alcohol or drugs.
of behavior or trends that r today and find five examples
generation. Write a sentenhave changed from your parents’
ce for each describing the
change, and why you think
it happened.
Parents try to raise their
children by setting an exam
with their behavior. Look th
ple
rough
ay’s newspaper for
three examples of a paretod
good example for behaviornt or adult setting a
of adults setting a bad ex and three examples
ample for behavior.
10
For this section, you will need to talk
to one or more parental
members of your family about drug
use. To keep the answers
confidential, do not put your name
or theirs on the notebook
paper you record the answers on. Here
are some suggested
questions.
1. Have you ever gotten drunk?
2. What were the circumstances? How
old were you?
3. What choices did you make regardin
g alcohol?
4. Have you ever smoked cigarettes?
How old were you?
5. Why did you make the choice to smo
ke or not smoke?
6. Have you ever used an illegal drug
?
7. What were the circumstances? How
old were you?
8. If you used drugs in the past do you
have a different attitude today? Why?
What conclusions can you draw from
what the class found out
from students’ parents? Can you draw
general guidelines from
this on what kinds of substances are
OK and what are not —
and under what circumstances?
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots
was busted in May 1995 for heroin and
cocaine possession. The Pilots canceled
shows explaining that Weiland’s drug
habit had become a drain on the group.
Weiland went through rehab, suffered
a relapse, went into rehab again and
then fled the treatment center.
‘SURVIVAL ROLES’
KIDS TAKE ON
If a mother, father, brother or sister has a drug or alcohol
problem, it creates a painful situation for a child or teen in
a family. Author Sharon Wegscheider says children in such
families tend to develop certain types of “survival roles”
that allow them to survive in those negative environments.
Do you recognize any of the following?
THE FAMILY HERO is the child who is especially sensitive
to the family’s problems. Feeling responsible for the
emotional pain of the family’s members, the hero tries
to improve the situation. He/she may do this by trying
to be a great success in activities outside the home, like
school or sports, to provide positive recognition for the
family. However, because these efforts do not change the addict’s behavior,
the hero ultimately feels like a failure despite all his/her successes.
THE SCAPEGOAT does not wish to work as hard as the hero to achieve
recognition. He/she chooses to pull away in a destructive manner, bringing
negative attention to the family by getting into trouble, getting hurt, or
just withdrawing. The scapegoat often “acts out,” or gets into trouble with
teachers.
THE LOST CHILD provides relief for the family by taking care of personal
problems and avoiding trouble at all costs. The family ignores this child,
who is then left to face problems alone. This results in long-term loneliness
and personal suffering.
THE MASCOT provides relief and humor for the family by being charming and funny during stressful times. While this behavior relieves the pain
of some family members, it does not help the mascot deal with personal
pain and loneliness.
Drugs are a multibillion-d
ollar concern in the Unite
d States.
Americans spend about
$49 billion a year to buy
ille
ga
l drugs,
according to one estimate
. As for legal substances,
the
tobacco
industry makes about $45
billion each year, accord
ing
to
another estimate.
The government this yea
r will spend more than $15
.3
billion to enforce anti-drug
laws, to prevent people
from
using drugs and cure tho
se who use or are addicted
to
drugs.
That’s a lot of money. Wh
en the government spend
s money
to prevent people from
using illegal drugs, it is NO
T
spe
nding
the money on other items
, whether it is better sch
oo
ls, or
roads, or housing.
Look through
the Classified
could do. What
ou
y
e
el
th
fe
r
de
ou
y
un
bs
ds
,
A
l jo
t it costs to feed
ction.Find severa
Help Wanted se per week? Try to estimate wha for a week. Could you
do the jobs pay r (rent/house payment) you salaries you found?
clothe and sheltee average drug addict on the
ate
afford to be th
y. Users desper rts
sa
e
lic
po
e,
us
nnected to drug gs. Look through the crime repo
Crime is often co
do desperate thin
on drugs? Write
for money, often e paper. Do any of them menti ugs in a crime.
of dr
in th
aining the role
pl
ex
ce
en
nt
se
a
t or
t to make a poinper, then
ar
es
us
n
oo
rt
ca
the pa
An editorial
nd an example in drug addiction.
Fi
n.
io
in
op
an
of
state
als with the cost
Think
draw one that de use animals to make points. ake
es
M
Cartoons sometim could work in your cartoon? d.
at
of an animal th oons on a wall or bulletin boar
a gallery of cart
In the kind of budget below,
you list things you want and
their prices. Then you figure
how many of each you
The average drug addict spends $455
per month could buy with your
on drugs. Let’s say you had $455 to spen
budgeted amount.
d. That’s
a lot of money.
In the space below, make
What would you buy? Sneakers? CDs
up a budget for spending
? Gifts?
Clothes?
the $455 a drug addict
One way to decide how to spend you
spends a month on drugs.
r money
is to draw up a budget. In a budget
List five items you would
you list the
items you want to buy, and how muc
like to buy, and the cost of
h they cost.
In one kind of budget, you add the
each. Then figure how many
items up as
you buy them. When your purchases
of each you could buy with
equal your
budget amount, you have spent you
your $455.
r budget.
THE $455 QUESTION
The government is not alone in
making these kinds of financial
choices. Everyone must do that. Consider the cost of using illegal drugs.
Not the social cost. Dollars and cents. Hard currency. One family
spent $150,000 over two years to help treat their son’s heroin addiction.
Big dollars.
And one nationwide study found that drug addicts spend an average of
$455 per month on drugs. That means they were NOT spending the money
on other things. Things like food. Or rent. Or clothes. Or heat.
ITEM
Courtney Love
the band Hole
Courtney Love, lead singer of s, has seen the
and now a respected film actres
ally and among
effects of drug use both personband, Kurt Cobain
hus
her close friends. She and her heroin use in early
of Nirvana, won notoriety for used the drug
1994, and she even boasted sheer. Two months after
while pregnant with her daughtff died of an overe’s bassist Kristen Pfa
Cobain killed himself in ‘94, Hol f was hospitalized for a prescription drug
dose. Shortly after, Love hersel an of drugs, and she won applause for
overdose. She now says she is cle Flynt”. However, there is still strong
her role in “The People vs. Larry use. “Kurt Cobain would still be with
criticism for her drug image and g,” complained one fan.
us if Courtney had not been usin
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
.....................
$ COST $
.....................
QUANTITY
..................
...........................................................
...............................
.............................
............................................................
............................................................
11
Kelsey Grammer
In 1996 the star of the Frasier
TV show checked himself into
the Betty Ford Clinic after
smashing up his $66,000 Dodge
and being arrested for driving Viper
the inf luence of drugs. It was under
first brush with drug addiction not his
.
IN COMMUNITY
In Woodridge, Illinois, community
ls and
The U.S. Government spends a lot of
the 1989 Drug Free Schoo
leaders have attempted to stop
money — some $15 billion a year — to
Communities Act.
r develture
teen
ufac
age
man
a
,
the DARE
rs
from
1995
In
smo
king.
prevent drug use among its citizens and
Have you gone through
nts
pare
ws
allo
that
Com
kit
? How
mun
$20
ive
ity
a
leaders have begun educaoped
to treat them if they are addicted.
program? How is it effect
for
s
room
s
ren’
tion
child
r
programs in schools, required licensuld you
to check thei
Millions more are spent by private
is it ineffective? How wo
ing
s.
of
toba
drug
of
cco
es
vend
trac
ors,
gon
e undercover
groups, schools and community
improve it?
to find out who sells cigarettes and
The kit is mailed to parents in a
organizations.
smokeless tobacco products to minors.
thin envelope and sent back for
People who support these efforts
Stor
.
es that sell to minors are fined up
quick analysis
say it is important to make sure every
officials in
,
In the late 1980s, school
pad
ch
to $500 and may be stripped of thei
It contains a three-in
citizen is healthy and contributing
r
Vernonia
of
n
the Oregon logging tow
tobacco licenses. Woodridge also fine
called a swipe, which collects any
to society. And the people who
s
use
g
became alarmed about dru
minors $25 if they are caught smoking
drug traces when wiped across
support the effort say it is especially
.
rly student
among students, particula
The results of this effort have
desk tops, telephones, books,
important to make sure teens and
athletes.
impressed many anti-smoking experts.
clothing or other items.
pre-teens get a full education on
t kids who
ple
Teachers complained tha
While 16 percent of Woodridge High
The test destroys the sam
drug abuse.
l work would
normally did good schoo
School students said they smoked ever
so that it cannot be used as
Here’s why:
y
spacey they
come back from lunch so
day in 1989, only five percent of the
evidence in court.
A recent study by the Partnership for
h they
would fall asleep, or so hig
school said they were daily smokers
Is it a good idea for parents
a Drug-Free America showed that kids’
ging and
sin
would disrupt classes by
two years later.
to test children for drug use
attitudes about drugs have changed
making noise.
What anti-drug rules exist at your
without their knowledge?
from even a few years ago.
rts teams
Athletes on the school spo
school? Are they enforced? How wou
Stage a debate offering
The study of more than 12,000 preld
offenders.
seemed some of the worst
you improve these rules?
examples to support both
teens, teens and parents found that
education
rug
The school tried anti-d
sides.
more 9 – to 12 – year olds are using
sniffing dogs
programs and even drug
drugs and more are growing tolerant
ng worked.
to reduce drug use. Nothi
The Drug Abuse Resistance Educatio
toward drug use, even if they have not
ls started to
n or DARE program is
So in 1989 school officia
an anti-drug program operating in near
used drugs themselves.
who wanted
ls
ly 80 percent of
require that boys and gir
America’s school districts. Originated
The study found that 4th, 5th and 6th graders
in Los Angeles in 1983
teams must
to play on school sports
under Police Chief Daryl F. Gates, the
were less likely to consider drugs harmful or
program sends police
e tryouts and
agree to a drug test befor
into schools to present 17 sessions on
risky and are more likely to believe drug use
season.
specific drugs.
dom drug tests during the
ran
to
It
is
paid
for
through a $500 million federal subsidy
is widespread and is acceptable.
r-old who had
from
Two years later, a 12-yea
Fewer students report receiving information
h drugs wanted
never been in trouble wit
about dangers
high football team.
to try out for the junior
of drugs from a
ree to a drug test,
His parents refused to ag
variety of different
of his right to priarguing it was a violation
Drug issues
sources — parents
from football
vacy. The school barred him
often are used
e
as well as schools,
im
pr
the
and his parents sued.
in the story
k a TV show fromidea for an
ic
P
s.
TV as well as textow
sh
V
T
y to the U.S.
or
pt
s
ri
ie
sc
ov
a
m
The case went all the wa
write
d
lines of
an
r
books.
pe
ch
pa
hi
W
’s
y
.
toda
sion
rt came down
Supreme Court. The cou
time listings in ld involve a drug issue or deci out? Why?
That is a danger
schools.
strongly on the side of the
episode that wou show would the episode be ab
sign for the future.
that other
en
e
be
s
th
The result of this ha
character in
amatically
dr
e
It is a sign that gains
ar
ey
th
similar testing
if
ted
examples
eat impact
school districts have adop
made in the past
Ads can have grthrough those in the paper for n” ad
letes.
programs for student ath
will be lost without
designed. Look eye. Then design a “preventio hing
sports in public
of
e
rol
l
cia
et
r
Discuss the spe
m
ou
so
y
g
h
in
tc
do
ca
renewed efforts at preat
om
th
m a privilege or
g people fr
schools. Is playing on a tea
aimed at keepin rmful.
vention. Here are some
havior is expected
a right? What special be
dangerous or ha
different efforts at preos
ot
ph
d
ected of other
news stories an ws written
of athletes that is not exp
e
th
h
ug
vention that have
ro
th
k
Loo
e Court make the
ve rules or la ext to
fi
students? Did the Suprem
of
t
lis
a
been tried.
e
ak
and m
happening. N
right decision?
er the
t something from
AT HOME
IN SPORTS
THE DARE PROGRAM
12
wheth
to preven
as the goal, and
w
t
ha
w
te
ri
w
,
each
rule works.
THE NBA’S
A N T I- D R U G P R O G R A M
One of the most significant drug programs
in the country is run by the National Basketball
Association. Set up by the league and the NBA
Players Association, it combines education with
rehabilitation programs.
It also sets clear penalties
in advance for violators. The
most severe is being banned
from the league and losing
the chance to make millions
The Anti-Drug Program contains two
for
of dollars in pro salaries.
kinds of drug testing: random testing
ing
The league’s Anti-Drug
rookies and “reasonable cause” test
Program states that any
for all players.
player who is convicted of,
All rookies are tested by urinalysis —
or pleads guilty to, a crime
a urine test — once during training
involving the use, possession,
camp. Drug traces usually show up in
or distribution of cocaine or
a person’s urine if they are using.
heroin will be immediately
Any rookie failing a test will be
dismissed from the league.
automatically suspended, without
Any player who is found
pay, for at least one year. The player
us
through drug testing to have
will be eligible to resume active stat
used cocaine or heroin also
after one year if he has satisfactorily
will be immediately dismissed
completed a drug treatment program
from the league. Such a playsupervised by drug counselors selected
er may apply to get back in
by the NBA and the Players
the league after two years.
Association.
But he can return only if the
After training camp, rookies are
application is approved by
tested by urinalysis three additional
both the Commissioner and
times — without warning — during
TWO KINDS OF TESTING
the Players Association.
Cocaine and heroin were
the first two drugs covered
by the league Anti-Drug
Program. Marijuana testing
was added last year.
the regular season.
‘REASONABLE
CAUSE’
DRUG TESTING FOR
WORK OR TRAINING
Not all professions have an elaborate
drug policy like that of the NBA. But
more and more companies are requiring
drug testing or screening before hiring
people for good jobs.
More significantly, training programs
set up to give young people skills for
those jobs are requiring tests to show
that trainees are drug free.
You need to be drug free to get the
job, and you need to be drug free to
get the training to get the job, too.
What you do on your own time is now
important if it stays in your system on
company time. Focus Hope, a civil rights
and job training program in Detroit,
teaches machinist skills to high school
graduates looking for trade jobs.
More than 500 people go through the
program every year. Everyone must pass
a drug screening. “At first we had a lot
of people disqualified for weed, or
cocaine or heroin,” said manager Joanna
Woods. “Now people know they are not
going to get in being dirty. If they are
serious, they get themselves clean and
come in later.”
The screening is necessary because
trainees are learning skills with complicated — and dangerous — machinery.
Full alertness is necessary for safety.
But the drug screening is also part of a larger plan to give young people the attitudes and approach that will work in the world of work. Paid employees of Focus
Hope have to meet the same drug-free requirements as trainees, and the program
is smoke-free as well as drug-free. There is plenty of follow-up.
“We test anyone who has had more than five days off on leave,” says Shirley
Lightsey, the personnel manager. “And if anything comes up in employment here,
people also have to be tested.”
Planning for a career today means planning to keep your body free of drugs.
All players are also subjec
t
to “reasonable cause” tes
ting —
that is, testing based on
behavior
or other evidence that giv
es the
league “reasonable cause”
to
believe that the player is
using
a prohibited substance.
An independent expert
appointed by the NBA an
d
the Players Association de
cides
whether there is reasonab
le cause
to believe a player should
be
tested. If the independe
nt expert
recommends it, random
tests for
drug use will be given a
player
without warning during
a sixweek period.
Under the Anti-Drug Pro
gram,
any NBA player who vol
untarily
comes forward to seek tre
atment
of a drug problem is pro
vided with appropriate
counseling and medical
assistance. In order to
encourage players with
problems to seek help,
all counseling and medic
al treatment is provided
at the expense of the clu
b.
WRITE YOUR OWN DRUG POLICY
benefit
Not everyone needs a drug policy exactly like the NBA’s. But everyone could
s.
activitie
in
use
drug
for
s
penaltie
from writing down the rules, expectations and
n.
situatio
or
activity
Break the class into small groups. Have each group pick a school
of
activity
Choices could be sports teams, drama clubs, chorus, or simply the general
being a student at a school.
that
The challenge: Have each group write a fair, complete drug policy to cover
for
exists
already
situation or activity. Compare results as a class. (If a drug policy
your school, compare it to those written by the class.)
13
No one is immune from the temptations of
drugs. Athletes, who depend on their healthy
bodies, are tempted.
Actors and actresses, who may need
to memorize and perform complicated parts, are tempted.
Musicians, who depend on memory, judgment, and their physical abilities to perform, are tempted.
Some give in to these temptations.
Some smoke, or drink, or inject away
the chance for fame, success, wealth
and security.
Some die from their bad decisions.
Some get it together and get their
lives back on track. Here are some case
histories to consider:
plagued for six years by
drug problems. The former Rookie of the Year
and Cy Young award
winner was suspended
throughout the 1995
baseball season for having repeatedly violated
his substance-abuse
treatment program.
He underwent rehabilitation at the Smithers
Institute in Manhattan
in 1987 and spent 23
days at the Betty Ford
Clinic in Palm Springs, California
after being suspended in 1994.
JERRY GARCIA
Long time guitarist
and spiritual leader of the
Grateful Dead, Jerry Garcia
used heroin off and on
throughout his life. At the
5
time he died in August 199
in
s
wa
he
,
of a heart attack
ra drug rehab center unde
sy later showed
going treatment. An autop
had used heroin
that even in the center he
.
within days of his death
KURT COBAIN
of the grunge band
Kurt Cobain, the leader
1994. Nirvana had
Nirvana, killed himself in
,” that sold 10 mila 1991 album, “Nevermind
e group also helped
Wayne McLaren, a former
lion copies worldwide. Th
,
man
t
ge” look of thriftrodeo rider, movie stun
to make popular the “grun
n jeans.
model and actor, died of lung
Michael Irvin, superstar
shop plaid shirts and tor
h
cancer in 1992 at the age of 51.
wide receiver for the
Cobain had struggled wit
d
an
for
ol
ally
oh
sion
alc
He modeled occa
Dallas Cowboys, was
addictions to
Robert Downey, Jr.,
ve
the Marlboro Man advertising
arrested in 1996 in a motel
heroin. He was said to ha
has starred in recent
in
t,
campaign and blamed his illroom with cocaine, maribecome a heroin addic
movies like “Only You” and
ch
ness on 30 years of smoking.
juana and two employees of
part, because of a stoma
“Natural Born Killers” and
he
ed
over
When he disc
a topless dance club, who were said to
ailment.
was nominated for an Oscar
When his mother found
had cancer, he became an
be using the room for prostitution.
for his starring role
,
outspoken critic of smoking
Irvin pleaded no contest to cocaine posout that Cobain was dead
in “Chaplin.”
and the tobacco industry.
session. He was fined $10,000 and placed
she said, “Now he’s gone
But more recently, he beb,”
ers
mak
the
Philip Morris,
on four years’ probation, which means
and joined that stupid clu
came famous for his problems with
rix
nd
He
i
said
Jim
es,
rs like
of Marlboro cigarett
that if he stays out of trouble, his convicdrugs. He was arrested in 1996 for
referring to other rock sta
er
d young aft
he was not a model for the
tion will be cleared from his record. If he
driving under the influence of drugs
and Jim Morrison who die
aren
McL
but
,
Man
o
.
Marlbor
gets into trouble during those four years,
and alcohol, possession of heroin and
having drug problems
produced proof that he was.
he could go to jail for as much as 20
cocaine and carrying an unloaded
Right before he died,
years.
.357 Magnum handgun in his truck.
McLaren said, “I’ve spent
He was also required to do 800 hours
In June 1996 he was stopped by
arded keyan Melvoin, a highly reg
ath
Jon
life
my
of
th
mon
the last
of community service. That’s 20 full weeks
cops for speeding. They found heroin,
roin in a swank
boardist, overdosed on he
in an incubator and I’m
if he did 40 hours a week as he would on
cocaine, crack and the gun. He posted
ring with Smashing
New York Hotel while tou
telling you, it’s just not
a full- time job.
$10,000 bail and left. Then three
was 34. Melvoin
Pumpkins in July 1996. He
worth it.”
The NFL suspended him for five
weeks later, he stumbled into a
ustry: his sister
grew up in the music ind
games.
stranger’s home and passed out on
h the (former)
Wendy Melvoin plays wit
Sometimes, when famous
an 11-year-old’s bed. Four days after
on and his father
Prince’s band the Revoluti
athletes are required by the
that, he slipped out of the detox
His father is now
Michael is a jazz pianist.
courts to do community service,
center where he had been placed
efforts of the
active in substance abuse
they must lecture kids to stay in
by
den
cour
Goo
t
orde
ght
r.
Dwi
MusiCares group.
school, stay off drugs. But Irvin
Downey claimed his father — who
pitched a no-hitwas asked to do things like
is a movie director — introduced him
ter over the
cleaning up trash, weeding
to marijuana before Downey was a
Seattle Mariners
the New York
Pete Harnisch, pitcher for
grass along highways and
teenager. As a young actor, his drug
for the New York
use
on the injury
painting houses. The judge said
Mets was forced to go
increased and he entered rehab for
Yankees in May
the
se of withdrawal
“I didn’t want this … viewed as a
disabled list in 1997, becau
first time in 1988.
1996. The Yankees
ss tobacco
ms from quitting smokele
pto
cakewalk. It’s not going to be fun for him.”
sym
He
is
now
the
serv
win
to
ing
on
a
three-year jail term
went
from sleeplessness
Do you think Michael Irvin’s punishment
cold-turkey. He suffered
for drug offenses.
World Series that year.
was unable to
was fair or unfair? Why?
and edginess and said he
That’s a big comeback
s for Cincinnati.
perform. He now pitche
for the one-time Met
MICHAEL
IRVIN
MARLBORO MAN
ROBERT
DOWNEY, JR.
JONATHAN MELVOIN
DWIGHT
GOODEN
PETE HARNISCH
14
BRADLEY
NOWELL
Bradley Nowell, 28,
the creator of the
punk-ska band
Sublime died of a
heroin overdose in
a San Francisco motel
room on Memorial Day
1996. The group had
been torn by Nowell’s
addiction for years. He
was found by drummer
Bud Gaugh, himself a
recovering heroin addict.
Two months after Nowell’s death,
Sublime’s debut major label album
arrived in stores nationwide.
JOHN DALY
When John Daly broke in on the
Professional Golf Association tour, he
was hailed as a future superstar, a man
capable of driving a golf ball phenomenal distances. His promise quickly faded,
when he could not control his drinking.
Repeated efforts at rehab failed. He
entered rehab in 1992, and in 1994 he
said his win in the Bell
South Classic was the
first tournament he had
ever won sober. He won
the British open in 1995,
but fell off the wagon
in 1996. In 1997 he was
forced to withdraw
from the Players Championship in Florida after
a long drinking session
in a bar called Sloppy
Joe’s. He checked himself into the Betty Ford
Clinic. Wilson Golf dropped him from a $10
million endorsement deal. His wife filed for
divorce.
KRISTEN PFAFF
Kristen Pfaff, 27, bass player for Cou
rtney
Love’s band Hole, died of a heroin over
dose in
June 1994. Pfaff was found dead in
a bathtub
with syringes on the floor. Pfaff had
gone
through drug rehab the winter befo
re her
death.
LEN BIAS
y
Outstanding forward at the Universit
the
of Maryland was the second pick in
1986 NBA draft by the Boston Celtics.
But he never played for the
Celtics, who still had Larry Bird
and were one of the league’s
elite teams. Two days after
the draft, Bias celebrated his
selection by ingesting so much
cocaine he dropped dead
from heart failure. Neither
he nor his family ever saw
the millions of dollars he
would have earned as a top
NBA draft pick.
DAVID GAHAN
David Gahan of Depeche
Mode was arrested and
charged with heroin
possession after being
treated for an overdose
at Cedars-Sinai Hospital
in Los Angeles on Memorial
Day weekend in 1996. Gahan
had been found collapsed in a
hotel room strewn with syringes
and other drug paraphernalia.
LAYNE STALEY
Like
other musicians, Layne Staley
of Alice in Chains has struggled with
heroin addiction. Unlike those who
have been overcome by it,
Staley has turned it into a
strength in his songs
and lyrics. The group’s
“Unplugged” album is
about confronting personal demons head-on,
surviving, and offering
hope to others.
LINDA ELLERBEE
The Nick News hostess on
the Nickelodeon network,
Linda Ellerbee, has
battled alcohol
abuse since her days
as a newscaster and
producer for the
major TV networks.
Admitting her addiction is how she has
survived. “I am a
recovering alcoholic,”
she says.
Professional athletes and entergreat wealth at
rn
ea
ey
tainers are
th
en
ft
well as
dollars. O
paid millions of e. That can create problems, asaper for
a very young ag ence. Look through the newspone you
provide independ hletes or entertainers. Pick ou think
at
ey
young millionaire wealth and fame well, and on
think is handlingcomparison.
is not. Write a
ie plots. People
ov
m
in
rt
pa
a
Drugs often playh drug addiction. Characters
may struggle wit s. Police may try to stop drug
may deal drug through the movie listings
trafficking. Look any films that have drug
and write down plot summary, and state
themes. Write a ovie gives about drugs.
em
what message th
CREDITS
This Newspaper In Education section was commissioned from
Hollister Kids by Detroit Newspapers in Education for The Detroit News.
• The Writer was Leigh Jackson.
• The editor was Peter Landry, who also wrote the activities.
• The designers were Heidi Karl and Kimberly Rogers.
Brought to you locally by the folks at
www.serenitylane.org
©1997 Hollister Kids, Inc. • 551 W. Lancaster Ave., #203 • Haverford, PA 19041-1419
15
PROHIBITION ONCE BANNED ALCOHOL
Down
Across
to prohibit — or stop — the
The U.S. government has tried before
The most famous example is
sale and use of harmful substances.
of liquor. The effort was led by
the attempt to prevent consumption
“temperance groups.”
met in Philadelphia in 1836.
The first national temperance society
e to pass a state constitutional
In 1884, Maine became the first stat
or. Other groups, like the
amendment prohibiting the sale of liqu
Temperance Union and
Prohibition Party, the Women’s Christian
prohibition.
the Anti-Saloon League, urged liquor
ed the National Prohibition Act,
In 1919, the federal government pass
liquor. Ultimately, however,
making it illegal to manufacture or sell
use people realized it was
prohibition of liquor failed, mainly beca
underground market for liquor
nearly impossible to enforce. A large
s. That underground market —
developed, particularly in large citie
increased the prices of liquor
led by criminals called bootleggers —
notoriously violent. In 1929,
and beer. Bootlegging gangs were also
’s gang shot and killed seven
for example, members of Al Capone
gang.
members of the rival “Bugs” Moran
passage of the 21st Amendment
Prohibition ended in 1933, with the
the last “dry” state, ended
to the U.S. Constitution. Mississippi,
statewide prohibition in 1966.
differences between the
As a class, discuss the similarities and
trade. Discuss whether you
“bootleg” liquor trade and today’s drug
as alcohol would have the same
think treating illegal drugs the same
effect on users? Remember that
kind of legal effect. How about the
alcohol today.
15 million Americans are addicted to
COCAINE VS. CRACK
Federal law has dealt more harshly with
users of crack than with
users of powdered cocaine. Crack is
the only drug that carries a
required prison term for possession.
Possession of powdered cocaine,
without intent to sell, is a misdemeano
r which carries no more than
one year in jail.
Critics now argue that those differenc
es in sentencing are unfair.
They say crack and cocaine are virtually
the same thing and thus their
use should be punished in the same
way. But some people argue that
crack has led to more violence than
cocaine and thus people who use
it should be punished more harshly.
This argument has racial significance.
Most of the people convicted
under federal law for selling crack are
African-American. Most of the
people convicted under federal law
for selling powdered cocaine are
white or Hispanic.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided last
year, however, that those differences did not mean the government
was treating African-Americans
unfairly. Do you think these differenc
es are fair? Unfair? Why?
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
12
11
10
13
17
16
15
14
18
20
19
21
23
22
30
32
31
34
35
37
36
38
39
40
42
27
26
25
24
29
28
ose. 20-D ose, 22-S yste m.
ar, 15-L ung s, 19-O verd
ACROSS
espi rato ry, 12-I ce, 14-T
oiso n,
39-N BA, 41-A buse , 42-P
6-Po wde r, 8-Up pers . 11-R
1-M ariju ana, 3-He alth ,
ood , 36-N eedl e, 38-C ola,
29-D iges tive , 30-D oc, 34-F
25-D r., 26-P ill, 28-Tax,
43-Taste , 44-L abel
21-F rien d,
ose, 17-L SD, 18-A spir in,
ervo us, 13-S timu late , 16-N ahan , 37-D rugs , 40-P CP
o, 7-D. A.R. E., 9-Po t, 10-N
, 35-G
.D., 32-A lcoh ol, 33-H eart
2-Ae roso l, 4-Ad s, 5-To bacc
27-L ove, 30-D own ers, 31-O
23-Toxic , 24-M edic ine
DOWN
16
2. Drugs in spray cans
4. Advertisements
5. Cigarette leaves
m
7. School anti-drug progra
9. Marijuana (slang)
10. Body system that
includes the brain
tem
13. Speed up nervous sys
d
ere
wd
po
ce
16. Pla
cocaine is inhaled
ogen
17. Most famous hallucin
No. 1
18. Headache drug; also
cause of child poisoning
21. A buddy
23. Poisonous
illness
24. A drug used to treat
d
27. Hole’s lead singer an
r
use
g
dru
exng)
30. Depressant drugs (sla
31. 19 Across (slang)
32. Liquor
33. Pumps our blood
er charged
35. Depeche Mode memb
n
with heroin possessio
that cause
37. _____ are substances
sys
changes in the body tem
40. Angel dust
1. Drug you smoke
3. Opposite of illness
6. Dried form of a drug
8. Stimulant drugs (slang)
11. Breathing system
12. Methamphetamine (slang)
14. Comes with nicotine in cigarettes
15. Breathing organs
19. Too much of a drug
20. Certain amount of a drug
22. A body network
25. Doctor (abbrev.)
26. Solid form for swallowing medicine
28. Source of money for
government drug fighting
29. System that breaks down food
30. Doctor (slang)
34. Nourishment
36. Hypodermic
38. Soda with caffeine
39. Organization with
strong drug policy
41. Use drugs unwisely
42. Same as TOXIC
43. One of our five senses
44. Read the _____ on
any drug container
41
43
44
33