Substance Abuse Facts and Resources for a Drug-free School and Workplace.

The cost is high and everyone pays the price

The use of alcohol and illegal drugs in the workplace is the greatest single employment crisis of our time.  It impacts unfavorably on absenteeism, sick leave and accident rates; on employee morale, performance, production and quality control; on worker's compensation, health and insurance costs, and cumulatively, on the employer's image and reputation.  It also affects attendance and performance by students.

Society Responds

Federal Law

The 1988 "Drug-Free Workplace Act" requires any organization receiving federal contracts, grants or awards of more than $25,000 to meet certain anti-drug standards.   These requirements including publishing and enforcing a policy prohibiting the use, sale or possession of controlled substances in the workplace or school, notifying the government when employees or students are convicted of illegal drug activities on the job or in school, and taking personnel action against convicted employees.  The law does not require drug screening.

State Law

In 1987, "Abuse and Lose" became law in Missouri.  All of the provisions and penalties under the "Abuse and Lose" law are in addition to the primary criminal penalties.  Criminal penalties may include assessment of points against the driver's license, required completion of an Alcohol Related Traffic Offender's Program (ARTROP), fines, restitution, or jail sentence.

The Boonslick Area Vocational-Technical School

Drug-Free Workplace Policy (Board of Education Policy GBEBA, 11/20/90

Students and employee safety is of paramount concern to the Board of Education.   Employees under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances are a serious risk to themselves, to students and to other employees.  Therefore, the Board of Education shall not tolerate the manufacture, use, possession, sale, distribution or being under the influence of controlled substances or alcoholic beverages on any school property or on any school approved vehicle off school property at any school-sponsored or school-approved activity, event or function, such as a field trip or athletic event, where students are under the jurisdiction of the school district; of during any period of time such employee is supervising students on behalf of the school district of is otherwise engaged in school district business.  Any employee who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include employment suspension, termination, or referral for prosecution.  Employees may be required to satisfactorily participate in rehabilitation programs.  Each employee of this school district is hereby notified that, as a condition of employment, the employee must abide by the terms of this policy, and will notify the superintendent of any criminal drug statute conviction for violation occurring in or on the premises of this school district, or while engaged in regular employment.  Such notification must be made by the employee to the superintendent in writing no later than five calendar days after conviction.  The superintendent will provide notice in writing of such violation to the USDOE, or other appropriate federal agency within 10 days after the superintendent receives such notification, if the district receives any federal grants directly from the agency, as opposed to federal grants received through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Abusive Substances

Stimulants
(amphetamines, speed, uppers, black beauties, Christmas tress, dex or dexies, white cross, ice)

Stimulants refer to many drugs that increase alertness and physical activity.   They often are used to counteract the drowsiness or "down" feeling cause by sleeping pills or alcohol, or as a way to lose weight.  Heavy use may keep an individual awake and active for extended periods of time, but will also make the user edgy, less coordinated and more likely to respond inefficiently to quick-response situations (i.e. driving).

Symptoms of Abuse

• mood elevations
• loss of appetite
• disorientation
• sleeplessness
• irritability, argumentiveness

Forms:  pills, capsules

Dangers:  addiction, paranoia, depression, possible hallucinations, fatigue leading to exhaustion

Inhalants
(aerosols, ames, rush, correction fluid, glue, nitrates, gas, tuleo, toluene)

Inhalant abuse involves primarily glues, toxic solvents or hydrocarbons (gasoline).   Theses substances are dangerous not only because of their effects on users, but many also are highly combustible.

Symptoms of Abuse

• odor of the substance on breath and clothes
• excess nasal secretions, watery eyes
• blue lips due to lack of oxygen
• red irritation
• slurred speech

Forms:  aerosols, liquids

Dangers:  unconsciousness, suffocation, nausea and vomiting, brain and central nervous system damage, sudden death.

Marijuana
(pot, dope, weed, grass, reefer, joint, hash, roach)

Marijuana, also a mind-altering drug, is made from the plant cannabis sativa.  It affects many skills including safe driving techniques.  The amount of the main mind-altering, psychoactive ingredient, THC (delta-9-tetrahydro-cannabinol), determines how strong its effect will be.

Symptoms of Abuse

• rapid, loud talking; bursts of laughter
• altered perceptions
• red eyes
• dry mouth
• reduced concentration
• increased heart rate
• unusual appetite ("munchies")

Forms: dried tops and leaves of marijuana plant ranging in color from grey-green-brown; smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes or special pipes.

Dangers:  Addiction, impaired short-term memory, panic reaction, prolonged apathy

Hallucinogens
(LSD, acid, PCP, mushrooms, peyote, mescaline)

Also called psychedelics, hallucinogens affective the user's perceptions, sensations, thinking process, self-awareness and emotions.  Some hallucinogens, such as mescaline, come from natural sources.  Others, like LSD, are manufactured synthetically.

Symptoms of Abuse:

• distorted senses of sight, hearing, touch, body image
• anxiety, panic
• altered mood/behavior

Forms:  capsules, tablets, "micro-dots", blotter squares

Dangers:  Addiction, violent and unpredictable behavior, flashbacks (LSD), emotional instability, psychosis

Cocaine
(crack, coke, rock, base)

Cocaine is a white powdery substance that acts as a central nervous system stimulant.   Cocaine, at one time used as a local anesthetic, is now prohibited under drug abuse laws.  It is generally sniffed and absorbed through the mucous membrane of the nose.   It also can be injected intravenously or smoked in "freebased" form called crack.

Symptoms of Abuse

• brief, intense euphoria
• elevated blood pressure and heart rate
• feeling of well-being followed by depression
• perceptual disturbances (hallucinations, delusions)
• irritability, sleeplessness

Forms:  White crystalline powder, rock-like chips that resemble whitish gravel

Dangers:  addiction, seizures, heart attack, severe depression, paranoia, lung damage, sudden death

Depressants
(barbiturates, sedatives, downers, ludes, Valium, alcohol)

Depressants affect the central nervous system and, in small amounts, are used to induce sleep, produce calmness or relax muscles.  In high doses or when abused, many depressants cause poor judgement and slow, uncertain reflexes.  Large doses may cause unconsciousness or even death.

Symptoms of Abuse

• depressed breathing and heart rate
• uncoordinated movements
• staggering, stumbling
• drowsiness

Forms:  capsules, pill, alcoholic beverages (see ALCOHOL)

Dangers: addiction, possible overdose, muscle rigidity, potentially fatal withdrawal

Narcotics
(heroin, smack, junk, morphine, Demerol, Diluadid)

Narcotics, or opiates, are medically to relieve pain but have high potential for abuse.   Some opiates are derived from the Asian poppy, including opium, morphine, heroin, and codeine.  Others, such as meperidene (Demerol) are manufactured synthetically.   Heroin accounts for approximately 90 percent of the opiate abuse in the U.S.

Symptoms of Abuse

• euphoria
• constricted pupils
• needle marks on arms
• watery eyes, runny nose
• drowsiness

Forms:  powders, capsules mixed with liquid and injected

Dangers:  addiction, weight loss, contamination from unsterile needles, accidental overdose.

Alcohol
(booze, beer, wine, liquor)

Alcohol, the most commonly abused mind-altering drug, is a sedative that can change the way a person acts and thinks.  Because alcohol affects coordination and judgement, it is a factor in 50 percent of highway deaths in America.

Symptoms of Abuse

• slurred speech
• unsteady walk/impaired coordination
• relaxed inhibitions
• preoccupation with drinking
• hidden bottles
• alcohol odor on breath

Forms:  alcoholic beverages

Dangers:  addiction, accident resulting from impaired ability, overdose when mixed with other depressants (see DEPRESSANTS), liver damage, heart disease, potentially fatal withdrawal

Area Resource List:

Outpatient Programs	Residential Programs	Outpatient and Residential Programs
Family Counseling Center 117 North Garth Avenue Columbia, Mo 65203 (573) 449-2581	Hannibal Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse 146 Communications Drive Hannibal, Mo. 63401 (573) 248-1196	Mid-Missouri Mental Health Center 600 East 6th Street Fulton, Mo 65251 (573)592-4100
Phoenix House of Columbia 410 North Tenth Street Columbia, Mo 65203 (573) 442-7026		McCambidge Center 201 North Garth Avenue Columbia, Mo 65203 Cedar Ridge Treatment Center Route 1, Box 142 Linn Creek, Mo 65052 (573) 346-6758
		Charter Hospital of Columbia, Inc. 200 Portland Street Columbia, Mo 65201 (573) 876-8000 Boonville Valley Hope P.O. Box 376 Boonville, Mo 65233 (660) 882-6547

           

Uplinked 5/13/98

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