Substance Abuse

While many college students do not heavily use or abuse drug substances (legal, illegal, or prescription), it’s important to remember that even some commonly used drugs, like alcohol, nicotine or caffeine can lead to negative consequences for students if used in excess – poorer health, financial expense, academic impairments, and even legal or career impediments. True, these substances can be relieving and fun when used in low-to-moderate amounts, but we must consider the consequences and health issues that arise from any drug use and make the best decisions according to our desires and needs.

This chapter describes some of the most commonly used and abused drugs, lists signs of overdose, and provides resources.

General Information

A psychoactive drug is one that crosses the blood-brain barrier; having some effect on your body and/or mood. Psychoactive drugs (like alcohol, marijuana, stimulants, etc.) can affect people differently, and sometimes the drug reaction can be different for the same person even between uses. Some psychoactive drugs produce more dangerous effects/reactions while others are milder. Some psychoactive drugs are addictive while others are not. Overconsumption though is generally discouraged for all psychoactive drugs, since these drugs can build-up in the body causing toxicity and even death.

Why do people use psychoactive drugs? There are many different reasons why people use drugs: for novelty/experimentation, to achieve a certain mood or change their senses, due to peer pressure, to relieve troubles/stress, and due to addiction. No reason is “better” or “more justified” than the next, just like no drug in itself is “good” or “bad”. Simply put, the decision is yours to use an illegal drug or misuse/abuse a legal or prescription one. We hope that you’ll choose the decision best for you and one that does not compromise your health or academics, as well as incur unnecessary legal or financial consequences.

Information about Common Drugs: Tobacco, Alcohol, and Caffeine

Tobacco

Cigarette smoking is the leading reversible cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Unfortunately, the fastest growing segment of smokers in the U.S. is made up of females under age 23. Most smokers become addicted as teenagers; 80-90% of smokers start before age 20 and over 50% by age 18. Furthermore, those who don't start smoking before age 25 probably won't.

Tobacco comes in other forms besides cigarettes. Chewing tobacco is also dangerous and can lead to mouth and throat cancer. Clove cigarettes and pipes also contain tobacco. Shisha used in the water-based hooka pipes also induce tobacco-related effects on the body. The bottom line: if it has tobacco as a product, it is negative to your health.

Many consider tobacco the most addictive drug out there today.

Nicotine

Where: Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, and patches, shisha
Source: Tobacco plant
Legal issues: Legal if you’re over 18
Effects: Nicotine stimulates the circulatory system. It helps increase concentration and attention. Smokers also report that it helps relieve anxiety and stress.
Risks: Cigarette smoking is the major cause of preventable deaths in America. Tobacco users or those living with smokers have nearly all the cases of lung cancer, two times greater risk of fatal heart disease, two to three times greater chance of peptic ulcers, and several times greater risk of throat, mouth, esophageal, pancreatic, kidney, bladder, and cervical cancer. On average, people who smoke will die 5 to 8 years earlier than those who do not smoke. Smokers get more colds, tend to have a year-round cough, and often develop emphysema later in life. For those who have smoked a long time, they will experience a deadened sense of smell and taste, premature face wrinkles, yellow teeth, yellow fingertips (from handling tobacco), and increased heart rate and blood pressure. (Nonsmokers can experience some of these risks if they are routinely exposed to second hand smoke. Part of the rationale behind nonsmoking bars and restaurants is consideration of the health of people who work in these environments.)
Do not combine with: cocaine or other drugs that increase heart rate or blood pressure – it can cause a heart attack.
Addiction rating: High
Quitting: While quitting smoking can be quite difficult, luckily serious cravings for nicotine decrease quickly within days of quitting. Nicotine gum or the patch can also help during this time. It is more difficult to deal with the habits and psychological associations surrounding smoking (e.g., certain friends, places, and routines that can trigger the urge). Many people worry about weight gain associated with quitting nicotine use; smoking both accelerates the body’s metabolism and gives you something non-caloric to put in your mouth. Although weight gain is temporary and can be kept to a minimum, a good solution is to exercise whenever you have a craving to smoke.

Effects of Tobacco

As most of us have been taught since elementary school, “smoking kills.” Smoking has been blamed for one in every five deaths in the U.S. in recent years. These deaths have occurred from cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancers of the lung, mouth, larynx, esophagus, bladder, pancreas, and stomach. Smokers also have the highest rate of peptic ulcer disease and are more susceptible to upper respiratory infections than nonsmokers. The risk of cancer increases even more if smoking is combined with alcohol use. There are other negative health risks, as well. Infertility is more common in smokers than in nonsmokers, and smoking accelerates the onset of menopause by a year or so.

Women, in particular, are ten times more likely than nonsmokers to die of cancers of the larynx and esophagus and of chronic obstructive heart disease (including emphysema). Women who smoke have higher rates of cervical cancer, and it is specifically advised that women on birth control do not smoke. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to many complications, such as slowing the rate of growth of the fetus - which can lead to low birth rate and to premature delivery - and increased rates of miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, and various bleeding problems. Children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy have higher rates of brain damage, cerebral palsy, and other behavioral problems. In addition, smoking (as well as sun exposure) is a primary cause of premature aging (e.g. facial wrinkles), and smokers have a higher incidence of back pain due to the increased drying of the spinal discs from tobacco use.

Benefits of Quitting

Although it sounds crazy, within one hour of quitting smoking, your body starts to heal itself. Besides increased stamina and better ability to breathe, you will notice a better sense of smell and taste. The sooner you decide to quit, the lower the chance of long-term damage. Also, quitting smoking in the first three or four months of pregnancy can completely reverse the hazards of smoking to the unborn child, but cutting back will not produce the same results.

How to Quit

Some people choose to “go cold turkey” (i.e., quitting all at once) while others cut back slowly. Some people use nicotine replacement therapies (patches, lozenges, or gum), medication (e.g. Zyban), hypnosis, or social support. Regardless of the method, quitting is almost always a long and difficult process, but it is possible! Most people experience withdrawal symptoms, such as cravings for a cigarette, irritability, anxiety, concentration difficulties, excessive hunger, and sleep disturbances. Withdrawal symptoms are the strongest during the first two to three days of abstinence and gradually diminish over two to three weeks.

Additionally, the University of Chicago Hospitals occasionally offers tobacco cessation classes & research studies. To find out more contact the SCC Health Education Specialist at (773) 834-5143.

For more information, visit:
The Truth
Campaign for Tobacco-Free
Foundation for a Smoke-Free America
International Network of Women Against Tobacco
Circle of Friends

Alcohol

Facts about Alcohol

For most people who drink, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social or dining activities. Moderate alcohol use—up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people—is not harmful for most adults. Nonetheless, people can get into trouble if they start to rely on alcohol. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults—abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could lead to alcohol problems. These patterns include binge drinking and heavy drinking on a regular basis. In addition, 53 percent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.

Where: beer, wine, liquor
Beer: 5% or less alcohol
Ale, porter, wine: 9%-12% alcohol
Liquor (whiskey, spirits): 40% or more alcohol
Source: Various organic substances, including grapes, berries, potatoes, sugars, corn, and grains – all fermented.
Legal issues: Legal if you’re over 21
Effects: Many people feel happy, confident, and stimulated when drinking. As alcohol leaves the body, this feeling may turn into drowsiness. Alcohol inhibits awareness, reflexes, and judgment. Alcohol is absorbed very quickly into the blood from the stomach (as short as 5-10 minutes). The effects can last up to a couple of hours, depending on the amount, how fast it was drunk, and the size of the person.
A few studies have shown that drinking in moderation (e.g., one glass of wine once a day) can be healthy in the longterm.
Risks: Overdoses are possible when people drink a lot of alcohol very quickly. This is most common in college-age drinkers. Drinking on an empty stomach is particularly risky.
Moderate drinking can cause hangovers, which can include headaches and nausea.
Excessive drinking can compromise memory, abstract thinking, problem solving, attention, and concentration. It can also cause loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach problems, sexual impotence, liver damage, and damage to the heart and central nervous system.
Drunk driving ruins many lives every year.
Risks for Women: Women get drunk much faster than men. After drinking the same amount of alcohol, a woman’s blood level may be 25-30% higher. Women produce less of the enzyme that metabolizes alcohol (alcohol dehydrogenase), so a greater percentage of alcohol consumed goes directly to the woman’s blood stream. This makes women more vulnerable to the negative effects of alcohol, in both the short and longterm. Women are more prone to liver damage, for instance. After drinking the same amount as a man, a woman's ability to determine the safety of a situation (e.g., “Can I drive home?” “Should I have sex with him/her?”) is also compromised.
Birth control slows the rate that alcohol leaves the body.
Alcohol can cause serious and permanent damage to an unborn fetus.
Some studies how that women who have three to nine drinks per week are more likely to develop breast cancer than women who don't drink at all. This research is preliminary, but women who do drink will want to pay attention to upcoming studies.
Genetic risks: Children and siblings of alcoholics have seven times the chance of becoming alcoholics than children of nonalcoholic parents. (Males in the family are more prone to these dispositions.) In such cases, it is important to be extra smart when deciding to drink.
DO not combine with: other downers. Two or more downers taken together can have dangerous – and sometimes deadly – repercussions.
Drinking and driving: If you decide to drink, don't drive! Legal intoxication is a 0.08% blood alcohol concentration, which is often 2 drinks in 1 hour for females and 3 drinks in an hour for males. If driving while intoxicated, you may be arrested for a DUI (driving under the influence) which can threaten your future career in law, medicine, or governmental service – not to mention risking your life and others' on the road.

What is excessive drinking?

There is no easy answer, but here is a useful acronym to remember: CAGE

Have you ever felt the need to CUT down on your drinking?
Have you ever felt ANNOYED by someone who was criticizing your drinking?
Have you ever felt GUILTY about your drinking?
Have you ever felt the need for an EYE opener (a drink at the beginning of the day)?

If someone answers “yes” to two or more of these questions, s/he might have a problem. This test is not definitive, and only health care professionals truly know how to diagnose addiction.

Physiological Effects of Alcohol

Although many people falsely classify alcohol as a stimulant (because they feel that euphoric “buzzed” feeling), alcohol is actually a depressant. Alcohol impairs self-control and brain activity, which can result in slurred speech, slowed reaction time, impaired vision, poor coordination, and impaired memory and judgment.

The liver breaks down alcohol, accompanied by enzymes in related organs, like the stomach. The body metabolizes alcohol at an unchangeable rate, thus debunking old “tricks,” such as a cold shower or coffee. It takes approximately one hour for the body to metabolize 0.5 oz. of pure alcohol, which is roughly the alcohol content in each of these standard drinks:

1.5 oz. shot = 5 oz. glass of wine = 1 9 oz. wine cooler = 12 oz beer

Differences of Alcoholic Effects Between Men and Women

Studies have found that women generally reach a higher Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) than men with the same amount of alcohol consumption. (BAC is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream.) This is because women generally have a higher ratio of body fat to water than men, even after adjustment for body weight; there is proportionally less water in the female body to dilute the alcohol. In addition, women have less alcohol dehydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down the alcohol in the body.

Women tend to be more sensitive to alcohol right before their period and if they are taking birth control pills.

Safe Drinking Tips:

1. Eat before/during drinking. Don't drink on an empty stomach
2. Sip drinks for enjoyment. Avoid gulping.
3. Pace yourself: limit yourself to a maximum of 1 drink per hour. (Note: for health & safety limits, men no more than 4 standard drinks in a day, females no more than 3 standard drinks in a day).
4. Be aware of possible interactions between any medication you are taking and alcohol. Most medications & drugs DO NOT mix well with alcohol – consult your physician or pharmacist first.
5. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
6. Keep track of how much you are drinking and stop drinking at your personal limit. For example, you may want to save beer tabs instead of relying on memory.
7. Have a safe transportation plan home. If going out, have a designated driver or a designated buddy who will remain sober to take you home. Keep bus fare or cab numbers handy for a safe ride.
8. Watch out for your friends! Be a good friend – if you come together then leave together; watch each other’s drinks to avoid date rape drugging; and never let a friend drive while intoxicated.
9. Don't be afraid to stop or slow down if you feel you may be losing control. A cool tip I learned was that if someone is forcing a drink on you, “accidentally” spill it.
10. Watch your drink at all times. Someone may try to spike it. For instance, watch someone as they pour your drink, or nonchalantly place your hand over the opening of your glass in a crowded room.

Care of the Intoxicated

Emergency vs. Non-Emergency Care

Sadly, this is usually just a judgment call, but here are some general guidelines to follow:

EMERGENCY

• has cold, bluish, clammy skin
• has passed out
• lack of response
• has shallow or irregular breathing
• is making "snoring" sounds
• has mixed medication and alcohol
• is injured or has collapsed after drinking
• is engaged in high risk behavior
• is talking about suicide or hurting another
• has diabetes
• is choking on vomit

What To Do

Do not give that person water. This might induce vomiting.

Take that person to the emergency room (ER). You should call security to escort the person (123 from campus phone or 773-702-8181).

If you live in a dormitory, contact your resident head or resident assistant. If your particular RH or RA is not around, there is always an RH or RA for your dorm on call.

When in doubt, take the person to the hospital. Even if that person might have been fine without the hospital visit, it’s better than the opposite case.

Non-Emergency Criteria

• alert
• normal breathing
• normal skin tone, color and temperature

What To Do

Turn the person on his/her side if s/he is lying down. Make sure s/he are neither face down nor face up to prevent the person from choking on his/her vomit.

Don't leave the person unattended, and keep them warm. You may always call the physician-on-call (773-702-6840) if you are in doubt (remember that this is a callback after-hours service and a response may take up to 20 min.).

Social and Health Consequences of Alcohol Abuse

As women, there are additional considerations related to alcohol abuse and misuse/overuse. For example, women who drink heavily are more likely to suffer menstrual problems and/or sexual and reproductive complications. There are more immediate concerns for women related to heavy drinking, as well. For example, a woman under the influence of alcohol may engage in sexual behavior she otherwise would not just because her judgment is impaired (e.g., not using a condom when she would have if she were sober). Women who drink are more likely to become victims of alcohol-related violence, including rape and domestic/partner abuse. On the flip side, women may also be harmed by those around them who are drinking. Of course, these are some of the more serious consequences of alcohol, but it is important to have all the information you need to make the best decision for yourself.

Another thing to keep in mind is the effects of drinking when pregnant. Even in moderate amounts, alcohol may have harmful effects on the fetus, such as increased risk of miscarriage and malformation of organ systems. Studies have shown that moderate alcohol consumption is linked to premature birth, low birth weight, and neurological problems; heavy drinking during pregnancy can result in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), which causes physical deformities and mental retardation.

College Drinking and Women

The spectrum of relationships with alcohol in our culture ranges from non-drinking to moderate drinking to alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Research indicates that the pattern most prevalent among college students at the U of C and elsewhere is one of the intermittent episodes of alcohol abuse, or "problematic drinking." (The pattern among graduate students at the U of C is one of drinking smaller amounts more often.) If you recall from before, problematic drinking for women is four or more drinks per occasion (and five or more for men). Women are somewhat less likely to drink heavily than men, but the social, physical, and academic consequences of problematic drinking affect both men and women. Even those who are not drinking heavily are affected by those who are around them.

How to Tell if Someone Might Have a Drinking Problem (these signs occur routinely when drinking)

• time spent drinking/drunk interferes with academic, work, social or family responsibilities
• missing class because of a hangover
• passing out because of drinking
• conflicts with family or friends after drinking
• drinking alone
• being criticized by others for drinking – or vehemently denying that s/he has a problem
• causing an accident while driving drunk
• drinking to cope with anxiety or stress
• drinking to get drunk or with the goal of passing out.
• inability to remember what happened while drinking
• drinking to get to sleep
• gulping drinks

Self-Test: Questions for Women about Alcohol Use

1. Do you drink when you are depressed, hoping it will make you feel better?
2. Do you regularly use alcohol as medicine (i.e., to relieve menstrual cramps, help you sleep, or calm your nerves)?
3. Do you feel sociable only when you drink?
4. Do you drink when you are under pressure or after an argument?
5. Do you try to get someone to buy alcohol for you because you are too ashamed to buy it yourself?
6. Do you hide the empty bottles or cans and dispose of them secretly?
7. Do you ever have blackouts (periods of time about which you remember nothing)?
8. Do you ever wonder if anyone knows how much you drink?
9. Do you ever carry liquor in your purse or backpack?
10. Do you worry about hurting someone when you have been drinking?
11. Do you drink to make your partner less angry at you?
12. If you only drink occasionally, do you have a lot of drinks at one time?
13. Do you drink only when you have been emotionally or physically abused?
14. Do you feel panicked when you are faced with non-drinking periods of times or when you are without money to buy alcohol?
15. Do you become defensive when anyone mentions your drinking?
16. Do you try to cover-up when you cannot remember promises and feel ashamed when you misplace or lose things?
17. Do you ever drive after you have been drinking?
18. Do you ever take sleeping pills or tranquilizers together with alcohol?
19. Do you ever make sexual decisions that you later regret after drinking alcohol?
20. Do you ever use alcohol to have or avoid sexual activity?
21. Have you fallen down or hurt yourself as a result of drinking?
22. Are you absent or late for work or school more often after you drink?
23. Do you suffer from indigestion, nausea, or diarrhea due to drinking?

If you have answered "yes" or "sometimes" to two or more of these questions, you might want to evaluate seriously your drinking habits.

How to talk with someone who might have a drinking problem When talking with someone whom you think might have a drinking problem, the best approach is to be caring and nonjudgmental. Here are some tips:

• Take caution in sounding accusatory or judgmental, for it might just alienate you from him/her.
• Approach the person when he/she is not drunk.
• Approach the person in private, so as not to “gang up” and/or distract him/her.
• Be specific: talk about specific incidents and behaviors.
• Describe the effects of the drinking, including the effects on personal relationships, personal goals, and any unusual behavior.
• Make sure he/she knows you’re worried. This might give the person incentive to change his/her behavior.
• Provide resources for him/her.

Secular Organizations for Sobriety

Women for Sobriety, Inc.

Moderation Management

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence

Caffeine

How Caffeine Works

We have all needed to stay up for that paper that we should have started earlier, but, contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not supply extra energy. Instead, it tricks your body into thinking it is not tired. When tired, a chemical called adenosine travels to receptor cells in your brain, which slows brain activity. To the nerve cells, caffeine mimics adenosine but does not slow the brain like adenosine would, making the cells speed up. This increased activity makes the brain think that there is an “emergency,” and it releases adrenaline, making your body seemingly more awake. Pretty cool, huh?

Well, there are some other interesting neurological implications, but they aren't as immediately rewarding and in fact make the long-term more difficult. After a while, your brain builds tolerance to the caffeine and increases the number of receptor cells so that caffeine cannot block all the adenosine receptors. This explains why people find that they must increase how much caffeine they intake to feel the same alert effect after a period of only a week. Your brain literally restructures itself to run on caffeine!

Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine has been proven to temporarily increase alertness, comprehension, memory, reflexes, and clarity of thought – all the things a university student might want in the short term. However, the caffeine crash has bad side effects. Caffeine can cause hand tremors, loss of coordination, loss of appetite, insomnia, trembling, nausea, heart palpitations, and diarrhea. Caffeine could also exacerbate other ailments, so beware of caffeine if you have a history of ulcers, urinary tract infections, or kidney problems. The recommended caffeine limits are 100-300mg per day.

Withdrawal from Caffeine

Interestingly, when you quit cold turkey, it only takes your brain two weeks to operating like before the addiction. However, it is not always easy. During those two weeks, you may feel headaches, lethargy, fatigue, muscle pain, nausea, or flu-like symptoms. Therefore, it is best to cut down gradually.

Facts about Caffeine

Does tea have less caffeine than coffee?
It depends. An average cup of brewed coffee contains 100-150 mg of caffeine, and a cup of brewed tea can have nearly the same amount. Teas vary in caffeine content according to their composition and strength and range from caffeine-free to a caffeine content comparable to strong coffee. Eight ounces of green tea, for example, have a caffeine content of approximately 30 mg, while a 16 oz. bottle of Snapple tea has about 42 mg.

COMMON DRUGS

Marijuana (AKA, pot, weed, doobie, reefer, herb, grass, mary jane, bud, ganj)

Pot is smoked with or without tobacco in a cigarette or joint, in a regular pipe, in a water pipe (bong). It can also be eaten, often in cookies or cakes.
Source: Both marijuana and hashish come from the Cannabis sativa variety of the hemp plant. People smoke the resin content of hemp leaves and flowers.
Different strains of hemp have different qualities of resin.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active ingredient.
Legal issues: Generally illegal, although marijuana has been legalized in some states only for use as treatment for AIDS, anorexia, M.S., epilepsy, and the effects of chemotherapy.
Effects: Effects vary from person to person, often depending on the amount of THC in the marijuana leaf. Many people become happy, stimulated, or relaxed at first, followed by drowsiness or calmness. Others get tired. Many people get hungry (“the munchies”). Emotions can change rapidly when high. Some high-grade marijuana can have hallucinogenic effects. When marijuana is eaten, its effects are delayed and can be stronger. Some people report feeling intellectually stimulated and having greater sense perception. About half of the THC passes the body after 24 hours. The rest can stay in your system for up to a month or longer. THC is also stored in hair cells, which is a primary avenue for marijuana drug testing.
Risks: Overdose is not possible. However, people can get quite paranoid or anxious.
No one really knows all the longterm effects of marijuana because smoking it releases hundreds of chemicals besides THC. Moderate marijuana smoking can cause short-term memory loss, decreases in attention and concentration, and dulled reflexes. Chronic marijuana smoking, like tobacco smoking, can damage your lungs, mouth, and throat. It may also compromise memory, cause personality changes, and reduce fertility.
Risks for women: long-term marijuana smokers might experience irregular periods, which might make it harder to get pregnant. Marijuana may cause serious and permanent damage to an unborn fetus.
Do not combine with: Cocaine or hearth or blood pressure medications.
Physical Addiction rating: Low
Psychological addiction rating: Moderate

Stimulants – make the body work faster by increasing the heart rate and pumping adrenaline into the system.

Caffeine

Found in: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, pain relievers, over-the-counter stimulants, chocolate

Caffeine content of common substances:
chocolate bar: 30 mg
cold relief tablet: 30mg
percolated coffee (8 oz. ): 80mg
instant coffee (8 oz.): 60-80mg
brewed tea (8 oz.): 40-60mg
caffeinated soft drinks (12 oz.): 30-45mg

Source: Found in leaves, seeds, or fruits of more than 60 plants (e.g., coffee and cocoa beans, tea leaves)
Effects: Caffeine is a mild speed, stimulating the heart and respiratory system. It can increase concentration and attention. It can also slightly enhance endurance. Caffeine takes only about 15 minutes to be absorbed into the blood stream.
Risks: Higher doses can cause nervousness, anxiety, irritability, headache, disturbed sleep, and stomach upset. Overdoses are rare. Caffeine can aggravate stress and contribute to panic attacks. It has been associated with cardiovascular disease, fibrocystic breast disease, birth defects, and cancer. When exercising, it can increase the risk of dehydration and can stress the heart.
Risks for women: Excessive caffeine can aggravate PMS or reduce chances of getting pregnant. It may also result in benign breast cysts.
Do not combine with: Other drugs that increase blood pressure or stronger stimulants.
Addiction rating: Medium

Cocaine: coke, blow, crack, rock, snow

Cocaine is either snorted, injected, or smoked (in the form of crack)
Source: Cocaine is a white powder that comes from coca plant leaves, often from South America. Crack is even more addictive and is a chemically altered version of cocaine.
Legal issues: Illegal
Effects: People report a sense of well-being, increased endurance and energy, reduced appetite, heightened alertness (but this can turn into anxiety or panic very quickly). Physical effects include increased blood pressure, breathing rate, and body temperature. The effects of snorting cocaine peak after 15-30 minutes and then fade, which makes people want to use it again to maintain the effect. Highs from crack are usually over after 15 minutes. Highs are followed by a crash.
Risks: There is a very serious risk of overdose, which can lead to seizures, heart attack, strokes, and death. Repeated use of high doses can lead to psychotic paranoid states. Cocaine can cause irregular heartbeats and insomnia. Stress on the heart leads to a higher chance of heart attacks, strokes, and respiratory failure. Heavy users are susceptible to hallucinations and “coke bugs” - the sensation of imaginary insects crawling on the skin.
Injectors risk: Hepatitis or AIDS
Risks for women: Cocaine and crack can have permanent effects on an unborn fetus.
Do not combine with: Decongestants, high doses of caffeine, MAO inhibitor antidepressants (e.g., Nardill, Parnate), or anything that affects heart rate or makes people more prone to seizures.
Addiction rating: High

Amphetamine and methamphetamine: speed, meth, crank, crystal, ice, dexies, black beauties, hearts, whiz

Users snort, smoke, swallow, or inject speed.
Found in: Diet pills and certain prescription medications
Source: Laboratories
Legal issues: Only legal in prescriptions (which help control weight or treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or narcolepsy).
Effects: A sense of well-being increased endurance or energy, euphoria, and heightened alertness. These feelings of happiness and confidence usually lead to a high risk of dependence. Amphetamines increase heart and respiratory rates and can decrease appetite. Effects last for four to six hours.
Risks: There is serious risk of overdose, which involves convulsions, high fevers, coma, and possibly death from heart failure, ruptured blood vessels in the brain, or hypothermia. Amphetamine use can produce an irregular heartbeat, increased sweat, higher body temperature, and insomnia. When used in conjunction with exercise, amphetamines can become fatal because of one's heightened temperature. Repeated high doses can lead to psychotic paranoia. Longterm effects include hallucinations, delusions, and violent and self-destructive behaviors. Injectied drug use increases the user’s susceptiblity to HIV and hepatitis, which is passed by contaminated needles.
Do not combine with: Decongestants or MAO inhibitor antidepressants.
Addiction rating: High

Ecstacy: X, XTC, E, MDMA

Source: pills made in illegal labs by altering the molecular structure of both legal and illegal drugs.
Legal issues: illegal
Effects: Sense of energy and alertness; feelings of happiness, openness, and caring for everyone. Ecstacy causes an increase in body temperature, followed by acute dehydration. Effects begin in 20 minutes to an hour and last from 4-6 hours. The peak is experienced within the first hour.
Risks: Serious risk of overdose involving heart attacks, increased body temperature (which can lead to dehydration), seizures, and death, especially if used during extreme physical activity. High doses can lead to teeth clenching, shakiness, dry mouth, cramping, and nausea.
Not much is known about longterm effects of X, but studies show some effects to the brain and liver.
Do not combine with: MAO inhibitor antidepressants
Addiction rating: Unknown

Hallucinogenic drugs distort reality and can disturb normal sense of direction, distance, and time. There are three types of hallucinogens: serotonin hallucinogen, belladonna alkaloids, and horse tranquilizers.

LSD: acid, trip, blotter, lysergic acid diethylamide

LSD is either absorbed in its liquid form onto a piece of paper (the blotter) or a sugar cube and chewed OR taken as a tablet or capsule.
Source: Laboratories
Legal issues: Illegal
Effects: LSD overloads the brain's senses, causing sensory distortions or hallucinations. Everyone has a different experience; it depends on the dose, the situation, and individual. Mood swings are common. Many report a sense of detachment from bodies, intensification of colors, and distortion of vision and/or hearing. People also experience heightened self-awareness and ecstatic experiences. Effects begin a half hour or hour after consuming and peaks in 2 to 6 hours. The high can last up to 12 hours or more. LSD may produce sweating and palpitations or trigger nausea.
Risks: “Bad trips” sometimes occur; they are experienced as acute physical and psychological anxiety, and it can be quite frightening. Furthermore, under the influence, people sometime experience convulsions, coma, heart and/or lung failure, and have died. Because judgment is impaired, reaction times are slow; many people have accidentally killed themselves or others while using LSD
. Flashbacks are common among users. Psychotic reactions are possible but rare.
LSD can be laced with other dangerous substances, which can cause permanent brain damage.
Do not combine with: anything. And never use alone.
Addiction rating: Inconclusive

Mushrooms: 'shrooms, “magic” mushrooms

Mushrooms are dried and eaten whole or ground up and mixed into drinks or food.
Source: Mushrooms
Legal issues: Illegal
Effects: Immediate effects can include mild feels of nausea and increased blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. Overall, the effects are similar to those of LSD but last only 4-6 hours.
Risks: Though some see mushrooms as a “natural” alternative to LSD and other hallucinogens, they have many of the same negative side effects, such as impaired judgment and bad trips.
A less considered risk is eating the wrong kind of mushroom; some species look like psilocyin mushrooms but are lethal.
Addiction rating: Low

PCP (phencyclidine): angel dust, ketamine, Special K

Taken as pills, snorted, smoked, or injected.
Source: Laboratories
Legal issues: Illegal except by prescription for use as an anesthetic for large animals.
Effects: Mostly taken for euphoric effects, it can also cause drunken and hallucinogenic effects as well as numbing, dissociative highs. Effects last for 4-6 hours, but significant amounts of the drug can remain in the body 48 hours later.
Risks: Serious risk of overdose, leading to seizures and comas, sometimes death. PCP increases blood pressure and body temperature. Coordination, thought, and judgment are all compromised. Users become completely out of touch with their surroundings. Regular use can lead to violent reactions, agitation, confusion, and communication difficulties.
Do not combine with: Alcohol or other downers. Eating or drinking before taking it can also cause vomiting, which can be dangerous during such a dissociative state.
Addiction rating: Unknown

Peyote

Dried cactus buttons eaten whole or ground and mixed into drink or food.
Source: A cactus that grows in northwestern Mexico
Legal issues: Illegal except in the Native American Church
Effects: Increases blood pressure and heart rate. It can produce visual distortions and hallucinations or nausea and vomiting. Everyone's experience is different; it depends on the dose, situation, and individual. Many report a sense of detachment from their bodies. Effects can last up to 12 hours.
Risks: Similar to PCP, even though considered a “natural” alternative, it has some of the same negative side effects as LSD.
Do not combine with: Stimulants
Addiction rating: Low

Depressants have two major effects: sedation (decreased anxiety) and hypnotic effects (sleep). There are two types of downers: opiates and sedatives.

Opium: O, gong, Chinese molasses

Can be smoked or
taken as tincture of opium
Source: Poppy seeds Legal issues: Illegal
Effects: Pleasurable rush and then a dreamy state with very low sensitivity to pain.
Risks: High risk of death due to overdose, even on the first choice. Overdoses are more common with injections. Breathing slows, sometimes the point where it stops all together. Other side effects include dry and itchy skin, loss of sex drive, nausea, vomiting, and chronic constipation. Withdrawal is miserable. Do not combine with: Anything else that slows breathing (e.g., alcohol, barbituates, Valium)
Addiction rating: High

Heroin: smack, mojo, horse, junk, kag

Purer forms of this white powder mean that many users can now get high by snorting or smoking the drug's cooked byproducts, but the most intense high comes from injecting heroin directly into the veins
Source: Laboratories, where it's created from dried milk of the opium poppy plant.
Legal issues: Illegal in the US and most other countries; heroin is still used in some European countries to help relieve cancer patients' pain.
Effects: Pleasurable rush of drowsy, warm euphoria and then a dreamy state with very low sensitivity to pain. It depresses the nervous system. The effects are immediate if the drug is injected or smoked and take about 15 minutes if it is snorted.
Risks: High risk of overdose and death, even on the first try. Overdoses are more common with injection. Withdrawal is miserable.
First-time users do not usually get an immediate high; instead, they get sick. If you inject, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis are major risks. Other side effects include dry and itchy skin, pinpointed pupils, delayed periods, loss of sex drive, and chronic constipation.
It is not uncommon for heroin to be laced with other dangerous substances, which can lead to more damage to the brain.
Do not combine with: Anything that slows breathing (e.g., barbiturates, alcohol, Valium)
Addiction rating: High

Sedatives, barbiturates, quaaludes: ludes

Source: the laboratories
Legal issues: legal by prescription
Effects: decrease in anxiety and a sense of relaxation or calm. There are unexpected and unpredictable side effects, however, such as increased anxiety and hostility. At higher doses, drowsiness and loss of motor skills can occur.
Risks: High risk of overdose, with suppressed breathing or heart failure leading to death, usually combined with other drugs, particularly alcohol. Vertigo, lightheadedness, decreased memory, and serious loss of coordination are possible.
These side effects can last a long time.
Do not combine with: Alcohol, which will decrease coordination, or anything that makes you sleepy.
Addiction rating: unknown.

Benzodiazepines

Found in: Valium, Xanax, Rohypnol (prescription anti-anxiety medications) Source: Laboratories
Legal code: Legal by prescription.
Effects: Same as for sedatives, barbiturates, and quaaludes
Risks: Memory might be impaired for events that happen while under the influence. Decreased learning ability, vertigo, and lightheadedness are other possible side effects. These effects can last a long time.
Do not combine with: alcohol or anything else that makes you sleepy.
Roofies (Rohypnol) have been slipped into people's drinks to cause a sedative effect, earning its reputation as “the date rape drug.” Be extra alert when you are with people you do not know very well, and watch for strange effects like dizziness after a drink.
Addiction rating: Low

Understanding Drug Addiction

Here are some signs of drug addiction (but are by no means limited to this list):

• You get high more than twice a week
• You use the drug without thinking about it or whether you want to do it
• You don’t have other friends who get high
• You’re using more and more drugs to achieve the same high
• You get high on your own
• You get high to get high (not in a socializing manner)

There are many risks associated with addicition. Some drugs, like heroin and cocaine (particularly crack cocaine), are particularly addictive even after one or two uses. (See the section on drugs to find out how addictive particular drugs actually are.) Drugs that are injected via needles increase the user’s risk of site infection and drug overdose, while shared needles/drug paraphernalia increase the risk of acquiring HIV or other STIs. Finally, drug use and addiction may be dependant on a family history of addiction (or no addiction), experiences of physical or emotional abuse, and a history of depression. If your family does have a history of addiction, you might have a genetic disposition to chemical dependency, making experimentation potentially more dangerous for you than for others.

DrugHelp
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
Drug Policy Alliance

Breaking an Addiction

The first step is to admit that you have an addiction. Even though this might sound simple, it is often the hardest step. Furthermore, recovering from an addiction is a long and trying process, but there are many support groups and resources available to help people break their addictions. During the process of breaking an addiction, it is quite normal to have cravings for those drugs, perhaps even stronger than when you used the drug regularly. Withdrawal symptoms are also common, making you feel particularly ill. Even withdrawing from something as benign as caffeine can cause some people major headaches.

If you recognize addiction in a friend or family member, it can be difficult to figure out what to do. Addiction is not an easy thing to admit to oneself. Getting someone else to admit that they have a problem is sometimes harder! Although you can try talking with this person, ultimately you are not responsible for his or her behavior and the user must make his/her own decision to quit the drug. Finding resources such as Alcoholics Anonymous can help you deal with someone else’s addiction (as well as the person himself).

Resources

Emergency Help

Chicago Police/Ambulance
911

U of C Police
773-702-8181 (or 123 from campus phone)

Dean-on-Call
773-834-HELP (834-4357)

• SCRS Therapist. If you have concerns about your own use or someone else’s, seeking professional assessment can bring a new perspective. To obtain confidential advice and assistance, please call (773) 702-9800 to make an appointment.
• SCC Health Education Specialist. Confidentially review your concerns or pick-up more information by stopping by the SCC Health Education Office (R-111) or calling (773) 834-5143.
• SCC Medical Providers. Consider making an appointment with your medical provider to assess your health risks or discuss ways to reduce your use. Call (773) 702-4156 for an appointment.
• Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Drug use can lead to psychological and physical dependency and impact one’s ability to function in daily life. NA is a support group system in which members help each other to identify and address drug dependency and abuse. For local groups call (708) 848-4884 or go online.
• Cocaine Anonymous (CA). For local groups call (312) 346-1475.

Referrals and counseling

SCRS
773-702-9800

Therapist-on-Call
773-702-3625

Dean of Students in College
773-702-8615

Dean of Students in University
773-702-7770

Physician-on-Call
773-702-6840

Hotlines

National Drug Information Treatment and Referral Hotline: 800-662-HELP (4357)
Information, support, treatment options and referrals to local rehab centers for any drug or alcohol problem, confidential, 24-7.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence HopeLine: 800-NCA-CALL
Affiliate Referral; NCADD fights the stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions, confidential, 24-7.

For more information about substance abuse:

SCRS
SCC
National Women’s Health Network
lack Women’s Health Imperative
Lesbian Health Research Center
National Association of Lesbian & Gay Addiction Professionals

Additional publications, news releases, and important resource links are available on-line:

U.S. Department of Justice, DEA
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
National Directory of Drug Abuse and Alcoholism Treatment, Prevention Programs