The Deal with Marijuana on College Campuses April 15, 2005

1
The Deal with Marijuana on College
Campuses April 15, 2005

• Bessie Oster
• Julie Rosenbluth, M.P.H., CHES
• The American Council for Drug Education
• Phoenix House

2
The Deal with Marijuana

• Introduction
• Phoenix House, American Council for Drug
  Education and the Children of Alcoholics
  Foundation
• Facts on Tap An alcohol and other drug
  prevention program for college students
• www.acde.org
• www.factsontap.org

3
Presentation Outline

• Introduction
• Overview/Scope of the Problem
• Signs and Symptoms
• Effects
• What can we do
• Resources for college students
• Questions and Answers

4
Overview

• The most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S.
• main active chemical is THC
• Not your Good Ol Disco Days MJ
• Todays MJ has 7 THC vs 1 in 1970
• Street Names Pot, Mary J, blunt, ganga, weed,
  grass, trees, and many others. Other names?

5
Overview

• Statistics and Trends
• About half of U.S. teenagers try marijuana before
  finishing high school. (NIDA Marijuana, Facts
  Parents Need to Know)
• Recent study of 18 y.olds and older showed
  Marijuana abuse and dependence increased from
  1990s to today (JAMA)
• Why? increased accessibility, can grow indoors
  street prices for drugs at an all-time low, less
  stigma than other drugs (kids of baby boom
  generation)
• 2003 Monitoring the Future more than 50 college
  students report having used marijuana at least
  once (Dont forget that means almost 50 never
  used)
• A marijuana smoker at 13 is likely to earn less
  money as a young adult than peers who aren't
  abusing the drug. (NIDA Notes Vol. 19, No. 5
  (January 2005))
• An adolescent who smokes less marijuana than a
  friend but enjoys the experience more is likelier
  to be addicted to the drug at 21. (NIDA Notes
  Vol. 19, No. 5 (January 2005))

6
Signs and Symptoms

• Red, glassy eyes
• Smell of dry, burning herb
• Paraphernalia (soda cans, bongs, cigars used to
  make blunts, cellophane wrappers from cigars,
  butter knives with gummy black tar at the tips,
  pipes)
• Friends changing, lack of interest in activities
• Burnt popcorn (covers up smell of marijuana)
• Towels on dorm room floor (block smoke smell)

7
Effects

• How many of you have had students tell you its
  not
• that bad and certainly NOT addictive?
• Well the answer is, it IS addictive
• 1 reason for adolescent treatment
• Mj use can lead to addiction.
• Drug withdrawal People trying to quit report
  irritability, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Also
  increased aggression on psychological tests,
  peaking approximately one week after the last use
  of the drug.
• Difference between psychological and physical
• addiction Does it matter?
• How does this translate to what we see on college
  campuses?

8
Effects

• The Bio-Psycho-Social Model to explain the
  effects of marijuana on college students

Psycho
Bio
Social
9
Marijuana and College Students

• Biological effects of marijuana on our students
• Risk of heart attack more than quadruples in the
  first hour after smoking mj. effect might occur
  from mjs effects on blood pressure and heart
  rate and reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of
  blood.
• People who smoke mj frequently but do not smoke
  tobacco have more health problems and miss more
  days of work/school than nonsmokers. Many of the
  sick THC connects to specific sites in the brain
  called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells. Many
  cannabinoid receptors are in the parts of the
  brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought,
  concentration, sensory and time perception, and
  coordinated movement.
• days among mj smokers were for respiratory
  illnesses. HOWEVER, there is NO conclusive
  evidence that MJ causes lung cancer.

10
Marijuana and College Students

• Biological effects of marijuana contd
• MJ acts as anti-emetic when mixed with alcohol,
  can prevent bodys natural tendency to purge
  alcohol (avoid alcohol poisoning).
• Marijuana hangover College students who used
  marijuana regularly had impaired attention,
  memory, and learning for 24 hours after use.
• Long-term effects include impotency, lowered sex
  drive, man boobs, amotivational syndrome,
  addiction, other physical changes to hormones and
  body
• THC impairs the immune systems ability to fight
  off infectious diseases and cancer.
• Risk of getting mj laced with PCP, cocaine,
  embalming fluid, or other drugs.

11
Marijuana and College Students

• Psychological effects of marijuana
• Hinders emotional development into adulthood
• Depression, anxiety, and personality disturbances
  have been associated with marijuana use. Research
  clearly demonstrates that marijuana has potential
  to cause problems in daily life or make a
  persons existing problems worse.
• Gateway theory

12
Marijuana and College Students

• Social effects of marijuana
• Students who smoke marijuana get lower grades,
  are less likely to graduate, and have lower
  earning potential.
• Decreased interest in activities previously
  enjoyed
• Laws in New York State
• Possession 100 - 500, jail time 15 days 7
  years (depending on amount)
• Sales or Cultivation 500 - 5000

13
Marijuana and College Students

• Effect on campus community
• Criminality
• Roommates
• Drugging and Driving
• Not perceived to be as dangerous as drinking
• Hand exercise

14
What can you do?

• What do you find works?
• What are the challenges youre facing?
• How can we overcome these challenges?
• Letters to parents
• Social norms campaigns using peer educators
• Awareness of consequences/debunk myths
• Clear and enforced policies
• Resources
• FOT new Mini Magazine
• Bacchus and Gamma
• NIDA
• Assessment and Treatment for students facing
  addiction
• Addiction Institute
• Caron Foundation
• Phoenix House
• SAMHSA Treatment Locator www.findtreatment.samhsa
  .gov

15
Questions?

• Bessie Oster
• Boster_at_phoenixhouse.org
• [phone]
• Julie Rosenbluth
• Jrosenblouth_at_phoenixhouse.org
• [phone]