SFUSD Marijuana & Drug Education Strategies December 9, 2009

Getting kids to think

ACOE Ralph Cantor3 Goals of drug education Think more deeply about the issues Make a more informed decision Have a positive influence on their behavior Know that adults care and will respond Identify kids needing help Delay initial usage or retard usage

Two Issues to remember w/ the adolescent brain ACOE Ralph Cantor4

5 Adolescent BrainAdult Brain

Use it or Lose it Hard Wiring The Developing Adolescent Brain Pruning & Mylenation

How do we reach them?

8 How people learn and Knowledge Prior Experience Thought Emotions Heart

 Establish credibility (Authenticity & Knowledge)  Create a resilient learning environment (expectations, caring, and participation)  Present a non-judgmental approach  Stimulate discussion and serious thought, weaving in information ACOE Ralph Cantor9 Process

Develop Credibility

Authenticity Have you smoked weed? Nonjudgmental What’s so bad about weed?

 I’m against usage before 18 because of the immediate threats to health and welfare; disruption of the natural ecology of the brain; interference with learning the developmental tasks of dealing with boredom; stress, good times; school success; social skills and identity  I will not teach through these biases but I will share these judgments if asked ACOE Ralph Cantor12 My bias

Discuss in groups What are your biases, judgments, and thoughts about marijuana

Tetrahydrocannibinol Hippies 1-3% THC Cannabis Sativa cost $5-$10/ounce Vietnam 5-10% THC Cannabis Indica cost $5-$10/ gram Sensimilla 10-15% THC Grown without seeds Purple 15-20% THC Northern California Horticulture (Indoors)

The Brain and Cannabinoid Sites Nucleus Accumbens Hippocampus Cerebellum Amygdi Or how we trick the brain

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ACOE Ralph Cantor17 Sketch the synaptic space

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The power of Dopamine Loss of dopamine Dulling of pleasure center Training the brain Genetics Difference between dopamine and Serotonin Wizard of Oz

Dopamine produces a feeling of pleasure Serotonin produces a feeling of well being Difference between pleasure and happiness Developing skills, interest, relationships, meaning (“getting a life”) Wizard of Oz ACOE Ralph Cantor23 Dopamine vs. Serotonin

ACOE Ralph Cantor24 Reward System  The reward system is responsible for seeking natural rewards that have survival value  seeking food, water, sex, and nurturing  Dopamine is this system’s primary neurotransmitter reward

Hippocampus, say what? Retrieves relevant information Stores new info it deems relevant

Gateway between short term and long term memory Draws information from long term memory Discriminates relevant new information Trashes unimportant information Stores new information in long term memory ACOE Ralph Cantor26 Hippocampus

ACOE Ralph Cantor27 Amygdala (uh mig' dull uh) Assigns emotional relevance to our experiences and emotional connectedness to others. Feeling of familiarity Novel events awaken interest. Regulation of fear Feeling of awe…wow Suckling

ACOE Ralph Cantor28 Dumb Down Effect After smoking the student sense of novelty diminished. Not excited by a new idea in class. “School is boring. Nothing interesting happens here. I can’t wait to get out of class and smoke a joint.” Athlete, day after, amygdala is sluggish, unable to respond quick enough to new move of opponent. One half step can make a difference. He/she has lost their edge and maybe the game. Airline pilots

Cerebellum Controls internal and external coordination

THC and resin Damage to cilia Viewing the bronchi Marijuana/tobacco connection Blunts The power of nicotine and endorphins ACOE Ralph Cantor30 The Lungs

ACOE Ralph Cantor31 Aftermath of THC Next day after smoking Marijuana Calming followed by Irritability Fascination by Boredom Sensory enhancement by Feeling flat Loss of short term memory Lingering lack of clarity, can cloud a persons view of the real world. Awe by Spiritual depletion

ACOE Ralph Cantor32 Pleasure Scale Pleasure “I feel good” Bored Anhedonia Interested “I feel negative” NORMAL RANGE Dysphoria Euphoria

How well does the drug work?

How well does the drug work Positive and Negative Reinforcement If, in addition to producing pleasure (positive reinforcement), a drug is more addicting, if it relieves negative states: boredom, anxiety, depression or stress (negative reinforcement). ACOE Ralph Cantor34 Risk of addiction

ACOE Ralph Cantor35 From first use to dependence  First use to “FEEL GOOD”  Some continue to compulsively use because of the reinforcing effects (e.g., to “FEEL NORMAL”)  Changes occur in the “reward system” that promote continued use

ACOE Ralph Cantor36 Upsets balance and chemistry of the brain Learning impaired Ultimately producing opposite results Gateway to cigarettes Developing adolescent brain Prefrontal Cortex, Pruning and Neuroadaptation Concerns with Marijuana

ACOE Ralph Cantor37 Non-Use is as Normal as Experimental Use It’s not donuts – it changes brain chemistry Use = Risk Risk is not Evenly Distributed Addiction is Real Quality of Life can be diminished even without developing addiction Motivations for Initial vs. Continuing Use are always different Educate with integrity, knowledge and clarity The Message

What information particularly seemed useful (process and content) ACOE Ralph Cantor38 Groups of Three

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