Marijuana, Inhalants, and Steroids Joe DiLosa Maddie Barrow Julia Dunn Kelsey Meehan Abby Noyes

Objective: Identify the negative consequences of drug use Define: Inhalants, Marijuana, and Steroids Describe the effect of drugs on the body

Drill: Name TWO inhalants and/or steroids that you have heard of. Glue and gasoline Testosterone and Oxymetholone

Marijuana Marijuana: a plant whose leaves, buds, and flowers are usually smoked for their intoxicating effects A.K.A. – Pot, Weed, Reefer, or Dupe Can be either smoked or eaten Active Chemical – THC (tetrahydrocannabine) THC changes the way sensory information enters the brain Detected in urine for up to weeks after use Marijuana smoke contains more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco unfiltered smoke is inhaled

Effects of Marijuana Felt within minutes of use and may last for 2-3 hours. If swallowed, it takes 30-60 minutes before effects START Raises levels of dopamine which generally releases a pleasurable feeling Dopamine gives some users and intense feeling of elation (high) When dopamine wears off there is an abrupt “crash”

Short Term Effects Short term memory issues Distorted perception Giddiness Increased appetite Anxiety Dizziness Trouble walking Hard time remembering what happened Impairs judgment Slows reflexes Short term memory issues Distorted perception Loss of coordination Trouble with thinking/problem solving After a few hours, VERY sleepy Lung irritation

Long Term Effects Similar effects to smoking tobacco Chronic bronchitis Damaged lung tissue Increased risk of lung cancer Weakened immunity to infection Decreased initiative Blood shot eyes and mouth Increase risk of birth defects/still birth

Consequences of Marijuana Use Men: Risks sperm production/testosterone Women: Raises testosterone production, can lead to infertility Dependence Withdrawl symptoms will be felt every time you are not using it

D.U.I. 10-22% of car crashes are related to drugs Same lack of coordination as a drunk driver Suspended license Fines Loss of eligibility for college loans Possible jail terms Killed/Injured Legal prosecution Devastating emotional consequences

Inhalants Inhalants: substances whose fumes are sniffed or inhaled to give effect Commonly abused inhalants: Glue Propone Butane Aerosols Varnishes Paint thinner Gasoline Felt-tip Marker Fluid (Sharpies) Can be sniffed directly or inhaled from a rag soaked in substance

Effects of Inhalants Range from mild to high including: Major Effects: Hyperactivity Lack of inhibition Dizziness Major Effects: Loss of coordination Difficulty speaking/thinking Fear Anxiety Depression Nausea Vomiting Headache Loss of consciousness

Consequences of Inhalants Use Dangers of Inhalants: Permanent hearing loss Bone marrow damage Liver damage Kidney damage Loss of bladder control It KILLS brain cells, causes brain damage, comas, death from suffocation, nosebleeds, fatigue, blindness, cardiac arrest

Steroids Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: synthetic substances similar to male sex hormones Can increase muscle strength when combined with physical conditioning Builds muscles and increases male characteristics (Anabolic) (cindrogenic)

Effects of Steroids Side Effects: weight gain, acne, high blood pressure, liver tumors, kidney tumors Men: shrinking testicles, reduced sperm count, baldness, development of breasts, increased risk for prostrate cancer Women: facial hair, baldness, menstrual cycle changes, deepened voice

Effects Cont. Violent behavior, mood swings, depression, and paranoia Paranoia: an irrational suspiciousness or distrust of others If injected may develop HIV or Hepititus B

Before and After

Consequences of Steroid Use It can lead to injury and severe health problems Using without medical supervision is dangerous Nonmedical use is illegal Athletes can face expulsion from team/event Jail time Tarnished reputation Monetary fines

A True Story The Lows of Getting High.

The Lows of Getting High At 18, Alby was living a nightmare behind bars. He felt he was in constant physical danger. “I saw people get stabbed,” he told Scholastic. And he experienced daily indignities. “I couldn’t eat the food they served. The potatoes were like blocks and the meat didn’t taste like meat,” he says. Believe it or not, getting arrested was probably the best thing that could have happened to Alby. It got him into treatment for his drug problem. When Alby was interviewed, he was 1 month into his recovery at a drug rehabilitation center in Westchester, New York.

Grudge Against the World It all started one summer day on a street corner in Yonkers, New York, when Alby was 13. “You need to get your mind right. Hit this blunt,” a friend said. Alby didn’t have the strength to say no. He felt he had to smoke the blunt (a cigar hollowed out and refilled with marijuana) to fit in. He desperately wanted to belong. His parents had never been there for him. They were drug addicts themselves and couldn’t handle the demands of parenting. So, Alby bounced from a foster home to his grandmother’s to a group home. When he was about 14, his mother died. “I wasn’t supposed to go through this,” Alby says. “I had a grudge against the world.”

Things Get Worse… After trying marijuana (also called weed, grass, pot, herb, boom, Mary Jane, and chronic) to fit in, Alby kept abusing the drug because he enjoyed the intoxicated feeling marijuana creates. “It had me in another state of mind,” he says. “I was relaxed. All my problems seemed like they were disappearing.” But Alby’s problems weren't disappearing. They were getting worse. The good feelings he sought from marijuana came at a price.

The Price Over the next 5 years, Alby smoked marijuana every day, several times a day. He went to school high and eventually dropped out. “I was losing focus. My attention went from 100 to 0. I was depressed,” he says. Despite the consequences, Alby kept smoking marijuana. In fact, he was willing to do anything to get high. Eventually, he started dealing drugs to support his habit. That’s what landed him in a maximum-security jail.

New Friends, Lingering Effects Now, at Daytop, a substance abuse treatment center, Alby has been able to address the real problems in his life by talking them out with counselors and making new friends he describes as “positive.” But he still feels some of the effects of his drug use. “Sometimes I want to say things, and I can’t get them out. I can’t find the words,” Alby says. “I never had that problem before I started smoking.” Alby’s memory problems may improve with time. But for now, they are enormously frustrating. “I used to know things,” says Alby, “but now, it’s rusty. I forgot how to do division.” Frustrations aside, he is looking ahead and hoping to create a future for himself. Alby wants to pursue a career as a mechanic.

You’re not getting high ; Create a poster with your assigned group that has a slogan. Choose whether your poster will be about steroids or marijuana. Include a minimum of 6 harmful effects. Be colorful and creative. Ex: You’re not getting high ; You’re getting Hooked.

Closure What are some effects and consequences of marijuana, inhalants, and steroids?