Drug Abuse Education Course Master Sgt. Doug Oswald Assistant Drug Demand Reduction Administrator

Mutual Respect Participation Raise Your Hand Ground Rules No Talking to Your Friends! No Homework! No Sleeping! No Cell Phones! No Video Games! No Music!

Drugs are Bad! I Don’t Know! I didn’t Say Anything! I Didn’t Raise My Hand! What? Huh!!!??? Nothing! Zzzzzzzzzz! Drool! Top Incorrect Answers

Define Drugs Tobacco Alcohol Marijuana Methamphetamine Cost to Society Overview

What’s a Drug? A Drug is any substance taken into the body, other than food or water, that changes the way you feel. Includes: –Over-the-counter medications –Medicine prescribed by a physician –Tobacco and Alcohol –Illegal drugs like marijuana and “meth” –Chemicals like paint thinner and aerosol sprays

Drug Categories Gateway Drugs: –Tobacco (stimulant) –Alcohol (depressant) –Marijuana (cannabinoid) –Inhalants (chemicals) Illegal drugs: –Stimulants (‘meth,’ khat & cocaine) –Depressants (‘Roofies’ & GHB) –Cannabinoids (marijuana & hashish) –Hallucinogens (ecstasy, PCP & LSD) –Narcotics (opium, codeine, morphine & heroin)

The United States has about 4.5% of the world’s population, yet we consume over half the illegal drugs in the world. 8.1% of Americans 12 and over (19.7 million) are current users of illicit drugs. Use is defined as any use in the past month. Age 12-17: 9.9% Age 18-25: 20.1% Age 26 and up: 5.8% How many use Illegal Drugs?

74.2% of illicit drug users are using marijuana. –54.5% use only marijuana. –19.6% use marijuana and another illicit drug. 25.8% use illicit drugs excluding marijuana. How many use Illegal Drugs?

Who uses Illegal Drugs?

Females: 6.1% Males: 10.2% Who uses Illegal Drugs? High School Drop-out: 9.8% High School Graduate: 8.6% Some College: 8.9% College Graduate: 5.0% Employed full-time: 8.2% Employed part-time: 10.4% Unemployed: 17.1%

Peer pressure! Family pressure! Media pressure! Because they’re fun! Perception of harmlessness. To deal with problems, boredom & depression. Why do people use Drugs?

When the fun wears off, all your problems, boredom, depression are still there. Now you’re involved with criminal activity. Continued use results in addiction; either physical, psychological or both. Legal, medical and social problems. Ultimately, it’s a personal choice that effects more than the user. Results of Drug Use

Who’s affected by drug use? Drug user Family Friends Neighbors Community Drivers Taxpayers Co-workers Employers First Responders Fire & Rescue Police Hospital Personnel Country EVERYONE!!!

Drugs in the workplace

What’s the Economic Cost? Health Care$15.8 billion Lost Productivity$128.6 billion Criminal Justice/Legal$36.4 billion Total Cost (2002)$180.9 billion Crime Related (as part of total)$107 billion

U.S. Annual Preventable Death Rates Drugs16,000 AIDS16,500 Homicide19,800 Suicide30,500 Traffic fatalities42,000 Alcohol 107,400 Tobacco 430,000

2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Applied Studies Statistical Sources