This past Tuesday and Wednesday, my Fundamentals in Biomedical Sciences (II) class welcomed Mrs. Jane Bartlett Nenstiel (Mrs. JB), the youth outreach coordinator for the Drug Education Council. She spent two days of her time in our classroom, dedicated to drug education!
One day one, she displayed a slideshow with various facts about different types of drugs. We began by learning a bit about the adolescent brain. Alcohol and other drugs compromise the perfect growth of the brain. The brain becomes fully developed at age 25, therefore delaying use of drugs can prevent addictions. For example, those who begin drinking alcohol at 13 years old have a 47% chance of developing alcoholism while those who begin at 21 have a 9% chance of alcoholism! She then played a short video that highlighted the effects of drugs on a cute, sweet little bird. The bird ate a small yellow bubble that made him fly super high! He ate it again, again, and again, but found himself slowly not flying as high and landing much harder. Eventually, the bird flies no more, and all goes black. This video truly contextualized drug use in a impactful way.
She spent the back half of her time on Tuesday giving us some fast facts about Alcohol, Marijuana, E-Cigarettes/Vapes, Prescription Drugs, Over the Counter Drugs (OTCs), and Fentanyl.
Alcohol
-can impair quality of sleep
-leads to poor concentration, headaches, slurred speech, problems at school
-mixing alcohol and other substances such as medications or energy drinks is dangerous
Marijuana
-interferes with attention, motivation, memory, and learning
-there are increasing reports of THC over-intoxication which can result in unease, shaking, anxiety, and extreme psychotic behavior
-contrary to popular belief it IS addictive
-increases the risk of mental health issues
E-Cigarettes/Vapes
-created in 2003
-internal permit in 2006, thought safer than cigarettes but, no...
-NO FDA regulation of the device or product
-includes high levels of nicotine
-adolescents get addicted faster
-they prime the brain for other drugs
-they make it harder to concentrate, learn, or control impulses
-they compromise the immune system
-the FDA doesn't even know the specific ingredients! most include:
—Propylene glycol
—Vegetable glycerin
—NO WATER in E-Juice
— other dangerous substances and drugs
-Popcorn Lung: (disease caused by vaping) causes chronic cough and shortness of breath, is PERMANENT; and can be caused by Diacetyl (a chemical that gives flavoring to e-juice)
-they damage teeth
-lithium batteries in e-cigarettes can explode in your mouth
-can give third-hand smoke: chemicals and metals can be absorbed or breathed in by a third party minutes later (hurts those around you!)
-Poisoning from the vape liquid can occur in 3 ways
Absorption
Inhalation
Ingestion
-Most of the calls to the CDC are for children under the age of five years old
-The young age is likely due to the fruity and attractive flavorings of the vape liquid
Prescription Drugs
Types:
-Opioids: used to relieve pain, such as vicodin, oxycontin, or codeine
-Stimulants: used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) ex. Adderall and ritalin
-Depressants: used to relieve anxiety or help a person sleep
Over the Counter Drugs (OTCs)
-relieve aches, pains, and itches
-examples: tylenol, benadryl, advil, aleve, etc
-Risks:
–could possibly interact with other medicines or supplements and cause major reactions
-extreme overuse has major effects
Fentanyl
- is a powerful prescription opioid that is highly addictive.
-they are produced in labs that are unsafe and unregulated
-they are driving many overdoses which can cause respiratory distress and death
-its is often mixed with other drugs on the street increasing risk of fatality
-can be harmful without being digested (those around someone overdosing can overdose too!)
She left us by giving us various pamphlets on the steps that can be taken to get help for those who may be experiencing a drug problem. ( She also gave us candy and keychains that said HUGS ARE BETTER THAN DRUGS
On day two, we put our knowledge that we had gained the day before to a test. We were split onto teams, then went head to head in a rigorous game of Jeopardy! (My team lost; must have been rigged!)
I am incredibly thankful for this opportunity to learn from Mrs. JB at the drug education council. She has highlighted many issues that I did not know about before. I do hope that she comes back so that I may get a Jeopardy rematch!
For those in need, here is the link to the Drug Education Council's Website: https://www.drugeducation.org/
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