State's Attorney | Page 46

drugs/substance abuse Physical Evidence • Odor of marijuana in room or on clothing • “Bongs” (water pipes, usually glass or plastic) • Pipes, pipe filters, screens, strainer • “Joints” (marijuana cigarettes rolled by hand and twisted at ends) • Cigarette rolling papers/electronic cigarettes • Powders, seeds, leaves, marijuana plants, mushrooms • Small spoons, straws, razor blades • Eye drops, mouth wash • • • • • • • Incense or room deodorizers Empty alcohol bottles or cans Stash cans (soft drink, beer, deodorant, and other cans that unscrew at the top or bottom) Capsules or tablets Plastic baggies or small glass vials Drug-related books, magazines, comics “Roach clips” (metal clips to hold the butts of the marijuana joints) By themselves, some of the symptoms may be typical of an adolescent growing and changing, however, if several symptoms are noticed with increased frequency, you may wish to seek further help from a trained professional. This professional will determine if education, counseling, or possible inpatient treatment is needed to stabilize your child. Gateway Drugs The first drugs to which people are exposed and with which they experiment are known as the gateway drugs. Traditionally these refer to: • alcohol • glue, propellants, and other inhalants (The sniffing or “huffing” of • tobacco propellants, such as those found in the aerosol containers of many • marijuana household products, can cause brain damage or death.) According to D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), most drug-dependent people began their cycle of addiction experimenting with gateway drugs. Our teens are not immune to exposure to these drugs. Gateway drugs are typically inexpensive and readily available. REMEMBER, THE WAY PARENTS MODEL THE USE OF GATEWAY DRUGS INFLUENCES CHILDREN AND TEENS. Tobacco and E-Cigarettes- The Facts • • • • Nicotine is a highly addictive nerve stimulant. There are more than 7,000 chemicals and nearly 70 cancer-causing substances in cigarette smoke. 9 out of 10 smokers start before the age 18. Cigarette smoking is responsible for one out of five deaths annually in the United States. • • • Approximately 18% of high school students smoke cigarettes. Non-smokers who are exposed to second hand smoke at home or work increase their lung cancer risk by 20-30%. Each day, more than 3,200 people under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and approximately 2,100 youth and young adults become daily smokers. Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery operated products designed to turn nicotine and other chemicals into a vapor. You then inhale the vapor. These products are often made to look like: cigarettes/cigars, pipes, and pens. They may contain ingredients that are known to be toxic to humans. Because clinical studies about the safety of e-cigarettes have not been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you have no way of knowing if they are safe, which chemicals they contain, and how much nicotine you are inhaling. Additionally, these products may be attractive to kids. Using e-cigarettes may lead kids to try other tobacco products—including conventional cigarettes—which are known to cause disease and lead to premature death. E-cigarette use is on the rise for youth. Findings from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey show that current e-cigarette use (use on at least 1 day in the past 30 days) among high school students increased from 4.5 percent in 2013 to 13.4 percent in 2014, rising from approximately 660,000 to 2 million students. Among middle school students, current e-cigarette use more than tripled from 1.1 percent in 2013 to 3.9 percent in 2014—an increase from approximately 120,000 to 450,000 students. For more information, vist: www.betobaccofree.gov and www.cdc.gov 42 community outreach - Drugs/Substance Abuse