Prescription Addiction Prevention

on CampusA Growing Epidemic

Tom Elmer, Director of Higher Education

Agenda

• Welcome – Introductions

• Industry Statistics

• National Survey – Drug Use & Health

• Rx Medications

• Other Drugs & Study Drugs

• Open Discussion – Your Campus

• Our Solution & Resources

Staggering Statistics

Michigan Study

• In 2016, the rank order by age group for annual prevalence of using any illicit drug was:– College students (43%)

– All 19- to 28-year-old young adults (40%)

– 12th graders (38%)

– 10th graders (27%)

– 8th graders (12%)

National Survey on Drug Use and Health

• 10.2% of undergraduates report using pain medications (e.g., OxyContin® and Vicodin®)

• 8.9% report using sedatives (e.g., Xanax® and Valium®)

• 18.6% report using stimulants (e.g., Adderall® and Ritalin®) for non-medical reasons

National Survey on Drug Use and Health

• 18.9 million American’s (age 12 and older) reported misusing a prescription pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant or sedative in 2015

• There were 52,404 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2015; 33,091 (63%) involved an opioid (CDC).

• Rx drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States (CDC).

National Survey on Drug Use and Health

• Young adults are at the mean age when prescription drug misuse begins –average age at first use:

– Stimulants = 22.3 years

– Pain relievers = 25.8 years

– Tranquilizers = 25.9 years

– Sedatives = 28.3 years

Collegiate Recovery Programs

• In 2013 there were only a dozen programs

• Today there are around 200 programs

• 92% of students who are involved in a

Collegiate Recovery Program maintain

their recovery.

Rx Medications

• There is a “perfect storm” for the misuse of medications in the United States. The three fronts of this storm are:

– (1) the drug-taking culture in which we live

– (2) easy access to prescription medications

– (3) misperceptions of safety and legality when misusing prescription drugs

Rx Medications

• ADHD medications—like Ritalin or Adderall—are often misused by students to stay awake and concentrate when studying for tests or finishing homework. In 2015, nearly 11% of college students indicated some Adderall use without medical supervision in the prior 12 months.

• Other commonly misused prescription drugs include opioid pain medications (e.g., Vicodin, OxyContin) and sedatives (e.g., Xanax, Valium).

• Research shows that the non-medical use of prescription drugs negatively impacts academic success.

Opioid-related Overdose Death Rates

Other Drugs - Heroin

• Heroin is an opioid drug derived from morphine, a natural substance that comes from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant.

• Heroin appears as a white or brown powder, or black sticky substance (“black tar heroin”)

• Can be either injected, snorted or smoked

• It is highly addictive and associated with a number of serious health problems, including fatal overdose.

• Research suggests that prescription opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin and Vicodin may lead to heroin abuse.

Other Drugs - MDMA (Ecstasy or Molly)

• MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), better known as Ecstasy, is a synthetic drug that has stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. Users feel increased energy, emotional closeness and empathy for others, and sensory distortions due to how MDMA increases the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

• Recently, “Molly” has emerged as a supposedly more pure crystalline powder form of MDMA; however, the capsules sometimes include other drugs in addition to the MDMA.

• MDMA is often used in combination with alcohol or other drugs and may be putting the user at a much higher risk for adverse health consequences.

Other Drugs - Cocaine

• Cocaine is an addictive stimulant drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant. It causes an increase in energy, euphoria, and raises blood pressure and heart rate.

• The powdered form can be snorted through the nose, while the rock crystal form, known as crack, can be smoked.

• The ‘high’ achieved from using cocaine is relatively short, which can lead to repeated use to sustain the high.

• In addition to raising blood pressure and heart rate, using cocaine constricts blood vessels, causes headaches, decreases appetite, and can lead to irritability and anxiety.

The Epidemic of "Study Drugs"

• In 2018, it is projected that up to 35% of college and university students will abuse “study drugs,” (more commonly known as prescription stimulants)

• Study Drugs are prescription stimulants that are abused in order to increase energy and concentration. Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are the most commonly abused.

• Prescription stimulants, like those listed above, were developed to reduce the effects of those who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The Normalization and Consequences of

"Study Drugs"

• The normalization of selling, distributing, and abusing study drugs seems to be increasing at a rapid rate – students don’t even blink an eye when swapping stimulants with friends or classmates.

• Those who sell or distribute these drugs don’t realize the severe consequences they risk – these exchanges can land them in court or in front of a school disciplinary board.

The Normalization and Consequences of

"Study Drugs"

• Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse are class II substances under the Controlled Substances Act, as is Cocaine. Selling or distributing any one of these drugs is considered a felony and can lead up to a five-million dollar fine or 20 years in prison.

• Also, the possession of any of these drugs is illegal and is considered a misdemeanor – leading to two years in prison as well as up to a 2,500 dollar fine.

Prescription Drug Misuse

• 1. Taking more of a prescription medication than prescribed.

• 2. Taking a prescription medication for a reason different than

• that intended by the prescriber.

• 3. Sharing or taking someone else’s prescription medication.

• Regardless of the intentions, engaging in any of these behaviors is “misuse”

4 Categories of Warning Signs

Consequences of “Misuse”

1. Health-related consequences– The most tragic consequence of prescription drug

misuse affects our health -- including drug overdose.

– Now, the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S.

– In fact, emergency department visits relating to prescription drug misuse now exceed those due to illegal drug use.

Consequences of “Misuse”

2. Legal consequences

– Federal law prohibits the possession of the

types of prescription drugs which are most

often misused without a prescription.

Consequences of “Misuse”

3. Social consequences

– Family and Friends

– Job/Career

– Education

– Finances

5 Tips to Reduce Abuse on Your Campus

• Educate students on the health and disciplinary risks, warning signs and consequences of abusing prescription drugs.

• Encourage students who are suffering from a prescription drug abuse problem to seek out help and offer resources on campus that can help them achieve that.

• Train faculty and staff to identify students who are suffering from drug abuse.

• Promote safe and healthy ways to study on campus, especially during exams

• Implement and enforce campus-wide disciplinary actions for those who are selling or distributing prescription stimulants on campus, as well as those who are not prescribed and abusing them.

What Are You Experiencing?

• Is This An Issue On Your Campuses?

• What Prevention Training Do You Offer?

• What Resources Are Available?

• Is There A Dedicated ‘Team’ For Students?

• Best Practices

• Additional Resources Needed?

SafeColleges Training Solutions

• Alcohol and Other Drug (29 minutes)

– AOD Sanctions Course

• Prescription Addiction: Opioids (41 minutes)

• Prescription Addiction: Stimulants &

Depressants (38 minutes)

SafeColleges Resources

Additional Resources

• SafeColleges by Vector Solutions

• www.safecolleges.com

• Centers for Disease Control – Rx Awareness www.cdc.gov/rxawareness

• National Institute on Drug Abuse www.drugabuse.gov

• Generation Rx University www.generationrx.org/toolkits/college/

Contact Information

Tom Elmer

Director of Higher Education

tom.elmer@vectorsolutions.com

(513) 792-4409 Office

(513) 659-2892 Mobile