Randie O’Neil , PhD, LCADCStudent Assistance Counselor

Any staff member that suspects a student is under the influence MUST report the incident and student must be evaluated by a medical professional-IT’S THE LAW-IT’S YOUR LICENSE

Whenever it shall appear to any teaching staff member, school nurse or other educational personnel of any public school in this State that a pupil may be under the influence of substances as defined pursuant to section 2 of this act, other than anabolic steroids, that teaching staff member, school nurse or other educational personnel shall report the matter as soon as possible to the school nurse or medical inspector, as the case may be, or to a substance awareness coordinator, and to the principal or, in his absence, to his designee.

(steroids are included in another section)

18A:40A-13. Immunity for personnelNo action of any kind in any court of competent jurisdiction shall lie against any teaching staff member, including a substance awareness coordinator, any school nurse or other educational personnel, medical inspector, examining physician or any other officer, agent or any employee of the board of education or personnel of the emergency room of a hospital because of any action taken by virtue of the provisions of this act, provided the skill and care given is that ordinarily required and exercised by other such teaching staff members, nurses, educational personnel, medical inspectors, physicians or other officers, agents, or any employees of the board of education or emergency room personnel. L.1987, c.387, s.6; amended 1992,c.158,s.1.

18A:40A-14. Civil immunity for reportingAny teacher, guidance counselor, school psychologist, school nurse, substance awareness coordinator or othereducational or non-educational personnel, employed by or in any of the public or private schools of this State, who in good faith reports a pupil to the principal or his designee or to the medical inspector or school physician or school nurse in an attempt to help such pupil cure his abuse of substances as defined in section 2 of this act, shall not be liable in civil damages as a result of making any such report.

Most commonly abused drugs at River Dell

AlcoholMarijuanaEcstasy

Over the counter medicationsPrescription drugs/Heroin

SIGNS Poor judgment Disorientation Violence Impaired vision Slurred speech Drowsiness Decreased energy

level

EFFECTS Slows down reflexes Depression of central

nervous system

SIGNS Lost potential, lazy Eating binges Red eyes Loss of short term

memory, concentration Dry mouth Irritable

EFFECTS Interferes w/

coordination Causes happiness or

anxiety Increased heart rate Lowers body temp.

SIGNS Loss of inhibitions Extremely talkative Enhanced senses:

smell, touch, even light

Increased energy level

Jaw clenching Sweating

EFFECTS High blood pressure Increased heart rate Increased body

temperature Dehydration Depletes Serotonin Eventually

depression, anxiety and confusion

Abuse of Rx and OTC Abuse of Rx and OTC MedicinesMedicines

Recent studies indicate that the abuse of prescription (Rx) and over-the-counter cough medicines (OTCs) to get high is a concern—particularly among teens.

Key Factors Driving Teen Medicine Abuse Misperception that abusing medicine is

not as dangerous as (is safer than) “street drugs”

Ease of access via medicine cabinets at home or friend’s house, other person’s prescriptions, Internet, stores

What is Dextromethorphan?◦ Cough medicine found in OTC cough and cold

medications Coricidin Cough and Cold ® Cheracol Plus Cough Syrup ® Robitussin Cough ® And many, many more

Often the ingredients in the syrups are just as dangerous in high quantities

Acetaminophen – liver problems Ibuprofen or aspirin – stomach and bleeding problems Chlorpheniramine – vomiting, passing out And many, many more

Used in high quantities 8-30 pills canCause hallucinations and dissociative stateMetabolizes like PCPSold over the counterKids steal them off the aisleCan create extreme highs and lows

Signs Effects

Delusions Panic attacks Memory problems Blurred vision Stomach pain,

nausea, and vomiting High blood pressure

and rapid heart beat

Sluggish Jerky movement Out of it Rashes and itchy skin Loss of consciousness Confusion Slurred speech Loss of motor control

From the Medicine Cabinet? A class of narcotic pain killers such as:

OxyContin® (oxycodone) Percocet ® (oxycodone and acetaminophen) Duragesic ® patch (fentanyl) Vicodin ® (hydrocodone and acetaminophen) Codeine

Codeine cough syrup can be purchased from a pharmacist without a prescription

(Heroin is in this class of drugs)

Effects of opioids in healthy people◦ Euphoria, slowed (or stopped) breathing, vomiting,

confusion, sedation, unconsciousness, coma

Opioids taken with other drugs can cause dangerous interactions◦ Alcohol◦ Depressants such as sleeping pills, antihistamines,

benzodiazepines◦ Some antidepressants

Substance Abuse:Progresses in stages

Not easily detected in the early stages

Use - The ingestion of alcohol or other drugs without the experience of any negative consequences. If a high school kid had drunk a beer at a party and his parents had not found out we could say he had used alcohol. This can apply to any drug.

•Misuse - When a person experiences negative consequence from the use of alcohol or other drugs it is clearly misuse. A large percentage of the population misuses drugs or alcohol at some point in their lives, however this does not imply that the negative consequences are minor. For example, a 40-year old man uses alcohol on an infrequent basis, his employer throws a surprise party and the 40-year old man drinks more than usual and on the way home he is arrested for DUI. He does not really have a problem with alcohol but in this instance the consequences is not minor.

  

•Abuse - Continued use of alcohol or other drugs in spite of negative consequences. Lets go back to the 40-year old man who was arrested for DUI. If he had no Substance abuse problem he would abstain from alcohol, getting a DUI would be enough of a deterrent. However, shortly thereafter this man goes to another party and there he drinks in excess and then gets behind the wheel of his car, this would be considered abuse.

•Dependency/Addiction - The compulsive use of alcohol or other drugs regardless of adverse or negative consequences. For example, a man received three DUI's in one year. He was on probation and would be sentenced to one year in prison if he was caught using alcohol but he continued to drink. The man would be clearly addicted to alcohol because the negative consequences did not impact or deter his use.

Behavior changes can be an indicator that a student is involved in substance.

Such as:

APPEARANCE Changes hygiene and dress level of

consciousness affect: elation or

depression, gesture, facial expression and speech

BEHAVIOR Hyperactive, abrupt, Incoherent Impulsive Dangerous, bizarre Sleepiness

COGNITION Oriented to time and

place Simple tasks Judgment and insight Delusions and

hallucinations

ANXIETY Panicky Nervous Phobic Alert

Any staff member that suspects a student is under the influence MUST report the incident and student must be evaluated by a medical professional-IT’S THE LAW-IT’S YOUR LICENSE

Whenever it shall appear to any teaching staff member, school nurse or other educational personnel of any public school in this State that a pupil may be under the influence of substances as defined pursuant to section 2 of this act, other than anabolic steroids, that teaching staff member, school nurse or other educational personnel shall report the matter as soon as possible to the school nurse or medical inspector, as the case may be, or to a substance awareness coordinator, and to the principal or, in his absence, to his designee.

(steroids are included in another section)

18A:40A-13. Immunity for personnelNo action of any kind in any court of competent jurisdiction shall lie against any teaching staff member, including a substance awareness coordinator, any school nurse or other educational personnel, medical inspector, examining physician or any other officer, agent or any employee of the board of education or personnel of the emergency room of a hospital because of any action taken by virtue of the provisions of this act, provided the skill and care given is that ordinarily required and exercised by other such teaching staff members, nurses, educational personnel, medical inspectors, physicians or other officers, agents, or any employees of the board of education or emergency room personnel. L.1987, c.387, s.6; amended 1992,c.158,s.1.

18A:40A-14. Civil immunity for reportingAny teacher, guidance counselor, school psychologist, school nurse, substance awareness coordinator or othereducational or non-educational personnel, employed by or in any of the public or private schools of this State, who in good faith reports a pupil to the principal or his designee or to the medical inspector or school physician or school nurse in an attempt to help such pupil cure his abuse of substances as defined in section 2 of this act, shall not be liable in civil damages as a result of making any such report.

Be alert to the signs and symptoms of substance use by students

The law holds harmless those that report Failure to report can have consequences

including the lose of your license

Any Question feel free to talk to me, your Student Assistance Counselor room 617-HS ext. 7281.