Writing Prompt

• After viewing this very simple prompt, please take a minute to write a couple of sentences in response

• http://www.teachersdomain.org/resource/wlvt07-arthum.drugs/

• WLVT PBS 39 and PSEA present Write Now! video writing prompts. These prompts are tools for educators and students to use in the classroom to encourage creative writing. The topics covered in these clips are general/social topics that challenge students to evaluate common day occurrences or items in different ways.

Substance Use (not necessarily abuse) It’s a Global Issue

2002 Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP)

Citation: http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/global_burden/en/

Total World Population in 2002 was 6.2 billion; you do the math

Substance UseBy Region of the World

RO = Regional Office; AF=Africa; AM=The Americas; EM=Eastern Mediterranean; EU=Europe; SEA=Southeast Asia; WP=Western Pacific

A Global Issue - Data from the World Health Organization (WHO)

• The harmful use of alcohol results in 2.5 million deaths each year.

• 320,000 young people between the age of 15 and 29 die from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.

• At least 15.3 million persons have drug use disorders.

• Injecting drug use reported in 148 countries, of which 120 report HIV infection among this population.

Citation: http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/facts/en/index.html

Immigrants and Substance Use:Findings from the 1999–2001 National

Surveys on Drug Use and Health

Citation: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/immigrants/immigrants.htm

Coming closer to home; some data from the United States

Data presented by Dr. Jolynn Gardner in her presentation “Kids and

Drugs” • By the end of 12th grade:

• 47% have used marijuana

• 56 - 63% have consumed alcohol

• 19% are current cigarette smokers

• 17% have abused Rx medicines

– (Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 2012; Monitoring the Future, 2012)

Substance Abuse:It’s an issue that can hit close to home

• “My goal in life wasn't living...it was getting high. I was falling in a downward spiral towards a point of no return. Over the years, I turned to cocaine, marijuana and alcohol under a false belief it would allow me to escape my problems. It just made things worse. I had everything, a good job, money, a loving family, yet I felt so empty inside. As if I had nothing. Over twenty years of using, I kept saying to myself, I’m going to stop permanently after using this last time. It never happened. There were even moments I had thought of giving up on life.” —John

Citation: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/real-life-stories.html

Another story from http://www.drugfreeworld.org/real-life-

stories.html• “It started with the weed, then the pills (Ecstasy)

and acid, making cocktails of all sorts of drugs, even overdosing to make the rushes last longer. I took copious amounts of these chemicals every day for as long as two years until I had a bad trip one night and went into toxic psychosis. I prayed and cried for this feeling to go away, I had voices in my head, had the shakes and couldn't leave home for six months. I became very withdrawn and thought everyone was watching me. I couldn’t walk in public places. Man! I couldn’t even drive.

The rest of Ben’s story . . .

• “I ended up homeless and on the streets, living and sleeping in a cardboard box, begging and struggling to find ways to get my next meal.

• “I asked myself if this is rock bottom, and I believe that it was. While observing these homeless people I decided that I had had enough. Yes I wanted drugs, but I realized that I could want life more.” —Ben

The Drug Free World website asks that you “share this information with your friends. Drug education saves lives.”

As we transition to the next segment of our presentation, we invite you to pause now to take a

minute to think about someone in your own life who

has struggled with substance abuse

Substance Abuse Mechanisms

Drugs of Abuse Act at Synapses

• Block post synaptic receptors

• Mimic neurotransmitters

• Prevent uptake of neurotransmitter

• Block loading of neurotransmitter into synaptic vesicles

Substance Abuse Mechanisms - Another Look

• For a closer look at the mechanisms of various substances, you can check out . . . .

• Mouse Party at:

• http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/drugs/mouse.html

What Causes Substance Abuse?

• A unique combination of factors

• Genetics

• Environment

• Personal Choices

Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Aged 12 and Older, by

Substances of Abuse: 2009

Citation: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/

More data for the United States

Our Expert

• We met with Dr. Kathryn Cullen

• Dr. Cullen’s specialty is child and adolescent psychiatry

• She works at the new University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital

Some comments by Dr. Cullen from her practice

• Marijuana and alcohol are definitely still problems

• Five years ago, methamphetamines were especially prevalent, but the trend seems to be away from its use

• A little heroin• Marijuana is a gateway drug; “it’s

pretty well established”

Some Treatment options for Substance Abuse

• Home Engagement– Start off with no privileges

• Residential Program– Not mental health programs– E.g. Anthony Lewis

• Locked Programs– Often hospital-based– Restrictive

Nature: An Alternative to Substance Abuse?

DebateLegalization - An Ethical Issue?

• Should marijuana be legalized?• What’s your position on this question?• How would legalization affect children and

adolescents?• Think and write for a couple of minutes and

then discuss at your tables.• Our expert said “no”, accept possibly in the

case of medical marijuana.

Substance Abuse Effects on Learning

• Simple Answer:

• Starts off bad and gets worse