Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/72908
SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS OF DRUGS MARIJUANA: Glassy, red eyes; loud talking and inap- propriate laughter followed by sleepiness; a sweet burnt scent; loss of interest, motivation; weight gain or loss. DEPRESSANTS (including barbiturates and tranquilizers): Seems drunk as if from alcohol but without the asso- ciated odor of alcohol; difficulty concentrating; clum- siness; poor judgment; slurred speech; sleepiness; contracted pupils. INHALANTS (glues, aerosols, and vapors): Watery eyes; impaired vision, memory and thought; secretions from the nose or rashes around the nose and mouth; headaches and nausea; appearance of intoxication; drowsiness; poor muscle control; changes in appe- tite; anxiety; irritability; an unusual number of spray cans in the trash. HALLUCINOGENS: Dilated pupils; bizarre and irrational behavior including paranoia, aggression, hallucinations; mood swings; detachment from people; absorption with self or other objects, slurred speech; confusion. Greg Murphy teaches recovering addicts at Sober Community School, San Luis Obispo. Source: American Council for Drug Education Decreased funding = increased drug use? Educators say that marijuana use is on the rise, partly from the proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries and the ease of getting prescriptions. One in five teens admitted to driving under the influence of marijuana in a Liberty Mutual Insurance study. Research shows today's pot is stronger than ever: The University of Mississippi's Potency Monitoring Project indicates levels of THC were 10.1 percent last year, compared with less than 4 percent in 1983. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 20 percent of high school students have taken prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription. Mean- while, CASA reports 75 percent of high school students have used alcohol, tobacco, or either legal or illicit drugs, and 15 percent are addicted. Use of Ecstasy, which is both a stimulant and a hallucinogen, has increased among teens over the past three years, says a study from The Partner- ship at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation. Economics may be a factor as drug prevention pro- grams are cut back. The U.S. Department of Education's story continued on page 14 DRUGS AND ALCOHOL WIDELY ACCEPTED 20% 20 percent of high school students have taken prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 15% 75% 75 percent of high school students have used alcohol, tobacco, or either legal or illicit drugs, and 15 percent are addicted. Source: National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse 12 California Educator June/July 2012