...The Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Academic Life Drug and alcohol use on college campuses is universal. Students articulate many reasons why they do it, but most neglect to consider both the long-term consequences of their actions. How wide-spread is drug and alcohol abuse? Teenagers today admit to extensive experimentation. According to one study, 90 percent of teens said that they have used alcohol, over 50 percent have used marijuana, 17 percent have used cocaine and 13 percent have used some form of hallucinogenic drug. Drug use has been classified as a major problem of students as early as in the fourth grade. Consequently, it is no surprise that substance use is prolific on college campuses, where many young adults are free from adult supervision for the first time in their lives. Alcohol use accounts for over 100,00 death per year in this country. It contributes to over 50 percent of all suicides, violent crimes, emergency room admissions, traffic accidents, substandard job performances and industrial accidents, and 80 percent of all domestic violence incidents. You may falsely believe that your are “safe” because you live in the small community of Melbourne and that these issues don’t really affect you. To be more specific, how can drug and alcohol abuse affect a healthy young college student like you? The statistics are staggering: • Drug and alcohol abuse is the leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24 • 95% of all college campus violence...
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...How Drugs and Alcohol Affect the Mind and Body Drug and alcohol abuse can have very devastating effects on the user. It can affect you mentally and physically, and if continued can even lead to death. I’m here to explain all the ways that drugs and alcohol affect you. Many people believe that since prescription pills and alcohol are “legal†that their safe. That would be nice, if only it were true. First, I’m going to tell you how alcohol affects the mind. It all depends on three things, how much does that person consume, how often that person consumes it, and how long have they been drinking. Some of the short-term effects of drinking are: Slurred speech, and slowed reaction times. The long-term effects are: Permanent brain damage, and a life-threatening brain disorder called hepatic encephalopathy. This disorder can cause changes in sleep patterns, mood and personality, have psychiatric implications like developing anxiety and depression , severe cognitive effects like shortened attention span and problems with coordination like shaking hands. Next, I’ll talk about how alcohol affects the body. One of the big effects that almost everybody knows is liver damage. But what most people don’t know is that prolonged liver dysfunction as a result of chronic alcohol abuse can harm the brain and leads to the potentially life-threatening brain disorder that I was talking about in the last paragraph. It can also cause heart problems, pancreas, and can cause...
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...Barrier to learning: Substance abuse Barrier to learning: Substance abuse Alcohol-related traffic deaths in the US were 12,998 in 2007. This is more than three times as many American soldiers who died in combat in the first six years of the Iraq war. Substance abuse is a huge problem in America and many other countries as well. Substance abuse not only refers to alcohol it can also have to do with drugs. Youth who drink are 7.5 times more likely to use other illegal drugs and fifty times more likely to use cocaine than young people who never drink. Now how does marijuana use affect your school, work, and social life? Because marijuana impairs short-term memory and judgment and distorts perception, it can impair performance in school or at work and make it dangerous to drive an automobile. It also affects brain systems that are still maturing through young adulthood, so regular use by teens may have a negative and long-lasting effect on their cognitive development, putting them at a competitive disadvantage and possibly interfering with their well-being in other ways. Also, contrary to popular belief, marijuana can be addictive, and its use during adolescence may make other forms of drug abuse or addiction more likely. Exposure to cannabinoids during adolescent development can cause long-lasting changes in the brain’s reward system as well as the hippocampus, a brain area critical for learning and memory. Regular marijuana use in adolescence is part of a cluster of behaviors...
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...People that do drugs or drink heavily can pass out and wake up in some random place and don’t know how they got there. They also probably have a bottle of beer in their hands or some marijuana. That is addiction. Millions of people are addicts to different things like alcohol, drugs and other things. They get drunk or high and lose control, and poof, next thing they know they are laying in the middle of the road or in an ambulance. Addiction can majorly affect your health. Addiction is the uncontrollable use of a mind- altering substance or behavior that harms your physical, mental and spiritual health. Health is balancing our physical, mental and spiritual health using the four daily requirements: food, rest, exercise and elimination. Physical health is any biological function related to the 12 body systems. That means eating healthy, exercising, resting and eliminating. Addiction can affect your physical health by affecting the 12 body systems. Addiction to drugs (mainly alcohol) can lead to Cirrhosis of the Liver-which is when the liver dries up and can’t function properly. I learned this when we talked about Mickey Mantle who was an addict and he had Cirrhosis and he died from it. Addiction can affect your physical health by possibly giving you alcohol poisoning (only if you are addicted to alcohol and if you drink a lot of it). You might get really drunk and get alcohol poisoning and almost die. Oh believe me it’s possible, it has happened before. It has happened quite...
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...Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs The use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs has been going on for many years legally and illegally. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 66% of people from the age of 12 or older reported in 2014 that they drank alcohol in the past 12 months, with 6.4% meeting the criteria for an alcohol use disorder (NIDA). A major cause of death in today’s time is drunk driving, about 5 thousand people die under the age of 21(NIDA). Among that same population, approximately 25.2% were also users of tobacco of some sort (NIDA). The use of other drugs, prescription and illegal, is at 10.2% (NIDA). One of the major causes of death is a result of alcohol. Ethyl alcohol or ethanol, better known as alcohol, is produced by the fermentation yeast (NIDA). It is a nervous system depressant which can be found many different beverages such as wine, beer, and other hard liquors. Depending on the amount consumed, it will have different effects on the body also depending on the persons weight, metabolism, amount of food eaten beforehand or during, and how fast the alcohol is consumed. The consumption of alcohol while consuming illicit drugs is very dangerous. With alcohol being a depressant and the drug (if it is a depressant) will make the depressant effect more intense will lead to memory loss, coma, or even death. On the other hand, if the drug is a stimulant it can alter your judgment of how intoxicated you really are since they have...
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...DRUGS AND ALCOHOL Introduction The use and misuse of alcohol and other non-prescription drugs is one of the more controversial issues in our society, and often a source of conflict between generations and between sections of society. It’s not the purpose of this page – or of the NTU student counselling service – to tell people how to behave or to seek to label them as alcohol or drug abusers. However alcohol and other drugs are powerful substances with a potential to harm users; we would encourage people to take care of themselves when considering using them and to avoid taking any risks which they might regret later. No universal classifications ignore the fact that significant alcohol and drug use is an accepted part of many social groups. What is seen as risky or inappropriate behaviour by one group is accepted as normal by another. Use of drink and drugs can be classified as – 1. Abstinent – no use is made 2. Controlled – people have made a conscious decision have evaluated the risks and can stop if they want. 3. Impulsive – use is unpredictable and can lead to unexpected accidents and harm. However this is not continual or dependent use. 4. Habitual – the use of alcohol or drugs have become a significant and important part of the person’s lifestyle. Stopping would not be easy. 5. Dependent – there is a high degree of physical and psychological addiction. Alcohol and drug use disrupts or rules the person’s life. Stopping is not possible without considerable support...
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...Composition 1 English 1301 26 November 2013 Avoiding Drug Abuse Life…it is a journey that we all have to face. Everyone’s experience is different, but we all share the trials and tribulations that come with it. We are all faced with the option to make decisions in our lives, and these decisions will affect our everyday life. Peer pressure, especially as a young adult is a part of growing up. Many things are around us, peer pressure for sex, for drugs, for gangs, and we are faced with making decisions to go along with it or to avoid it. The problem lies with how serious the issue is, and how parents and adults do not see it that way. Drugs are made in the kitchen of homes, they are grown in the backyard of homes, and are even considered legal in some states. Something so easy to obtain makes it even that much easy to distribute. Where else would not be more perfect than in our schools, in our neighborhoods? Young teens get caught up in the hype of drug use, and drug sales. The power that comes with selling drugs draws young teens in. Along with the power comes the popularity, everyone knows who you are, and everyone wants to be your so called “friend”. This is how it all starts, and the drug dealers know exactly who to look for, the unpopular, and the weak minded, they draw them in with the promise of a extraordinary life, and they jump right in. Alcohol is also a great concern. Like drugs it is easy to get, and it makes you feel good. In today’s society, having a few drinks...
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...Americano Del Noreste Drugs Miss: Nancy Mario Fabrizio Curzio Aguirre Grade: 9° Group: “A” December 3, 2013 How do the drugs affect the brain? When drugs get into the bloodstream they are carried to all parts of the body and some reach the brain. The quicker the drug reaches the brain, the more intense the effects. The quickest way to get a drug into the brain - and also the most dangerous way of using any drug - is to inject it intravenously, or into the vein. Almost as quick is smoking a drug. followed by sniffing or snorting and then by mouth. Eating or drinking a drug is the slowest route, because the drug has to pass through the stomach first. Once in the brain drugs affect chemicals called neurotransmitters. These are the chemicals that control the flow of information within the brain between the neurons or brain cells, forming a synapse. Neurotransmitters also alter people's moods and feelings. Different drugs can affect different neurotransmitters. How do the drugs affect the heart? Once drugs are taken and enter the bloodstream the heart pumps blood containing the drug to the brain where it will affect how people feel. Drugs can also have an affect on the heart directly and exacerbate heart disease. Heavy drinking of alcohol, for example, can weaken the heart's ability to pump blood and lead to heart failure although some studies have suggested that moderate consumption may be better for the heart than not drinking alcohol at all. Taking regular...
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...The first article I read was about the harmful long and short term affects of alcohol. There are many different ways that alcohol can affect your brain even if it is just short term drinking including impaired memory, possible blackouts, impaired judgment, slurred speech and difficulty walking just to name a few. There are many different long term effects of alcohol that many alcoholics suffer from including but not limited to brain damage. Women are more prone to be more vulnerable to the effects of alcohol and should be more careful in preventing brain damage. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome and liver disease are two of the most common problems that can arise from alcohol abuse. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is the result of brain damage caused by excessive drinking and it can be either long lasting or short lived. Liver disease is also caused by drinking and the liver is damaged because it is responsible for breaking down the alcohol and harmless byproducts but after a while it starts to not be able to keep up with too much alcohol for an extended period of time. Alcohol can also harm developing minds of unborn babies causing them to have fetal alcohol syndrome or FAS. FAS is can cause long term or even lifelong problems for the child effected. The second article I read was about vicodin addiction and how it affected people. Vicodin addiction has just recently been becoming more and more common with even more people living in denial but there are ways to kick the addiction...
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...According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey in 2013, just over 40% of Australians either smoked daily, drank alcohol at risky levels or used an illicit drug in the previous 12 months. Drug use is a complex and serious issue, which contributes to many sociological and psychological disruptions. Excessive alcohol intake is a major contributor towards morbidity and mortality. Similarly, illicit drug use is a major risk factor for various health conditions and death. The consumption of alcohol is a massive part of Australian culture and contributes to the large majority of the Australian population that drinks regularly. In 2013, around fourth-fifths or Australians aged 24 or older had consumed alcohol in the past year and 6.5% had...
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...Have you ever wondered why Marijuana is an illegal drug? It has become one of America’s hottest topics and is very controversial. To figure this out, you would need to know some of the affects that it has, such as driving, schoolwork, medical purposes, the brain, and why it is so harmful. Marijuana has been a big topic of discussion in the U.S. today, but what is so harmful about it that is keeping it illegal. To get a full understanding of what affects this drug has on you, it is nice to have a little background information on it. Marijuana is the flowers, stems, and seeds that come of a plant called Cannabis sativa. The main chemical, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol or TCH is what gives the affect of being high. It can be smoked, drank or eaten. The affect that it gives you is called a high. It can little to harmful affects on the body and can get deadly if it is abused.(National Institute on Drug Abuse) The affects that it has on the body can include increase heart rate, irritation it the lungs, respiratory problems, social life, and how your brain works. At first, your heart rate will speed up from anywhere to 20-100%. After it can also affect how hard it is to breathe. This can cause a lot of chest pain and even some illnesses. It can mess up your vision, concentration and physical activities. It is proven that it can cause similar affects to tobacco smokers.(National Institute on Drug Abuse) Marijuana has many affects on the brain that can include, panic attacks, delusions...
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...Recreational Drugs Tiwander Aleck COMM/156 March 4, 2012 Instructor: Cheryl Mason Recreational Drugs We are risking our lives without knowing it! Any substance with pharmacologic effects used for satisfaction or personal pleasure rather than for medicinal purposes, is called recreational drug use. Examine this, individuals young and old have answered the question whether, recreation drugs are good for you. They have answered this question by suffering the consequences of misusing recreational drug. Society needs to be aware that recreational drugs such as Cocaine, Alcohol, and marijuana have contributed to health problems, criminal activity and addiction. Awareness of the effects of these drugs, without a doubt needs to be addressed in the United States, to help lower the negative statistics recreational drugs have caused, which will give individuals a chance before they decide to participate or misuse recreational drugs. Alcohol is one of the most used recreational drugs today. Alcohol can cause a variety of feelings such as relaxation, happiness, drunkenness and sleepiness. Any consumption of alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream and physically affects are body and mind. Alcohol is mainly used for sociability; it is very common for binge drinkers to abuse alcohol, and result with the disease of alcoholism. It is estimated by (National Institution of Justice U.S. Department of Justice, 2007) that more than half the people that...
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...Recreational Drugs We are risking our lives without knowing it! Any substance with pharmacologic effects used for satisfaction or personal pleasure rather than for medicinal purposes, is called recreational drug use. Examine this, individuals young and old have answered the question whether, recreation drugs are good for you. They have answered this question by suffering the consequences of misusing recreational drug. Society needs to be aware that recreational drugs such as Cocaine, Alcohol, and marijuana have contributed to health problems, criminal activity and addiction. Awareness of the effects of these drugs, without a doubt needs to be addressed in the United States, to help lower the negative statistics recreational drugs have caused, which will give individuals a chance before they decide to participate or misuse recreational drugs. Alcohol is one of the most used recreational drugs today. Alcohol can cause a variety of feelings such as relaxation, happiness, drunkenness and sleepiness. Any consumption of alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream and physically affects are body and mind. Alcohol is mainly used for sociability; it is very common for binge drinkers to abuse alcohol, and result with the disease of alcoholism. It is estimated by (National Institution of Justice U.S. Department of Justice, 2007) that more than half the people that are arrested in the U.S. test positive for alcohol. When alcohol is misused, it can lead to addiction. When an individual...
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...all heard it before. An elderly person rants on and on about how “corrupt” the youth of today is. Yes, we’ve seen examples of youth disregarding the idea of being law-abiding citizens, but do youth really deserve all of the blame? Not necessarily so. Today’s youth, like youth throughout time, are being influenced. The problem is just that the influences of today’s world such as, the media, education, drugs, and alcohol are growing steadily negative and poorer in quality. Social networking, the media, music, education, various drugs, and alcohol affect today’s youth in negative ways. Youth and the Media Some of the most influential vectors affecting teenagers are social networks, the media, and music. Social networking sites dominate the time of many teenagers. Paired with the entertainment industry, and things being said on television or the radio, social media can definitely change people's mindsets and emotions. Think about it. Very often, you see children posting statuses on Facebook or tweeting on twitter. And when these kids are watching television, listening to the radio, or reading magazines, often times the wrong messages are being projected to the ears of teens. The result is a changed teenager. The result is a teenager whose mind is being corrupted by the face of a few people. Nowadays, many teens have a Facebook account. The website is simple. You upload some statuses, you like somebody's pictures, you see what your friends like and update. Even though Facebook...
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...Drugs in the Workplace Mark Gomez MGT 331 December 7, 2015 Abstract Defining the “drug problem” in the workplace is a task riddled with ambiguity because employers aren’t completely sure how to implement the most suitable policy for their organization. This should be an employer’s concern because drug misuse is a serious problem that can affect the business where the user works and sometimes their co-workers. Successfully tackling the drug issue correctly can benefit the employer by reducing absenteeism, reducing accidents related to drug use and promoting a more productive environment. The focus of this paper is to review current workplace policies on drug use and the challenges it brings employers. Drugs in the Workplace When it comes to drugs, employers have a legal responsibility to look after employees’ wellbeing, health and safety. Employers have a general duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 (HSW Act) to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees (Drug Misuse at Work A Guide for Employers, 2005). A good employer will want to help employees. In some cases, alcohol or drug misuse may be used to help cope with work-related stress. If there is a problem with alcohol or drug misuse in your workplace, then this may be part of a wider stress problem. A good starting point is to focus on the scope of the situation. Prescriptive drug use in the Unites States of America accounts for roughly 48...
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