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When Drugs Work . . .
Your Kids Can’t
Effects of Drugs on the Brain and
Learning
Youth and Alcohol
 #1 Drug Problem among Youth
 By their senior year, nearly 90% will
have tried alcohol.
 Juniors and Seniors in high school drink
35% of all wine coolers sold in the
United States
 They drink an estimated 1.1 billion
bottles and cans of beer each year.
Effects on Body
 Heavy, fast paced drinking leads to:
 Altered judgment
 Distorted vision
 Poor coordination
 Blackouts
 Lower body weight results in faster
absorption, greater impairment and damage
 Alcohol related car accidents are the #1
cause of death of young people ages 15 – 24.
Youth and Marijuana
 Parts of the brain that control emotion,
memory, and judgment are effected by
marijuana
 Blocks information from getting to long
term memory
 Weakens problem solving ability
 Impacts ability to concentrate
 Alters coordination
Effects on Body
 Smoke causes damage to the lungs and
pulmonary system
 Marijuana smoke has more cancer
causing agents than tobacco
 Can be psychologically addictive
 Higher doses can cause paranoia and
psychosis
Youth and Cocaine/Crack
 HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, whether in
powder form (cocaine) or solid (crack)
 Stimulant
 Crack is:
 Cheap
 Easily
used (smoked)
 Fast acting (effects are felt within 10
seconds)
Effects on Body
 Strong Central Nervous System
Stimulant (CNS)
 Interferes with reabsorption of
dopamine
 Build up of dopamine cause euphoric
feeling
Effects on Body
 Increase in HR and BP can result in
heart attacks and strokes.
 Prolonged use results in paranoia,
psychosis, and violent behavior
 When alcohol and cocaine is mixed in
the liver, produces a third chemical that
intensifies effect and can lead to sudden
death
Youth and Heroin
 HIGHLY ADDICTIVE Opiate
 Brain cells become dependent on
Heroin to function
 High starts with a rush, ends with a
“foggy” feeling for many hours
Effects on Body
 Depression of the CNS
 Mental functioning is impaired
 Long term use associated with:
 Collapsed veins
 Infection of the heart and liver
 Pulmonary complications
 Tolerance leads to Addiction and
physical withdrawal when you stop
Other Common Drugs
 Ecstasy (MDMA)
 Over the Counter (OTC) Medication
 Methamphetamine (Meth)
 Inhalants
Common Warning Signs
 Physical
 Fatigue
 Repeated health complaints
 Red eyes
 Weight loss
Common Warning Signs
 Emotional
 Personality changes
 Sudden Mood swings
 Poor judgment
 Depression
 Lack of interest
Common Warning Signs
 Family
 Frequent arguments
 Breaking rules
 Withdrawal from family
Common Warning Signs
 School
 Decreased interest
 Negative attitude
 Drop in grades
 Absences
 Discipline problems
Common Warning Signs
 Social
 New group of friends less interested in
home and school activities
 Trouble with the law
 Change in style of dress and music
Athletic Performance Enhancers
Why are student-athletes subjecting
themselves to Performance Enhancement
Drugs?
 Improve Physical Appearance
 Heighten Athletic Performance
 Societal Expectations: “Win at all
Costs” will do whatever it takes no
matter what the price is….
Basic Principles of Exercise
Physiology
 “Sheer Strength” is determined by
two factors:
 Amount
of muscle mass
 The ability of nerves to stimulate
muscle contraction
CAN PERFORMANCE- ENHANCING DRUGS AND
SUPPLEMENTS IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE??
 Anabolic Steroids
 Creatine Monohydrate
 Stimulants
ANABOLIC STEROIDS
 Anabolic Steroid is an illegal drug
 Banned from
 High School Interscholastic Athletics
 NCAA and all Professional and Olympic
Sports.
 Anabolic Steroids are a testosterone,
which is a hormone that our body
produces.
Testosterone has two main effects on
your body:
 Anabolic effects- promotes muscle
building
 Androgenic effects- are responsible for
male traits such as facial hair and
deepening of the voice.
 Anabolic Steroids that are used amongst
athletes are a synthetic derivative of
testosterone.
 They are made in either a pill form or a
soluble that can be injected.
Short Term Gains:
 Increase in muscle mass
 Increase in speed and explosiveness
 Increase in aggressive behavior
But to maintain these gains, you are
willing to risk:
 Severe acne
 Liver tumors
 Increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL),
“the bad cholesterol
 Decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
“the good cholesterol”
 Aggressive behaviors, “roid rage” or
violence
 Psychiatric disorders, such as depression
 Drug dependence
Effects on Body
Anabolic Steroid Use Nationwide of 8th,
10th and 12th Grade Students:
 Early 1990’s steroid use remained
under 1.5%
 1999 and 2000 for 8th graders- 1.7%
 2000 and 2002 for 10th graders- 2.2%
 2002 and 2004 for 12th graders- 2.5%
Creatine Monohydrate
 It is a compound produced by your body
that helps release energy in your muscles.
 Creatine is stored in your muscles. Your
liver produces 2 grams of creatine each
day.
 Creatine may also be ingested from
protein-rich foods such as meat or fish.
 With prolong use; weight gain is achieved
through the retention of water in the
muscle tissue.
Why do athletes take this?
 The research has indicated small
improvements in short-term power
activities for example power lifting,
increase in short term speed in
sprints.
 It has also proven to increase muscle
mass therefore having an anabolic
like reaction, similar to steroids.
The Danger??
 Dehydration
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Leading to kidney, liver and heart
damage
STIMULANTS
 Stimulants are drugs that can reduce
fatigue, suppress appetite and
increase alertness and
aggressiveness.
 They stimulate the central nervous
system, increasing your heart rate,
blood pressure, body temperature
and metabolism.
COMMON STIMULANTS
 Cocaine
 Ephedrine, which is in cold remedies.
 Amphetamines such as Dexedrine
and Benzedrine
 Caffeine products such as Red Bull,
Monster, Rockstar
The risk….
 One will become nervous and irritable
 impacting their concentration on the athletic
field
 causing a decrease in athletic performance.
 Athletes may become addicted
 developing a tolerance so they need greater
amounts to achieve the desired effects
 This will lead one to experience
circulatory problems, heart attack,
hallucinations and brain hemorrhage.
Is it worth it????
 Does society place a high expectation on
achieving a competitive edge to win at all costs?
 This will be an ongoing dilemma if we don’t
acknowledge the fact that the emphasis on:
 making a team
 being a starter
 earn a scholarship
 win at all cost perception
 Underlying reason student-athletes across
America take a risk, the risk of “life”.
What can you as the parent do?
 Be clear about your expectations- It must be safe, make no
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exceptions.
Discuss ethics and proper training- Utilizing these
performance enhance substances is cheating.
There is no substitute for:
A WELL BALANCED DIET AND RIGOROUS TRAINING=
SUCCESS IN ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Talk with your child’s coach
Monitor your child’s purchases at the local GNC and
Nutrition stores. Especially, purchasing through the
internet…
What Can Parents Do When They
Suspect Drug Use?
 Communicate
 Honest
 Open
 Direct
 Get Professional help if problem
persists
Social Hosting
 Social Host Responsibility Act
 Parents/Adults are held liable under
criminal and civil penalty for either serving
and/or allowing the service of alcohol to
minors in their home or at a party they are
“hosting”
 Can be held liable for actions occurring
after the minor leaves your home or party