Volume 2, Issue 2October 2016

S A PNewsletter

tudent ssistance rogram

“Vaping” Gaining Popularity with High School StudentsE-cigarettes are a $6 billion industry with hundreds of different devices and thousands of flavors. It’s no suprise that they are becoming popular among teenagers. According to the CDC’s 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 34% of high school students in Illinois have tried smoking cigarettes, while 47% have tried vaping products. While e-cigarettes are often promoted as safer alternatives to traditional cigarettes, little is actually known about the health risks of using these devices.

A recent study found that using e-cigarettes to quit smokinglowered a person’s chance of successfully quitting by 28%.

-Dr. Stanton Glantz, University of California, San Francisco

of high school students in the U.S. currently smoke marijuana.

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of high school students in the U.S. currently smoke cigarettes.

of high school students in the U.S. currently use electronic vapor products.

(2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey)

21.7%

10.8%

24.1%

E-cigarettes are designed to simulate smoking tobacco by producing a flavored aerosol vapor. Because these devices deliver nicotine without burning tobacco, they appear safer and less toxic than cigarettes. E-cigarettes still contain nicotine and other harmful chemicals.

Testing of e-cigarette products found the vapor to contain known carcinogens and toxic chemicals (such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde), as well as potentially toxic metal nanoparticles from the vaporizing mechanism. The consequences of repeated exposure to these chemicals are not yet clear.

Recently, the FDA ruled that e-cigarette products will be subject to the same regulations applied to cigarettes, which means prohibiting the sale to minors, and registering ingredients with the FDA.

Early evidence suggests that e-cigarettes may be a gateway to cigarette use. A study showed that students who have used e-cigarettes by the time they start 9th grade are more likely than others to start smoking traditional cigarettes within the next year.

There is also little consistency in how nicotine and flavor compounds are delivered. One study found that these products might deliver different levels of nicotine during each use and there were significant differences between the labeled and true levels of nicotine in juices. One puff of an e-cigarette is likely less toxic than a traditional cigarette, but it’s not known how many puffs the typical e-cigarette user is taking.

Methods for quitting cigarettes can vary widely by the individual, but those who are using smoking cessation devices found more success when part of a counseling program. For healthier ways to quit smoking, visit smokefree.gov.

Sources: pbs.org, NIDA for Teens

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“Vaping” (continued)

Dangers of DabbingToday’s teens are more likely to be exposed to newer, more potent forms of marijuana including a dangerous marijuana extract called “dabs” that is rapidly gaining in popularity. When a young person admits to using marijuana, it is crucial that parents and educators learn more about the type and potency of the marijuana that is being used.

Also known as butane hash oil (BHO), honey oil, budder (or butter), crumble, shatter and wax, dabs are a highly concentrated extract of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) - the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. While the typical joint is 11% to 21% THC, a dab can be 80% or more.

Dabbing can be dangerous in several ways: Adverse health effects - Dabbing can lead torapid heartbeat, blackouts, psychosis, paranoia and hallucinations, as well as to accidents and falls.

Some are also concerned about the potential for abuse posed by a drug that delivers such a rapid, potent high.

A study published in the journal Tobacco Control found the majority of teens who experiment with vaping (about two-thirds of them) use only the

flavored vaping juices that do not contain nicotine, marijuana or other drugs.

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Rosecrance McHenry CountyRisk Education Group

When: Mondays, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Where: McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, ILThis group is designed to assist teens and families as they navigate the topics of drugs and alcohol. Class is completed after four sessions. Topics covered include:

• How casual substance use can lead to addiction

• Signs and symptoms of substance use

• The impact of alcohol and other drugs on the brain

• Methods and skills for setting boundaries and improving communication

• Methods to feel more confident when saying “NO” to drugs and alcohol

An assessment must be completed to be referred to the program. Call 815.363.6132 to schedule an appointment.

There is no charge for this program.

Consumption - Dabs are typically consumed in an “oil rig” consisting of a glass water pipe and a hollow metal rod called a “nail.” The nail is heat-ed with a blowtorch, the dab is placed on the hot surface and the vapors are inhaled through the water pipe. Dabs can also be consumed in an e-cigarette or “vape pen.” Use of a vape pen increases the appeal because it’s easier to get away with because it hides the odor.

Manufacture - The production of dabs is a dan-gerous process in which butane gas is used to extract the THC. The butane is then burned off, leaving only the thick concentrate. Amateurs can accidentally ignite the volatile butane vapors, leading to fires, burns and explosions so severe that they have destroyed homes.

What does it look like?There are many different forms of Cannabis concentrates (pictured below). Typically they are a yellow, gold or brown color. Depending on the method of extraction and solvents used, they can be hard and brittle, have a honey or butter like consistency or look like a fine powder.

Source: Huffington Post, Dr. Jonathan Horey, Chief Medical Officer at Sunspire Health

Dabbing (continued)

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Athletes are Less Likely to Abuse OpioidsSome athletes can be at high risk for misusing prescription opioid pain relievers to help them deal with pain related to sports injuries, but a recent study has found that athletes are actually less likely to misuse prescription opioids than teens who don’t participate in sports or exercise regularly. These activities are protective factors for misusing opioids.

Researchers looked at responses from nearly 192,000 teens in NIDA’s Monitoring the Future survey between 1997 and 2014. About half were eighth graders and half were tenth graders.

• About 11% of the non-athletes said they had misused opioids at some point, compared with about 8% of teens who participated in sports or exercise once a week.

• Just over 2% of non-athletes in the survey had used heroin at some point, compared to just 1% of those engaging in sports or exercise once a week or more.

• Teens who exercised or played sports on a daily basis had a 26% lower risk of misusing opioids over their entire lifetime, and a 34% lower risk of using heroin in their lifetime.

• The connection between sports participation and lower rates of opioid misuse and heroin use applied even to teen athletes in sports with a higher risk of injury, like football.

Student athletes may be less likely to misuse opioids because they are doing something they enjoy. If you’re getting a lot of satisfaction from a healthy activity, drugs may seem less appeal-ing in comparison. Another factor might be the positive social interactions that come with partic-ipating in sports.

The body also produces its own natural opioids, called endorphins. When you engage in physical activity, your endorphins can cause a release of the chemical dopamine; as a result, you feel what some people call a “runner’s high.”

This feeling not only can make you want to stick with your exercise routine or sport; it also can reduce some of the aches and pains that come with a good workout—without the risks that can result from misusing prescription opioids.

Source: NIDA for Teens

Dangerous Synthetic Opioids Leading to More Overdoses

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released alerts warning of the dangers ofsynthetic opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil. Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid - 50 times stronger than heroin. Carfentanil is a powerful animal sedative - 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

These drugs are often mixed with powdered heroin and have been linked to a surge of overdoses in Indiana and Ohio. Fentanyl and related compounds are also being found in counterfeit pills made to look like prescription pain relievers and sedatives. Those who use heroin or prescription drugs laced with fentanyl are at much higher risk of overdose and death.