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Alcohol

Q. Aren't beer and wine "safer" than liquor?
A. No. One 12-ounce beer has about as much alcohol as a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a wine cooler.

Q. Why can't teens drink if their parents can?
A. Teens' bodies are still developing and alcohol has a greater impact on their physical and mental well-being. For example, people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.

Q. How can I say no to alcohol? I'm afraid I won't fit in.
A. Remember, you're in good company. The majority of teens don't drink alcohol. Also, it's not as hard to refuse as you might think. Try: "No thanks," "I don't drink," or "I'm not interested."

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What is the difference between Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism?

Alcoholism, which is also known as "alcohol dependence syndrome," is a disease that is characterized by the following elements:

a.. Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.

b. Loss of control: The frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun.

c. Physical dependence: The occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking. These symptoms are usually relieved by drinking alcohol or by taking another sedative drug.

d. Tolerance: The need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to get "high."

Alcoholism has little to do with what kind of alcohol one drinks, how long one has been drinking, or even exactly how much alcohol one consumes. But it has a great deal to do with a person's uncontrollable need for alcohol. This description of alcoholism helps us understand why most alcoholics can't just "use a little willpower" to stop drinking. He or she is frequently in the grip of a powerful craving for alcohol, a need that can feel as strong as the need for food or water. While some people are able to recover without help, the majority of alcoholic individuals need outside assistance to recover from their disease. With support and treatment, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives. Many people wonder: Why can some individuals use alcohol without problems, while others are utterly unable to control their drinking? Recent research supported by NIAAA has demonstrated that for many people, a vulnerability to alcoholism is inherited. Yet it is important to recognize that aspects of a person's environment, such as peer influences and the availability of alcohol, also are significant influences. Both inherited and environmental influences are called "risk factors." But risk is not destiny. Just because alcoholism tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an alcoholic parent will automatically develop alcoholism.

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What Is Alcohol Abuse?

Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control, or physical dependence. In addition, alcohol abuse is less likely than alcoholism to include tolerance (the need for increasing amounts of alcohol to get "high"). Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that is accompanied by one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:

a.. Failure to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities;

b.. Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery;

c.. Recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while drunk;

d.. Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the effects of alcohol. While alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, it is important to note that many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics.

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Club Drugs

Q. If you were in a club and somebody slipped a club drug into your drink, wouldn’t you realize it immediately?
A. Probably not. Most club drugs are odorless and tasteless. Some are made into a powder form that makes it easier to slip into a drink and dissolve without a person’s knowledge. That is why some of these drugs have been called “date rape” drugs—because there have been increasing reports of club drugs being used in sexual assaults.

Q. Are there any long-term effects of taking ecstasy?
A. Yes. Studies on both humans and animals have proven that regular use of ecstasy produces long-lasting, perhaps permanent damage to the brain’s ability to think and store memories.

Q. If you took a club drug at a rave, wouldn’t you just dance off all of its effects?
A. Not necessarily. The stimulant effects of drugs like ecstasy that allow the user to dance for long periods of time, combined with the hot, crowded conditions usually found at raves, can lead to extreme dehydration and even heart or kidney failure. In addition, some of ecstasy’s effects, like confusion, depression, anxiety, paranoia, and sleep problems, have been reported to occur even weeks after the drug is taken.

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Marijuana

Q. Isn't smoking marijuana less dangerous than smoking cigarettes?
A. No. It's even worse. One joint affects the lungs as much as four cigarettes.

Q. Can people become addicted to marijuana?
A. Yes. Research confirms you can become hooked on marijuana.

Q. Can marijuana help cure cancer?
A. No. Some people with cancer, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases claim to experience relief from pain and other symptoms that they attribute to marijuana use. However, scientific research has not yet confirmed these benefits and more research on this topic is being done. What is known is that smoking marijuana can cause lung damage.

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Tobacco

Q. Doesn't smoking help you relax?
A. No. Smoking can actually increase feelings of stress and nervousness. Break the cycle: Use drug-free strategies to calm your nerves like exercise and talking to your friends.

Q. Isn't smokeless tobacco safer to use than cigarettes?
A. No. There is no safe form of tobacco. Smokeless tobacco can cause mouth, cheek, throat, and stomach cancer. Smokeless tobacco users are 50 times more likely to get oral cancer than non-users. Those smokeless tobacco users who don't develop some type of cancer are still likely to have signs of use, like stained teeth, bad breath, and mouth sores.

Q. Isn't smoking sexy?
A. Only if you think bad breath, smelly hair, yellow fingers, and coughing are sexy. Advertisements often portray smoking as glamorous and sophisticated, but think carefully about who created these ads and why.

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Cocaine

Q. Is cocaine really still a problem?
A. Yes. While the number of cocaine users has decreased from what was witnessed in the mid-1980's, there have been nearly 2 million cocaine users every year since 1992.

Q. Isn't crack less addictive than cocaine because it doesn't stay in your body very long?
A. No. Both cocaine and crack are powerfully addictive. The length of time it stays in your body doesn't change that.

Q. Don't some people use cocaine to feel good?
A. Any positive feelings are fleeting and are usually followed by some very bad feelings, like paranoia and intense cravings. Cocaine may give users a temporary illusion of power and energy, but it often leaves them unable to function emotionally, physically, and sexually.

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Inhalants

Q. Since inhalants are found in household products, aren't they safe?
A. No. Even though household products like glue and air freshener have legal, useful purposes, when they are used as inhalants they are harmful and dangerous. These products are not intended to be inhaled.

Q. Doesn't it take many "huffs" before you're in danger?
A. No. One "huff" of an inhalant can kill you. Or the 10th. Or the 100th. Every huff can be dangerous. Even if you have huffed before without experiencing a problem, there's no way of knowing how the next huff will affect you.

Q. Can inhalants make me lose control?
A. Yes. Inhalants affect your brain and can cause you to suddenly engage in violent, or even deadly, behavior. You could hurt yourself or the people you love.

1. What can I do to keep my child from using alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs?
Learn the facts about substance abuse
Talk with your child about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
Get to know your child's friends
Teach your child that substance use is not the road to a glamorous lifestyle
Be the best role model you can

2. What substance abuse prevention program materials do you have that I could use in my home, classroom, community, or at work?

SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) stocks many materials that everyone can use to improve their communities. Whether you want to focus on a particular issue, such as alcoholism or teen smoking, or you want to target a particular population, such as adolescent girls or a particular racial group, we have information that can help.

3. Are some people more likely to develop problems with substance abuse than others?

Yes, CSAP finds that certain populations are at higher risk for substance abuse, particularly those with family members who abuse alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.

Some warning signs for youth are that they

Warning signs for adults include

Prevention works! Substance abuse problems not only cause health problems and heartbreak, they cost Americans money. For every dollar spent on drug abuse prevention, communities can save 4 to 5 dollars in costs for drug abuse treatment and counseling.*

5. What if we're past the prevention stage? Someone I know has already begun abusing alcohol or using illicit drugs. What can I do?

If you or someone you know needs help with an existing problem, call 1-800-662-HELP and talk to a professional counselor who specializes in your area of concern.