9781422282434

D R U G A D D I C T I O N A N D R E C O V E R Y

Alcohol and Tobacco H.W. Poole

S E R I E S C O N S U L TA N T SARA BECKER, Ph.D. Brown University School of Public Health/Warren Alpert Medical School

Alcohol and Tobacco D R U G A D D I C T I O N A N D R E C O V E R Y

D R U G A D D I C T I O N A N D R E C O V E R Y

Alcohol and Tobacco

Causes of Drug Use

Drug Use and Mental Health

Drug Use and the Family

Drug Use and the Law

Hallucinogens: Ecstasy, LSD, and Ketamine

Intervention and Recovery

Marijuana and Synthetics

Opioids: Heroin, OxyContin, and Painkillers

Over-the-Counter Drugs

Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Steroids, Hormones, and Supplements

Prescription Drugs

Stimulants: Meth, Cocaine, and Amphetamines

D R U G A D D I C T I O N A N D R E C O V E R Y

Alcohol and Tobacco H.W. Poole

S E R I E S C O N S U L TA N T SARA BECKER, Ph.D. Brown University School of Public Health Warren Alpert Medical School

MASON CREST

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com

© 2017 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

MTM Publishing, Inc. www.mtmpublishing.com

President: Valerie Tomaselli Vice President, Book Development: Hilary Poole

Designer: Annemarie Redmond Copyeditor: Peter Jaskowiak Editorial Assistant: Andrea St. Aubin Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3598-0 Hardback ISBN: 978-1-4222-3599-7 E-Book ISBN: 978-1-4222-8243-4

Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

QR CODES AND LINKS TO THIRD PARTY CONTENT You may gain access to certain third party content (“Third Party Sites”) by scanning and using the QR Codes that appear in this publication (the “QR Codes”). We do not operate or control in any respect any information, products or services on such Third Party Sites linked to by us via the QR Codes included in this publication and we assume no responsibility for any materials you may access using the QR Codes. Your use of the QR Codes may be subject to terms, limitations, or restrictions set forth in the applicable terms of use or otherwise established by the owners of the Third Party Sites. Our linking to such Third Party Sites via the QR Codes does not imply an endorsement or sponsorship of such Third Party Sites, or the information, products or services offered on or through the Third Party Sites, nor does it imply an endorsement or sponsorship of this publication by the owners of such Third Party Sites.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Series Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter One: Alcohol and Society . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Chapter Two: Alcohol—Effects and Treatment . . . . . . . . 21 Chapter Three: Alcohol and Teens . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Chapter Four: Tobacco and Society . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chapter Five: Nicotine—Effects and Quitting . . . . . . . . . 47 Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Educational Videos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Series Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 About the Advisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments and much more! Series Glossary of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout the series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. Words to Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text, while building vocabulary skills.

Key Icons to Look for:

SERIES INTRODUCTION

Many adolescents in the United States will experiment with alcohol or other drugs by time they finish high school. According to a 2014 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 27 percent of 8th graders have tried alcohol, 20 percent have tried drugs, and 13 percent have tried cigarettes. By 12th grade, these rates more than double: 66 percent of 12th graders have tried alcohol, 50 percent have tried drugs, and 35 percent have tried cigarettes. Adolescents who use substances experience an increased risk of a wide range of negative consequences, including physical injury, family conflict, school truancy, legal problems, and sexually transmitted diseases. Higher rates of substance use are also associated with the leading causes of death in this age group: accidents, suicide, and violent crime. Relative to adults, adolescents who experiment with alcohol or other drugs progress more quickly to a full-blown substance use disorder and have more co-occurring mental health problems. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimated that in 2015 about 1.3 million adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 (5 percent of adolescents in the United States) met the medical criteria for a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these IF YOU NEED HELP NOW . . . SAMHSA’s National Helpline provides referrals for mental-health or substance-use counseling. 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov SAMHSA’s National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides crisis counseling by phone or online, 24-hours-a-day and 7 days a week. 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

6

When pro- and anti-drug information sit side-by-side online, it can be hard for kids to separate fact from fiction.

adolescents did not receive treatment. Less than 10 percent of those with a diagnosis received specialty care, leaving 1.2 million adolescents with an unmet need for treatment. The NSDUH asked the 1.2 million adolescents with untreated substance use disorders why they didn’t receive specialty care. Over 95 percent said that they didn’t think they needed it. The other 5 percent reported challenges finding quality treatment that was covered by their insurance. Very few treatment providers and agencies offer substance use treatment designed to meet the specific needs of adolescents. Meanwhile, numerous insurance plans have “opted out” of providing coverage for addiction treatment, while others have placed restrictions on what is covered. Stigma about substance use is another serious problem. We don’t call a person with an eating disorder a “food abuser,” but we use terms like “drug abuser” to describe individuals with substance use disorders. Even treatment providers often unintentionally use judgmental words, such as describing urine screen results as either “clean” or “dirty.” Underlying this language is the idea that a substance use disorder is some kind of moral failing or character flaw, and that people with these disorders deserve blame or punishment for their struggles.

7

And punish we do. A 2010 report by CASA Columbia found that in the United States, 65 percent of the 2.3 million people in prisons and jails met medical criteria for a substance use disorder, while another 20 percent had histories of substance use disorders, committed their crimes while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or committed a substance-related crime. Many of these inmates spend decades in prison, but only 11 percent of them receive any treatment during their incarceration. Our society invests significantly more money in punishing individuals with substance use disorders than we do in treating them. At a basic level, the ways our society approaches drugs and alcohol— declaring a “war on drugs,” for example, or telling kids to “Just Say No!”— reflect a misunderstanding about the nature of addiction. The reality is that addiction is a disease that affects all types of people—parents and children, rich and poor, young and old. Substance use disorders stem from a complex interplay of genes, biology, and the environment, much like most physical and mental illnesses. The way we talk about recovery, using phrases like “kick the habit” or “breaking free,” also misses the mark. Substance use disorders are chronic, insidious, and debilitating illnesses. Fortunately, there are a number of effective treatments for substance use disorders. For many patients, however, the road is long and hard. Individuals recovering from substance use disorders can experience horrible withdrawal symptoms, and many will continue to struggle with cravings for alcohol or drugs. It can be a daily struggle to cope with these cravings and stay abstinent. A popular saying at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings is “one day at a time,” because every day of recovery should be respected and celebrated. There are a lot of incorrect stereotypes about individuals with substance use disorders, and there is a lot of false information about the substances, too. If you do an Internet search on the term “marijuana,” for instance, two top hits are a web page by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and a page operated by Weedmaps, a medical and recreational

8

marijuana dispensary. One of these pages publishes scientific information and one publishes pro-marijuana articles. Both pages have a high-quality, professional appearance. If you had never heard of either organization, it would be hard to know which to trust. It can be really difficult for the average person, much less the average teenager, to navigate these waters. The topics covered in this series were specifically selected to be relevant to teenagers. About half of the volumes cover the types of drugs that they are most likely to hear about or to come in contact with. The other half cover important issues related to alcohol and other drug use (which we refer to as “drug use” in the titles for simplicity). These books cover topics such as the causes of drug use, the influence of drug use on the family, drug use and the legal system, drug use and mental health, and treatment options. Many teens will either have personal experience with these issues or will know someone who does. This series was written to help young people get the facts about common drugs, substance use disorders, substance-related problems, and recovery. Accurate information can help adolescents to make better decisions. Students who are educated can help each other to better understand the risks and consequences of drug use. Facts also go a long way to reducing the stigma associated with substance use. We tend to fear or avoid things that we don’t understand. Knowing the facts can make it easier to support each other. For students who know someone struggling with a substance use disorder, these books can also help them know what to expect. If they are worried about someone, or even about themselves, these books can help to provide some answers and a place to start.

—Sara J. Becker, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (Research), Center for Alcohol and Addictions Studies, Brown University School of Public Health, Assistant Professor (Research), Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University Medical School

9

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

abstention: actively choosing to not do something. ambivalence: mixed feelings, both good and bad. bootlegger: someone who makes alcohol illegally. distilled: purified. Prohibition: the years 1920 to 1933, when it was illegal to sell alcohol in the United States. temperance: self-restraint; here, it refers specifically to a historical movement focused on avoiding alcohol.

CHAPTER ONE

ALCOHOL AND SOCIETY

Alcohol and tobacco are often discussed together—as they are in this book—because they are legal drugs that are both frequently used in social settings. But there’s a huge difference between them: while you might hear about “safe” amounts of alcohol, there is no “safe” amount of tobacco. It’s well known that smoking is unhealthy, and that the best thing any smoker can do is quit. The question of whether smoking is good or bad is easily answered: it’s not just bad, it’s very bad. (See chapters four and five for more on tobacco, nicotine, and smoking.) The situation with alcohol is much different. Many factors come into play, some biological (like age, gender, and family history) and some social (like religion and community standards). Ambivalence about alcohol is nothing new. The truth is, human beings and alcohol have a long, complicated relationship. And the line between “acceptable” and “unacceptable” alcohol consumption has continued to evolve and change

11

12 ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO

Young people get a lot of mixed messages when it comes to alcohol. On the one hand, adults lecture them to stay away from it, while on the other hand, many adults themselves seem to make alcohol a key part of their social lives.

over time. The social history of drinking is the story of a constant push-pull between indulgence and abstention .

ANCIENT ALCOHOL

The first type of alcoholic drink made by humans was probably beer. For example, the workers and slaves who built the pyramids of Giza were given beer as part of their daily rations. Beer was also was made by Sumerians around 3200 BCE. (Sumer was in southern Mesopotamia, in modern Iraq.) Sumerians made wine about 200 years later, but evidence suggests that beer remained the more popular drink. In fact, the first recipe recorded in human history was for a type of beer. Wine was much more popular in ancient Greece, where it was a key part of people’s social lives. Ancient cultures on the Indian subcontinent

13 CHAPTER ONE: ALCOHOL AND SOCIETY

also made alcohol around 500 BCE, although archaeologists believe this was probably used as part of medical practice, rather than socially. Romans seem to have used alcohol for both purposes—medicinal and recreational. For example, the Roman doctor Galen, around 170 CE, used wine to disinfect wounds while he worked as a physician to gladiators. When it came to wine for drinking, the beverages Romans consumed were almost always diluted with water or some other ingredient. Romans almost never consumed pure wine, as people do today. In fact, the very idea was considered uncivilized.

Amphorae were special casks made by Ancient Greeks for transporting liquids such as wine and olive oil. These are on display in a Turkish museum after being rescued from a shipwreck.

14 ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO

HAMMURABI

ALCOHOL AND PROHIBITION While many (although not all) cultures have embraced alcohol for medical, religious, and social uses, there has also been a longstanding awareness of the risks. This tension can be seen, for example, in the teachings of the Catholic Church around the 17th century: on the one hand, alcohol was considered a gift from God and was to be enjoyed; on the other hand, “drunkenness” was viewed as sinful. Around this time, distilled liquors became increasingly popular. For example, the colonial American economy became increasingly dependent on rum sales (another key product was tobacco; see chapter four). Back in England, laws were passed to encourage domestic gin production. In 1730, about 10 million gallons of gin were made in London alone. This “gin craze,” as it came to be called, was blamed for increasing social problems, including crime, child neglect, and prostitution. A nobleman named Lord John Hervey observed that “the whole town of London swarmed with drunken people from morning to night.” And so, the same British government that had deliberately encouraged gin production now found itself condemning it. The Gin Act of 1736 placed high taxes on the liquor, The Code of Hammurabi, which dates back to about 1754 BCE, is the first-known set of laws. King Hammurabi is probably most famous for giving us the concept of “an eye for an eye.” Less famously, among its hundreds of different laws, the Code has rules related to alcohol. For example, it has a provision about prices for wine, and about paying for wine with money versus paying with grain. The Code also states that if a “sister of god,” (a nun, in modern language) either opens or even enters a tavern, she can be put to death by fire.