1 Act 171: Drug Information and Current Trends Updated June 2021 DR. BARZANNA WHITE, S.S.P., PH.D. DISTRICT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, PREVENTION COORDINATOR, AND SCTG AND BJA GRANT DIRECTOR During the COVID-19 Pandemic… 2 Early Research has shown… ▪ Mental health issues such as suicide, depression, anxiety are increasing. ▪ For those already diagnosed with a mental illness, the degree of illness has been exacerbated. ▪ For those not previously diagnosed with a mental illness, the illness is manifested ▪ Domestic violence has increased. ▪ Child abuse cases have risen. With COVID-19… 3 Research continues to show… (continued) ▪ Stress has caused fear, anxiety, and social isolation. ▪ Individuals with alcohol and substance use disorders are more vulnerable …cravings, consumption, and risk of relapse are high (NIAAA, 2020). ▪ Researchers suggest that valid & reliable data will not be available until possibly 2022 for the time during the pandemic crisis. 4 Early Results of 2020 AMERICAN STREET DRUG USAGE Due To PANDEMIC PROTOCOLS DECREASED USAGE MDMA/ECSTASY – usage dropped 41% (*absence of festivals/nightclubs/raves) COCAINE – usage dropped 38%* KETAMINE – usage dropped by 34% INCREASED USAGE CANNABIS – most popular, 46% increase PSYCHEDELICS (magic mushrooms, LSD, etc.) – considered to remain steady with only a 20% increase 5 STREET DRUGS to WATCH for in 2021 ❖ CANNABIS – 46% increase in use during 2020 (Americans) • Continued legalization in numerous states ❖ MDMA/Ecstasy • Returning post-pandemic (Raves, clubs, parties recurring*) ❖ FANTASY (GHB) • Returning post-pandemic * ❖ PHENIBUT ❖ FLAKKA (ALPHA-PHP) ❖ KRATOM ❖ FENTANYL & CARFENTANIL ❖ GABAPENTIN This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 6 MARIJUANA - CANNABIS Intake: Smoked in a cigarette or in a pipe or bong, smoked in blunts, mixed with food (edibles)or other drugs, brewed as tea Slang: Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Joint, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Smoke, Weed, Yerba Effects: Impaired judgment, reduced coordination, hallucinations, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, effects memory and learning, causes relaxation, disinhibition, increased appetite, sedation, increased sociability, confusion, distorted perception, anxiety, drowsiness, dizziness, nauseas, tachycardia, respiratory problems Marijuana (Depressant, 7 Hallucinogen, & Stimulant) Intake: Orally or smoked (buds, leaves, sticky, black hashish oil) Slang: Bud, Herb, Grass, Green, Mary Jane, Reefer, Weed, Shatter, Ear Wax, Budder, 710, Dabs Effects: Bloodshot eyes, intense anxiety, panic attacks, dry mouth and throat, lack of concentration, lack of coordination, impaired learning, impaired judgement, difficulty problem solving, and loss of memory. 8 LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA ❖ Currently, 27 states and Washington, D.C. have implemented legislation decriminalizing minor amounts of marijuana possession, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. (June 6, 2021) ❖ MEDICAL-USE UPDATE: As of May 18, 2021, 36 states and 4 territories allow for the medical use of cannabis products. ❖ ADULT-USE UPDATE: As of April 14, 2021, 17 states, two territories and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation to regulate cannabis for adult use. 9 Monthly retail sales of recreational marijuana amid the coronavirus outbreak10 in the United States in 2020*(in million U.S. dollars) Published July 2020 -Statista.com DECREASED , expected to drop to 380+ million by April 2020 (results not in). May be found to be NOT TRUE ONCE THE DATA IS IN. This may be skewed due to the fact that – MORE STATES HAVE LEGALIZED ITS USE. In LOUISIANA…2019 11 As of 2019 LA had one of the most restrictive Medical use laws: Limited to: Cancer, Epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Cachexia/Wasting Syndrome, MD, Crohn’s, MS, Parkinson’s, Glaucoma, PTSD, Severe muscle spasms, and severe pain. Autism included in the list, but with specific criteria : Avoidance of others if the individual’s health is compromised; Self- stimulatory or repetitive behavior severe enough to put the victim in danger, self-destructive or physically aggressive 12 In LOUISIANA…2020 In 2020, legislature passed & Gov. John Bel Edwards signed HB 819: allows doctors to recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition the physician “considers debilitating to an individual patient” that the physician is qualified to treat. Added several conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain associated with sickle cell anemia or fibromyalgia. In LOUISIANA…2021 13 As of June 2021, patients can now vaporize cannabis preparations via “metered-dose inhaler,” but cannot access whole-plant flower and smoking is not allowed. Recreational use: currently illegal –However, the marijuana legalization bill, HB699 which decriminalizes marijuana has now (June 6, 2021) passed and is awaiting the Governor’s action. Can buy and use CBD oil and its derivatives as long as it is sourced from industrial hemp and has less than 0.3% THC. 14 In LOUISIANA…2021... Notes Louisiana has only two state-licensed cultivators — Louisiana State University and Southern University — and the state has authorized only nine locations to dispense medical marijuana. Prohibiting whole-plant (flower) and smoking drives up costs, making medical cannabis inaccessible to most low-income and middle-income patients, and can result in cannabis businesses not being economically viable. 15 DABBING AND VAPING ARE TWO TEEN TRENDS THAT CONTINUE TO ESCALATE 16 MARIJUANA DABBING Marijuana dabbing, a relatively new form of marijuana use that has been used for over 20 years, but gained popularity in recent years, refers to the process of inhaling HIGHLY CONCENTRATED THC marijuana concentrates, known on the street by many names such as dabs, butane hash oil (BHO), honey oil, shatter, wax, and budder. Dab tabs are measured portions of cannabis (50mg of THC or CBC or both). When heated, they are not chemically modified, but by extracting marijuana’s psychoactive ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by a method of butane extraction, thus, the result is a high dose of THC with instantaneous effects. The end product is a thick brownish-green substance, resembling ear wax, or honey. Marijuana dabbing or ‘blasting dabs’ is when the concentrate is processed by using a blowtorch heated delivery system or heated device such as a nail or modified water pipe and the released vapors are inhaled. The device is commonly referred to as a dab rig (Parents Opposed to Pot, 2020). MARIJUANA DABBING 17 continued….. Just six years after marijuana was legalized in Colorado, teens report an alarming increase in use of ultra-potent pot products. More than half who use marijuana now dab to get high. Students vaping marijuana increased 69%. Will that continue elsewhere? For MOTHER’S DAY 2021 - SPECIALS FOR DAB RIGS were on the internet! What Might You See…. Have You Seen Any of These Items at 18 School or Walking Down the Street? 19 SIGNS SOMEONE MAY BE DABBING Increased use of perfumes/colognes to hide the smell. Paraphernalia: vape pens, glass water pipes, dab rigs, nails (hollow metal rod where the nail is heated and the dab is placed on the hot surface). Use of gum, mints, and eye drops. Changes in behavior consistent with marijuana use, but intensified throughout the entire day (unusual talkativeness, sleepiness, bloodshot eyes, disorientation). Increased positive attitude about marijuana use and interest in marijuana(movies, characters, clothing). 20 VAPING Prior to COVID-19, teen vaping and related lung issues were growing at an alarming rate. This has intensified since the pandemic. The U.S. Surgeon General officially declared e-cigarettes an epidemic with young Americans. Originally, vaping was a way to get a buzz from the nicotine and was a method of hiding usage in neatly contained devices (JUULs/devices or Puff Bar and Zyn/disposable nicotine pouches). 1 in 5 high school seniors vape (2018) and these numbers are rising each year. Nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana are gateway drugs and increase the likelihood of using other substances later in life. Using substances is an ineffective coping mechanisms, it increases trouble with law enforcement (poor decision making, driving under the influence), and it limits effective problem-soling (poor choices, suicide), etc. VAPING –vs- SMOKING 21 VAPING VS SMOKING: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? The main difference between smoking and vaping stems from how nicotine is delivered. The burning end of a cigarette reaches temperatures of 900 C or 1652 F which creates tobacco smoke. The process of combustion is what generates carcinogenic chemicals, and this is why smoking cigarettes is dangerous. On the other hand, vaping does not burn chemicals, and instead, it heats the ingredients into an aerosol aka vapor. Before we start comparing the differences between vaping and smoking in detail, let’s go through the similarities between the two. SMOKING/NICOTINE/TOBACCO 22 & E-CIGARETTES E-cigarettes, AKA vapes or vaping devices, are classified by the FDA as a tobacco product. A critical similarity is that the main ingredients in e-juices are also in cigarettes as additives to improve the smoking experience. What are the E-liquid Ingredients, Commonly referred as E-liquid or Vape juice? Four main ingredients: Propylene Glycol (PG) , Vegetable Glycerin or Glycerol (VG) , often Nicotine (which can increase the carcinogenic effects of tobacco smoke), Flavoring Concentrates. (PG & VG are preservatives