Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention Program

Felbry College School of is dedicated to the well-being of all members of the college community–students, faculty, employees and administrators. In demonstration of its concern with the misuse of alcohol and other drugs, it is the policy of Felbry College to endeavor to prevent substance abuse through programs of education and prevention.

Felbry College has adopted many aspects of the educational and informational programs offered by the Drug-Free Action Alliance of Columbus and the Columbus Urban League to educate and inform students, employees, and all other members of its college community about the dangers of illegal drug use and the abuse of alcohol. The Felbry College educational and prevention program will include a segment in each new student orientation and semi-annual workshops for all students and employees on the perils of the abuse of drugs and alcohol. For the workshops, guest speakers from the Urban League and the Drug-Free Action Alliance will be invited to address the groups on prevention, on recognition of drug or alcohol problems in friends, relatives, or associates, and on getting timely and professional help for the drug or alcohol abuser.

Select student services staff have been designated to provide alcohol and substance abuse initial counseling to those apparently in need of the services and to provide referrals to outside agencies for more extensive personal assistance. Additionally, the Program Administrator and designated nurse instructors provide counseling on the health risks associated with binge drinking, alcoholism, and drug abuse.

In all orientations and workshops, and in all in-house individual counseling sessions, printed hand-outs will be provided that, among other things, includes the following information about the health risks associated with alcoholism and drug abuse.

There are a multitude of dangerous and illegal drugs that, like the abuse of alcohol, can destroy the life and/or livelihood of their users. Below is a list of the more well-known illegal drugs and some of the health risks associated with them. Included also are the consequences of abusing alcohol. Much of the information below is provided in greater detail at the following websites: www.acde.org/health/Research.htm and
www.ncadistore.samhsa.gov/govpubs/rpo926/#Dept

• Methamphetamines (“Meth”): Meth is extremely addictive and:
  • Can cause convulsions, heart irregularities, high blood pressure, depressions, restlessness, and severe fatigue;
  • Can cause loss of appetite and weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, elevated body temperature, and chest pain; and,
  • Can cause coma and death.

• Cocaine: Cocaine can kill in just one use and:
  • Can cause irregular heartbeat, heart attack, heart failure, strokes, seizures, fungal infections in the brain, hemorrhaging in tissues surrounding the brain; fluid on the lungs, and, respiratory failure;
  • Can cause psychoses, paranoia, depression, anxiety disorders, and delusions;
  • Can cause increased risk of traumatic injury from accidents and aggressive, violent, or criminal behavior;
  • Can cause sleeplessness, sexual dysfunction, diminished sense of smell, perforated nasal septum, nausea, and headaches; and,
  • Can cause premature separation of the placenta from the fetus, spontaneous abortion, premature birth, low birth weight, and mental retardation in babies born to cocaine-using females.

• Marijuana: All forms of marijuana change the way the brain works and:
  • May cause impaired short-term memory loss, delayed reflexes, and shortened attention span;
  • May cause fast heart rate and quicker pulse;
  • May cause breathing difficulties with repeated use;
  • May cause birth defects if used by females during pregnancy;
  • May cause loss of concentration and coordination; and,
  • May cause relaxed inhibitions and disoriented behavior.

• Crack Cocaine: Crack cocaine is almost instantly addictive and:
  • Can cause a fatal heart attack; and,
  • Can cause all of the side effects of cocaine use, especially aggressive and violent behavior.

• Ecstasy: Ecstasy is probably the most threatening drug to young people because it is so easy to obtain and:
  • Can cause convulsions, ruptured blood vessels in the brain, and irreversible brain damage;
  • Can cause hallucinations including changes in perception of time, smell, touch and other senses;
  • Can cause physical problems such as involuntary teeth clenching, blurred vision, muscle tension, rapid eye movement, fever, chills, and sweating; and,
  • Can cause psychological problems including confusion, depression, severe anxiety, paranoia, sleeplessness, and cravings, even for weeks after use.

• Narcotics (such as Heroin, Codeine, Morphine, and Opium): Highly addictive, narcotics:
  • Can cause irregular blood pressure, slow and irregular heartbeat, and collapsed veins and “tracks” (scarring) from repeated injections;
  • Can cause stroke or heart attack from blood clots;
  • Can cause fluid in the lungs, fatigue, breathlessness, and respiratory paralysis;
  • Can cause hepatitis, AIDS, and other potentially deadly infections from unsanitary injections;
  • Can cause coma, heart arrest, and death from accidental overdoses; and,
  • Can cause constricted pupils, reduced night visions, nausea and vomiting, and skin infections.

• Alcohol: Alcohol, the most often abused substance among young adults, is a depressant that decreases central nervous system responses and its long-term use and abuse:
  • Can cause potentially fatal liver damage (cirrhosis) and psychotic behavior;
  • Can cause permanent brain damage, heart failure, increased risk of stroke, respiratory depression and failure, lung abscesses, increased risk of mouth and throat cancer, hepatitis, duodenal ulcers, pneumonia, and tuberculosis;
  • Can cause impaired judgment and verbal skills, inability to concentrate, anti-social behavior, and introversion; and,
  • Can cause an increased risk of diminished intra-uterine fetal growth, fetal alcohol syndrome, low birth weight, and long-term developmental disabilities in the fetuses and offspring of pregnant women.