UPPS No. 04.04.48 Attachment I

Drug-Free Schools and Communities Information for Students and Employees Regarding Illicit Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

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Standards of Conduct Prohibiting Unlawful Possession, Use, or Distribution of Illicit Drugs and Alcohol

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Health Risks Associated with Use of Drugs and Alcohol Abuse

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University Penalties for Prohibited Conduct Related to Drugs and Alcohol

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Counseling and Rehabilitation Programs

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Criminal Penalties Under State and Federal Law for Unlawful Possession, Use, or Distribution of Drugs and Alcohol

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

Chapter VI of the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, Texas State University System, provides for disciplinary action against any student who engages in conduct prohibited by law and for illegal use and for unauthorized use of intoxicating beverages, and illegal use of any drug, narcotic, or controlled substance.

Chapter VI of the Regents' Rules also provides that a student who has been found guilty of the illegal possession, use, sale, or distribution of any drug, narcotic, or controlled substance, whether the infraction is found to have occurred on or off campus, shall be suspended for a period of not less than the remainder of the semester in which the infraction occurred plus the following long semester.

If the semester in which the infraction occurred has ended by the time the student is found guilty, the student shall be suspended for not less than the following two long semesters. With the approval of the President or the President's designee, suspension may be probated and sanctions may then include required counseling and rehabilitation along with other appropriate penalties. This policy is also published in the Code of Student Conduct in the student handbook, Southwest Texan, and in PPS-SA 02.01 (Substance Abuse Policy) available in the Dean of Students' Office.

UPPS No. 04.04.45 (Drug-Free Workplace) prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance in all university workplaces. University employees who violate this prohibition are subject to the sanctions set forth in UPPS No. 04.04.40 (Termination and Disciplining of Staff Employees), including discharge.

HEALTH RISKS OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption causes a number of marked changes in behavior. Even low doses significantly impair the judgment and coordination required to drive a car safely. Low to moderate doses of alcohol also increase the incidence of a variety of aggressive acts. Moderate to high doses of alcohol cause marked impairments in higher mental functions, severely altering a person's ability to learn and remember information. Very high doses cause respiratory depression and death.

If combined with other depressants of the central nervous system, much lower doses of alcohol can lead to dependence. Sudden cessation of alcohol intake is likely to produce withdrawal symptoms, including severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, and convulsions. Alcohol withdrawal can be life threatening. Long-term consumption of large quantities of alcohol can also lead to permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain and the liver. Females who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome. These infants have irreversible physical abnormalities and mental retardation. In addition, research indicates that children of alcoholic parents are at a greater risk than other youngsters of becoming alcoholics.

Tobacco (Nicotine)

The smoking of tobacco products is the chief cause of death in our society. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to contract heart disease. Some 30 percent of cancer deaths (130,000 per year) are linked to smoking. Chronic obstructive lung diseases such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis are 10 times more likely to occur among smokers than among nonsmokers. Smoking during pregnancy poses serious risks such as spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, low birth weights, and fetal and infant deaths. Perhaps the most dangerous substance in tobacco smoke is nicotine. Because nicotine is highly addictive, addicts find it very difficult to stop smoking. Of 1,000 typical smokers, fewer than 20 percent succeed in stopping on the first try.

Designer Drugs

Illegal drugs are defined in terms of their chemical formulas. To circumvent these legal restrictions, underground chemists modify the molecular structure of certain illegal drugs to produce analogs known as designer drugs. These drugs can be several hundred times stronger than the drugs they are designed to imitate. Many of the so-called designer drugs are related to amphetamines (MDMA, X). Bootleg manufacture creates overdose and contamination risks. These substances can produce severe neurochemical damage to the brain. These narcotic analogs (fentanyl, china white) can cause symptoms such as those seen in Parkinson's disease: uncontrollable tremors, drooling, impaired speech, paralysis, and irreversible brain damage. Analogs of amphetamines and methamphetamines cause nausea, blurred vision, chills or sweating, and faintness. Psychological effects include anxiety, depression, and paranoia. As little as one dose can cause brain damage. the analogs of phencyclidine cause illusions, hallucinations, and impaired perception.

Cocaine

Cocaine stimulates the central nervous system. The use of cocaine can cause death by cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. Its immediate effects include dilated pupils and elevated blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. Occasional use can cause a stuffy or runny nose, while chronic use can ulcerate the mucous membrane of the nose. Injecting cocaine with contaminated equipment can increase the risk of AIDS, hepatitis, and other diseases. Cocaine can produce psychological and physical dependency, a feeling that the user cannot function without the drug. In addition, tolerance develops rapidly. Crack or freebase rock is extremely addictive, and its effects are felt within 10 seconds. The physical effects include dilated pupils, increased pulse rate, elevated blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, tactile hallucinations, paranoia, and seizures.

Other Stimulants

Stimulants can cause increased heart and respiratory rates, elevated blood pressure, dilated pupils, and decreased appetite. In addition, users may experience sweating, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Extremely high doses can cause a rapid or irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination, and even physical collapse. An amphetamine injection creates a sudden increase in blood pressure that can result in stroke, very high fever, or heart failure. In addition to the physical effects, users report feeling restless, anxious, and moody. Higher doses intensify the effects. Persons who use large amounts of amphetamines over a long period of time can develop an amphetamine psychosis that includes hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.

Marijuana (Cannabis)

All forms of cannabis have negative physical and mental effects. Use of cannabis may impair or reduce short-term memory and comprehension, alter sense of time and reduce ability to perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving a car. Research also shows that students do not retain knowledge when they are "high". Motivation and cognition may be altered, making the acquisition of new information difficult. Marijuana can also produce paranoia and psychosis. Because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and then hold it in their lungs as long as possible, marijuana is damaging to the lungs and pulmonary system. Marijuana smoke contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. Long-term users of cannabis may develop psychological AND PHYSICAL dependence and require more of the drug to get the same effect. The drug can then become the center of their lives.

Anabolic Steroids

Anabolic steroids are a group of powerful compounds closely related to the male sex hormone testosterone. Steroid users subject themselves to more than 70 side effects ranging in severity from lover cancer to acne and including psychological as well as physical reactions. The liver and the cardiovascular and reproductive systems are most seriously affected by steroid use. In males, use can cause withered testicles, sterility, and impotence. In females, irreversible masculine traits can develop along with breast reduction and sterility. Psychological effects include very aggressive behavior known as "roid rage" and depression. While some side effects appear quickly, others, such as heart attacks and strokes, may not show up for years.

Hallucinogens

Lysergic acid (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin cause illusions and hallucinations. The physical effects may include dilated pupils, elevated body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and tremors. Sensations and feelings may change rapidly. It is common to have bad psychological reactions to LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin. The user may experience panic, confusion, suspicion, anxiety, and loss of control. Delayed effects or flashbacks can occur even after use has ceased. Users of PCP report persistent memory problems and speech difficulties. Some of these effects may last 6 months to a year following prolonged daily use. Mood disorders--depression, anxiety, and violent behavior--also occur. In later stages of chronic use, users often exhibit paranoid and violent behavior. Large doses may produce convulsions and coma, as well as heart and lung failure.

Depressants

The effects of depressants are in many ways similar to the effects of alcohol. Small amounts can produce calmness and relaxed muscles, but somewhat larger doses can cause slurred speech, staggering gait, and altered perception. Large doses can cause respiratory depression, coma, and death. The combination of depressants and alcohol can multiply the effects of the drugs, thereby multiplying the risks. The use of depressants can cause both physical and psychological dependence. Regular use over time may result in a tolerance to the drug, leading the user to increase the quantity consumed. When regular users suddenly stop taking large doses, they may develop withdrawal symptoms ranging from restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety to convulsions and death.

Narcotics

Narcotics initially produce a feeling of euphoria that often is followed by drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Users also may experience constricted pupils, watery eyes, and itching. An overdose may produce slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma, and possible death. Tolerance to narcotics develops rapidly and dependence is likely. The use of contaminated syringes may increase the risk of such diseases as AIDS, endocarditis, and hepatitis. Addiction in pregnant women can lead to premature, stillborn, or addicted infants who experience severe withdrawal symptoms.

Inhalants

The immediate negative effects of inhalants include nausea, sneezing, coughing, nosebleeds, fatigue, lack of coordination, and loss of appetite. Solvents and aerosol sprays also decrease the heart and respiratory rates and impair judgment. Amyl and butyl nitrite cause rapid pulse, headaches, and involuntary passing of urine and feces. Long-term use may result in hepatitis or brain damage. Deeply inhaling the vapors, or using large amounts over a short time, may result in disorientation, violent behavior, unconsciousness, or death. High concentrations of inhalants can cause suffocation by displacing the oxygen in the lungs or by depressing the central nervous system to the point that breathing stops. Long-term use can cause weightloss, fatigue, electrolyte imbalance, and muscle fatigue. Repeated sniffing of concentrated vapors over time can permanently damage the nervous system.

UNIVERSITY PENALTIES

Students

The University will impose a minimum disciplinary penalty of suspension for a period of time specified in the Regents' Rules and the Code of Student Conduct, for conduct related to the use, possession, or distribution of drugs prohibited by the state, federal, or local law. Other penalties that may be imposed for conduct related to the unlawful use, possession, or distribution of drugs or alcohol include disciplinary probation, payment for damage to or misappropriation of property, suspension of rights and privileges suspension for a specified period of time, expulsion, or such other penalty as may be deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

Employees

The unlawful use, possession, or distribution of drugs or alcohol will result in a disciplinary penalty of warning or reprimand, suspension, reduction in pay, demotion, or discharge depending upon the circumstances.

AVAILABLE DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELING OR REHABILITATION SERVICES

Campus Services

Alcohol and Drug Resource Center: The Alcohol and Drug Resource Center provides confidential services for students and employees experiencing problems related to the use or abuse of alcohol and other drugs, including individual and group counseling, educational seminars, and referral to outside agencies. The center is located in LBJ Student Center, Room 5-4.1. The telephone number is 245-3601.

Employee Helpline: Texas State employees are encouraged to use the Employee Helpline, which provides assistance with personal, family, or marital problems. The Counseling Center can help locate professional counseling. Call 245-2208 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and request a referral appointment or information.

Community Services

Several active community-based support groups meet on a regular basis. These groups include Alcoholics Anonymous, a support group for those who wish to stop drinking; Al-Anon, a support group for relatives and friends of alcohol abusers; and Narcotics Anonymous, a support group for those with drug abuse problems. For specific meeting dates, times, and locations, call any of the following groups.

Alcoholics Anonymous: First American Lutheran Church, 130 W. Holland, San Marcos, 392-2064; River Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, 396-2060; and Catholic Student Center, 392-5925.

Al-Anon: First American Lutheran Church, 392-2064, and Unity Church, 392-5199.

Narcotics Anonymous: 753-5111.

The Hays-Caldwell Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse offers a variety of programs and services including counseling, assessment, and referral at no charge. It is located at 101 Uhland Road, Suite 113 in San Marcos. Phone: 396-7695.