LEARN THE FACTS

Products: Chewing Tobacco, Cigarettes, Cigars, Dip,  Hookahs, Pouches, Snuff, and Vaping Devices

Nicotine, a highly addictive substance found in tobacco products and vaping devices, poses significant dangers to the body and brain. When consumed, nicotine can have detrimental effects on brain development, impairing cognitive function, attention, and memory and increasing the chance of developing depression and anxiety. Additionally, it can lead to an increased risk of addiction to not only nicotine but other substances.

Physically, nicotine raises blood pressure and heart rate, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and panic attacks. Long-term use can also result in respiratory issues like chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Moreover, nicotine has been linked to various cancers, including lung, throat, and esophageal cancer.

In 2020, 2,807 individuals were diagnosed with an e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) and there were 68 deaths attributed to that condition.

As the public became more aware of the dangers of smoking, cigarette sales started to decline. To maintain profits, tobacco companies began strategically marketing vaping and other forms of nicotine as safer alternatives to cigarettes, with little research into their safety. To make these new products appear harmless and appealing to hesitant consumers, manufacturers began introducing enticing flavors and colorful designs. These flavors and designs provided an additional benefit to tobacco companies- luring in youth to be the next generation of customers.

Since then, traditional forms of tobacco use have continued to become less and less common, while other forms of nicotine use continue to rise:

• Vapes continue to be the most used tobacco product among youth since 2014. Vape devices produce an aerosol that is inhaled and usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. The available flavors and designs continue to expand, appealing to even more consumers. Many vapes are now disposable and use a new form of nicotine called “salt nicotine,” which has twice the nicotine concentration. In addition to being addictive, vapes contain many dangerous chemicals that harm your heart and lungs and are known to cause cancer.
• Oral nicotine pouches and lozenges are becoming increasingly popular due to being smokeless. However, these products still have harmful side effects, including receding gum lines, mouth ulcers, soreness and irritation of the mouth, throat, and gums, digestive issues, nausea, and headaches.

Because vapes and other nicotine products are so new, there has been little research done on their long-term safety. Several generations of cigarette smokers passed before people began to understand the dangers of tobacco. Are you prepared to be a guinea pig for the tobacco industry’s newest money scheme?

Alcohol is a drug classified as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant, which means that drinking organs in the body. Alcohol is one of the most widely used substances in the world that affects how the brain works. When someone consumes large quantities of alcohol, especially more than the body can handle, the result is depressant effects.

The excessive use of alcohol can be harmful to yourself and others around you. Harmful use of alcohol can also result in negative health repercussions, social and economic burden on the individual, their family and society as a whole. A large amount of the disease burden credited to harmful alcohol consumption stems from unintentional and intentional injuries (i.e., traffic crashes, violence and suicides). Over consumption of alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning and potentially death. The risk of danger increases with alcohol consumption when used with other drugs, including medications as the outcomes are unpredictable.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are those that can be sold directly to people without a prescription. OTC medications are largely safe. They treat a variety of illnesses and their symptoms, including pain, coughs and colds, diarrhea, constipation, acne, and others. Some OTC medicines have active ingredients with the potential for misuse and abuse. They are powerful drugs that must be taken responsibly; otherwise they can negatively impact your health and lead to addiction, overdose, and death if used improperly.

Although OTC medicines are affordable, easily accessible, and effective does not necessarily mean they are harmless. The Federal Drug Administration counts 178,000 hospitalizations a year associated with nonprescription drug use or misuse. Some adverse effects include: impaired functioning, dizziness, confusion, nausea, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, impaired judgment, and decision-making.

The two most commonly used OTC medicines are Dextromethorphan (DXM), a cough suppressant, and Loperamide, an anti-diarrheal. Brand names of OTC medicines that include DXM are DayQuil, Nyquil, Delsym, Robitussin, etc. Brand names of OTC medicines that include Loperamide are Imodium, Pepto Diarrhea Control, Anti-Diarrheal, etc.

Marijuana, a drug classified as cannabis, refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. It contains close to 500 chemicals that may negatively impact health. THC acts on specific brain cell receptors that react to natural THC-like chemicals. These natural chemicals play a role in normal brain development and function. Marijuana effects areas of the brain that involve memory, concentration, perception and movement.

Marijuana is consumed in hand-rolled cigarettes, in pipes or water pipes, in blunts, and by using vaporizers that pull THC from the marijuana. In recent years, there has been an increase in marijuana consumption through edibles (such as brownies, cookies, and candy, or brewed as a tea). and extracts. These forms of marijuana use deliver a large amount of THC and can be potentially more dangerous.

Marijuana is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the United States, after alcohol. Its use is widespread among people of all ages. People ages 18-25 have the highest rate of use. Today’s marijuana is stronger than ever before, having three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. This is likely contributing to increased rates of marijuana-related emergency room visits.

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive. Research shows that:

• 1-in-6 people who start using the drug before the age of 18 can become addicted.
• 1-in-10 adults who use the drug can become addicted.

Illegal:

• It will remain illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to consume, purchase, or possess marijuana, or to attempt to consume, purchase or possess any amount of marijuana.
• Existing safety measures will remain in place, including prohibiting use of marijuana while driving a motor vehicle or while being a passenger in a motor vehicle being driven; possessing marijuana on school grounds, while operating a school bus, in a motor vehicle transporting passengers for hire, or in a commercial vehicle.
• It is illegal to consume marijuana in public.
• It will remain illegal for anyone to possess more than one ounce of marijuana. Individuals found guilty of possessing more than one ounce, but not more than one pound of marijuana are subject to a civil penalty of not more than $25. Individuals convicted of possessing more than one pound are guilty of a felony.
• It will remain illegal to distribute or sell marijuana, and/or to possess any amount of marijuana with the intent to distribute or sell it. This prohibition applies equally to businesses, which will not be permitted to sell, “gift,” or in any other way distribute marijuana.

Stimulants are a class of drugs that include illicitly produced drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and methcathinone as well as prescription drugs such as Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin and many others. These drugs result in increased activity within the body. When taking stimulants prescribed by a doctor they can make a person feel more awake, alert or energetic. (Doctors may find and prescribe alternative methods that do not include drugs)

When prescribed by a doctor for a specific health condition, stimulants can be relatively safe and effective but there is still a risk of dependence and addiction. When misused (taking more than the prescribed dose, taking someone else’s prescription, mixing your prescription with alcohol, etc.) the risk for dependence and addiction increases which could lead to a fatal or non-fatal overdose.

Methamphetamine usage is a growing concern in Southwest and Central Virginia. It is a powerful and highly addictive stimulant that affects the part of the body that involves breathing, walking, thinking, and feeling. Also known as meth, it takes the form of a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Methamphetamine comes in several forms and can be smoked, snorted, injected, or orally ingested.

Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many negative consequences, including addiction. In addition to being addicted to methamphetamine, people who use methamphetamine long term may exhibit symptoms that can include significant anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior.

Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine and many others. These drugs are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain.

Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time, as prescribed, and monitored by a doctor.  However because they can produce euphoria in addition to pain relief, they have a high risk for misuse (taken in a different way or in a larger quantity than prescribed, or taken without a doctor’s prescription). Regular use—even as prescribed by a doctor—can lead to dependence. When misused, opioid pain relievers can lead to overdose emergencies and deaths. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

• In 2021, Fentanyl accounted for 2,033 overdose deaths in Virginia. This represents 76.5% of all overdoses in Virginia.
• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is potentially lethal in small amounts, making it a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in unsuspecting users. In fact, only 2mg of fentanyl – about the size of a grain of salt – can be lethal. Government health officials and law enforcement have warned that it is so deadly that even touching it is enough to cause an overdose.
• Fentanyl may be prescribed by a doctor to treat severe pain, post-surgery pain, or advanced-stage cancer. However, Fentanyl is also illicitly made and distributed through street drug markets for its heroin-like effects.
• It is commonly mixed in other drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and even marijuana to increase profits for illegal drug traffickers.
• Illicitly manufactured fentanyl can come in different forms such as liquid or powder. The powder form is most common and looks very similar to other illegal substances that are white and powder-like. In liquid form, fentanyl has been known to be mixed into eye drops, nasal sprays, or onto paper candies.
• Counterfeit pills have become increasingly more common in recent years, resulting in an increase in overdose deaths. Counterfeit pills are pressed and laced with fentanyl to resemble other prescription medications.
• Fentanyl laced drugs are extremely dangerous, and many people are unaware that their drugs are, in fact, laced with lethal amounts of fentanyl. Drugs that contain deadly amounts of fentanyl are undetectable by the average person unless it is tested in a lab. You cannot see it, taste it or smell it.
• If you suspect someone is suffering from a fentanyl overdose it is crucial that you act quickly. The most important step is to call 911 so that the person can receive immediate medical attention. See ‘Risk of Overdose’ section.
• Also, if you believe that you have found something that could possibly be contaminated with fentanyl, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or contact your local Law Enforcement so they can properly dispose of the substance.

Why Do People Overdose?

Opioid overdose can occur when a patient misunderstands the directions for use, accidentally takes an extra dose, or deliberately misuses a prescription opioid or any illicit drug such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamines, etc.  Also at risk is the person who takes medications prescribed for someone else, as is the individual who combines drugs — prescribed or illicit — with alcohol, certain other medications and even some over-the-counter products that depress breathing, heart rate and other functions of the central nervous system.

With opioids, overdoses occur because there are too many opioids in the body. When this occurs the victim is not responsive to touches (sternum rub), being shook, loud sounds, and their breathing is extremely slow or they are not breathing at all. If the victim is not breathing or having difficulty breathing, this can cause oxygen levels in the blood to decrease and the victim’s lips and fingers will turn blue. These effects can lead to coma, unconsciousness, and/or death.

With stimulants, overdoses occur because there are too many stimulants within the body. Stimulant drugs raise heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and speed up breathing. All of these reactions to the stimulant drug can lead to stroke, heart attack and/or death.

Medication Drop Boxes

Medication take-back programs are a good way to safely dispose of most types of unneeded medications. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and our local law enforcement agencies periodically hosts Prescription Drug Take-Back events (typically in April and October) where collection sites are set up in our local communities for safe disposal of prescription drugs. Several of our local law enforcement agencies also have medication drop boxes at the police/sheriff’s departments that can be accessed anytime during regular business hours. For more information, please contact your local law enforcement agency.