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According to an Iowa Youth Survey, 16% of Iowa teens reported ever using marijuana. In Iowa, about 4% of young adults aged 18-25 misused prescription pain relievers, 5% used cocaine, and 34% of young adults used marijuana.
Experimenting with drugs is never safe and could have lifelong or even deadly consequences. All it takes is one time to become addicted or to overdose.
Don't put your life at risk and say no to drug use. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug misuse call, text or chat Your Life Iowa for free support. We are here to give you the knowledge and resources you need to understand unsafe drug use and where to find help if you or someone you know is misusing drugs.
Back to topSigns of problem drug use
- Withdrawal symptoms like feeling shaky, sick or restless
- Increase privacy or trying to hide their use
- Have tried quitting but can't
- Drug use interferes with school or work
- Give up things they used to enjoy doing
- Changes in physical appearance and/or poor hygiene
- Engaging in more risky sexual behaviors
Marijuana
Marijuana has become one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in the United States. Although it has been legalized in some states, marijuana is illegal in Iowa and at the federal level and poses many dangerous threats and side effects, especially for teens.
Research shows that frequent marijuana use before the age of 18 increases your chances of developing a physical dependence from 1 in 10 to 1 in 6. Regular marijuana use starting at a young age can also increase the chances of low IQ and experiencing mental health problems. Teens who use marijuana are less likely to graduate high school and get college degrees.
Driving while using marijuana is also illegal and extremely dangerous due to the fact it distorts perception, slows reaction time and impairs coordination. It could result in an OWI (operating while under the influence), limiting your ability to drive legally, get to work or school, and more.
Back to topPrescription drugs
Teens often misuse prescription drugs for many different reasons. Whatever the reason, taking prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription or taking more than the doctor recommended amount is dangerous.
Prescription stimulants increase brain activity and are oftentimes used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Side effects of these drugs are seizures, irregular heartbeat, decreased blood flow and even heart failure or cardiac arrest.
Prescription depressants are the opposite of stimulants; they slow brain activity. These drugs are prescribed to treat anxiety disorders, insomnia, and seizures. They are often abused due to their calming effects. Side effects of depressants include slowed breathing, low blood pressure, poor motor coordination, blurred vision and lightheadedness.
Back to topOpioids
Opioids are painkillers. Commonly known prescription opioids are morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone. Side effects of opioids include depression, confusion, slowed breathing, drowsiness, dizziness and nausea.
In one two-year period, adolescent fentanyl-related deaths increased by 350%. A study also found that fentanyl was associated with 77% of adolescent overdose deaths. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. It is often found in other drugs like marijuana, cocaine, fake pills and many more. You may not even realize a drug contains fentanyl until it's too late.
Call 911 immediately if you notice signs of a drug overdose in someone. Iowa's Good Samaritan law protects people from prosecution if they call emergency services as soon as they notice a drug overdose. There are other good resources to have when someone is experiencing an overdose, one of these being Naloxone or Narcan.
Naloxone is a medication used when someone is experiencing an opioid overdose. Naloxone saves lives. Naloxone can reverse an opioid overdose by binding to opioid receptors and blocking the effects of opioids. Learn how to recognize an opioid overdose, what to do in the event of an overdose.
Back to topMixing drugs & alcohol
Whether you're prescribed a medication that's unsafe to consume with alcohol, or you use illicit drugs while consuming alcohol for increased effects and longer nights partying they are equally dangerous. Even mixing alcohol with some over the counter medications is unsafe.
Mixing alcohol with certain drugs like Adderall or other stimulants dulls the effects of both drugs causing individuals to drink more, increasing the chances of an overdose. The dangers of mixing alcohol with stimulants otherwise known as “uppers” like Adderall, cocaine and meth could lead to heart attacks, stroke, brain injury and liver damage.
Always check with your doctor about any medications you're taking before consuming alcohol. Visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for a list of common medications and how they interact with alcohol consumption.
Back to topDrugged driving
Driving while misusing drugs is extremely dangerous and can also result in an OWI (operating while under the influence).
It's a common belief that driving while using marijuana is safe. 33% of Iowa teens think that driving while using marijuana is legal. Driving while using marijuana is illegal and extremely dangerous and can result in an OWI. In 2016 marijuana was detected in 51% of Iowa’s drug impaired fatal car crashes making it the most cited drug detected.
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