Student Health Services at Moffitt Health Center
Alcohol and Other Drugs
Page Content
If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, know that you have resources on campus. The Resources for Improving Student Well-being is a great tool to help, too!
Also, be aware of the Alcohol Policy we have here at Southern Miss and make responsible choices.
Alcohol
Your body can eliminate about ONE alcoholic drink per hour.
What is a Standard Drink?
Beer: 12 oz Wine: 4 oz Liquor: 1.25 oz (80 proof)
Consider the Following:
- Know the Strength - Proof
- Know the Amount - Ounces
- Know the Time - Consumption Rate
Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) - the measure of the amount of alcohol in a person's blood.
6 Factors Influencing Intoxication Rate and BAC
Size - Smaller people and people with more body fat tend to become intoxicated faster than larger people or people with more muscle mass.
Gender - Women have more body fat than men and tend to become intoxicated more quickly.
Rate of Consumption - How fast are you drinking? Gulping and chugging can lead to intoxication sooner than those who sip or drink slower.
Strength of Drink - Know how much alcohol is in your drink, especially if drinking a mixed drink. Carbonated beverages speed up the absorption rate of alcohol by your body. Energy drinks (a stimulant) can mask the effects of alcohol (a depressant) and should never be mixed with alcohol.
Alcohol and Energy Drinks - Energy drinks consumed with alcohol heightens the buzz and the crash that typically occurs with alcohol consumption. This can lead to alcohol poisoning, alcohol related accidents, and even death.
Drug Use - Mixing alcohol with other drugs, even over-the-counter medications, can be dangerous.
Food Intake - Eat before and while you're drinking. This will help your body absorb the alcohol and slow down how quickly you become intoxicated.
Before you take your first sip, keep the following in mind:
- Don't let drinking get out of control.
- Set a limit before you start drinking. More than 4 drinks for women and 5
drinks for men per sitting is usually considered binge drinking - Pace your drinks.
- Drink non-alcoholic drinks between alcoholic drinks.
- Don't accept a drink if you don't know what is in it.
- Never leave your drink unattended.
- Avoid pre-gaming and drinking games.
- Never ride in a vehicle with someone who has been drinking!
Learn more with Alcohol Use and Your Health and make the decision to act responsibly.
Moderate Alcohol Consumption
- Defined as 1 drink per day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men.
Binge Drinking is defined as:
- a pattern of drinking that brings BAC levels to 0.08g/dL
- 4 or more drinks for women and 5 or more drinks for men on the same occasion at least 1 day in the past month
- increases the risk for alcohol poisoning, alcohol related accidents, and deaths
Binge drinking is most common among younger adults aged 18-34 years, but is reported across lifespan. The prevalence of binge drinking among men is twice that among women.
Heavy Alcohol Use
- Defined as binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.
No matter the setting, always be aware and know the signs of alcohol poisoning.
Think CUPS:
C - Cold, clammy, pale, or bluish skin
U - Unresponsive, unconsciousness or semi-consciousness
P - Puking
S - Slowed or irregular breathing
Other signs to be aware of: mental confusion, a strong odor of alcohol
- Call 911.
- Try to wake the person.
- Turn the person on his or her side to prevent the person from choking on vomit.
- Do not leave the person.
- Seek medical attention.
The legal drinking age is 21.
Penalties for underage drinking include:- Fines up to $500.
- Suspended license.
- Community service.
- Alcohol Awareness course.
- Violation remains on your record.
- $250-$1,000 fine.
- 48 hour imprisonment.
- Complete Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program.
- Suspended license for up to one year.
*Penalties more severe for additional conviction.
Social Host Law
Misdemeanor charges may be filed against anyone who owns or leases a private residence or private premises and knowingly allows a party to take place or continue at the residence or premises where a minor attending the party obtains, possesses, or consumes beer, light wine, or alcoholic beverages.
Violation of the Social Host Law is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail. This law is not limited to underage drinking that takes place in a home, but also applies to gatherings such as bon fires or on private properties like camps and/or lake houses.
Mouth and Esophagus: Alcohol is an irritant to the delicate linings of the throat and esophagus. It burns as it goes down.
Stomach and intestines: Alcohol has an irritating effect on the stomach's protective lining, resulting in gastric ulcers. This can lead to vomiting. About 20% is absorbed in the stomach and about 80% in the small intestine. In the small intestine, alcohol blocks absorption of such substances as thiamine, folic acid, fat, vitamin B1, vitamin B12, and amino acids.
How fast the alcohol is absorbed depends on several things:
- The concentration of alcohol in the beverage- the greater the concentration, the faster the absorption.
- The type of drink- carbonated beverages tend to speed up the absorption of alcohol.
- Whether the stomach is full or empty- food slows down alcohol absorption.
After absorption, the alcohol enters the bloodstream and dissolves in the water of the blood. The blood carries the alcohol throughout the body. The alcohol from the blood then enters and dissolves in the water inside each tissue of the body (except fat tissue, as alcohol cannot dissolve in fat). Once inside the tissues, alcohol exerts its effects on the body. The observed effects depend directly on the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) which is related to the amount of alcohol consumed. The BAC can rise significantly within 20 minutes after having a drink.
Bloodstream: 95% of alcohol taken into the body is absorbed into the bloodstream. Alcohol causes the red blood cells to clump together in sticky wads, slowing circulation and depriving tissues of oxygen. Alcohol slows the ability of white cells to engulf and destroy bacteria and degenerates the clotting ability of blood platelets.
Once absorbed by the bloodstream, the alcohol leaves the body in three ways:
- The kidneys eliminate 5% of alcohol in the urine.
- The lungs exhale 5% of alcohol which can be detected by Breathalyzer devices.
- The liver chemicals break down the remaining alcohol into acetic acid.
As a rule of thumb, an average person can eliminate .5 oz. of alcohol per hour. So it would take approximately one hour to eliminate the alcohol from a 12 oz. can of beer.
The BAC increases when the body absorbs alcohol faster than it can eliminate it. So, because the body can only eliminate about one dose of alcohol per hour, drinking several drinks in an hour will increase your BAC much more.
Other Drugs
| Drug | Cocaine |
| Description | A powerfully addictive stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant native to South America. |
| Street Names | Blow, Bump, C, Candy, Charlie, Coke, Crack, Flake, Rock, Snow, Toot |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Narrowed blood vessels; enlarged pupils; increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; headache; abdominal pain and nausea; euphoria; increased energy, alertness; insomnia, restlessness; anxiety; erratic and violent behavior, panic attacks, paranoia, psychosis; heart rhythm problems, heart attack; stroke, seizure, coma. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Loss of sense of smell, nosebleeds, nasal damage, and trouble swallowing from snorting; infection and death of bowel tissue from decreased blood flow; poor nutrition and weight loss from decreased appetite. |
|
Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol |
Greater risk of overdose and sudden death from either drug alone. |
| Drug | Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) |
| Description |
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up Powdered fentanyl looks just like many other drugs. It is commonly mixed with drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine and made into pills that are made to resemble other prescription opioids. In its liquid form, IMF can be found in nasal sprays, eye drops, and dropped onto paper or small candies. Courtesy CDC: Fentanyl Facts |
| Street Names | Apache, Dance Fever, Friend, Goodfellas, Jackpot, Murder 8, Tango & Cash |
| Fentanyl and Overdose |
Even in small doses, fentanyl can be deadly. Drugs may contain deadly levels of fentanyl,
and you wouldn’t be able to see it, taste it, or smell it. It is nearly impossible
to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl unless you test your drugs with fentanyl Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose can save a life. Here are some things
If you suspect overdosing, call 911 |
| Drug | Heroin |
| Description | An opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance extracted from the seed pod of various opium poppy plants. |
| Street Names |
Brown sugar, China White, Chiva Dope, H, Horse, Junk, Skag, Skunk, Smack, White Horse With OTC nighttime cold medicine: Cheese
With Marijuana: A Bomb
|
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Euphoria; dry mouth; itching; nausea; vomiting; analgesia; slowed breathing and heart rate. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Collapsed veins; abscesses (swollen tissue with pus); infection of the lining and valves in the heart; constipation and stomach cramps; liver or kidney disease. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Dangerous slowdown of heart rate and breathing, coma, death. |
| Drug | Inhalants |
| Description | Solvents, aerosols, and gases found in household products such as spray paints, markers, glues, and cleaning fluids; also prescription nitrites. |
| Street Names | Air blast, Aimies, Bullets, Laughing gas, Moon gas, Oz, Poppers, Snappers, Snotballs, Toilet Water, Whippets, Whiteout |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Confusion; nausea; slurred speech; lack of coordination; euphoria; dizziness; drowsiness;disinhibition,
lightheadedness, hallucinations/delusions; headaches; sudden sniffing death due to
heart failure (from butane, propane, and other chemicals in aerosols); death from
asphyxiation, suffocation, convulsions or seizures, coma, or choking.
sensation of heat and excitement, dizziness, headache. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Liver and kidney damage; bone marrow damage; limb spasms due to nerve damage; brain
damage from lack of oxygen that can cause problems with thinking, movement, vision,
and hearing.
|
| Drug | LSD |
| Description | A hallucinogen manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains. LSD is an abbreviation of the scientific name lysergic acid diethylamide. |
| Street Names | Acid, Blotter, Boomers, Cid, Golden Dragon, Looney Tunes, Lucy Mae, Microdots, Tabs, Yellow Sunshine |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Rapid emotional swings; distortion of a person’s ability to recognize reality, think rationally, or communicate with others; raised blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature; dizziness; loss of appetite; tremors; enlarged pupils. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Frightening flashbacks (called Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder [HPPD]); ongoing visual disturbances, disorganized thinking, paranoia, and mood swings. |
| Drug | Marijuana (Cannabis) |
| Description | Marijuana is made from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main psychoactive (mind-altering) chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. |
| Street Names |
420, Blunt, Bud, Doobie, Dope, Ganja, Grass, Green, Herb, Joint, Mary Jane, Pot,
Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Smoke, Stinkweed, Trees, Weed,
Hashish: Boom, Gangster, Hash, Hemp
Concentrates: Budder, Crumble, Shatter, Wax
In food: Edibles
Added to hollowed out cigar: Blunt
|
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Enhanced sensory perception and euphoria followed by drowsiness/relaxation; slowed reaction time; problems with balance and coordination; increased heart rate and appetite; problems with learning and memory; anxiety. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Mental health problems, chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Increased heart rate, blood pressure; further slowing of mental processing and reaction time. |
| Drug | MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly) |
| Description | A synthetic, psychoactive drug that has similarities to both the stimulant amphetamine
and the hallucinogen mescaline. MDMA is an abbreviation of the scientific name 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine. |
| Street Names | Adam, E, X, XTC, Beans, Candy, Ebomb, Thizz, Love Drug, Molly, Rolls, Skittles, Sweets, Vitamin E or X. |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Lowered inhibition; enhanced sensory perception; increased heart rate and blood pressure; muscle tension; nausea; faintness; chills or sweating; sharp rise in body temperature leading to kidney failure or death. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Long-lasting confusion, depression, problems with attention, memory, and sleep; increased anxiety, impulsiveness; less interest in sex. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | MDMA decreases some of alcohol’s effects. Alcohol can increase plasma concentrations of MDMA, which may increase the risk of neurotoxic effects. |
| Drug | Methamphetamine |
| Description | An extremely addictive stimulant amphetamine drug. |
| Street Names |
Crank, Chalk, Crystal, Dunk, Gak, Ice, Meth,
Pookie, Quartz, Rocket Fuel, Scooby Snax, Speed, Trash With cocaine: Croak, Shabu
With MDMA: Hugs and Kisses, Party and
Play (P&P) |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Increased wakefulness and physical activity; decreased appetite; increased breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature; irregular heartbeat. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood problems, violent behavior, paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, weight loss, severe dental problems ("meth mouth"), intense itching leading to skin sores from scratching. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Masks the depressant effect of alcohol, increasing risk of alcohol overdose; may increase blood pressure. |
| Drug | PCP |
| Description | A dissociative drug developed as an intravenous anesthetic that has been discontinued due to serious adverse effects. Dissociative drugs are hallucinogens that cause the user to feel detached from reality. PCP is an abbreviation of the scientific name, phencyclidine. |
| Street Names |
Angel Dust, Embalming fluid, Hog, Rocket Fuel, Sherms,
Mixed with marijuana: Zoom
|
| Possible Short-term Health Effects |
Delusions, hallucinations, paranoia, problems thinking, a sense of distance from one’s
environment, anxiety.
Low doses: slight increase in breathing rate; increased blood pressure and heart rate;
shallow breathing; face redness and sweating; numbness of the hands or feet; problems
with movement.
High doses: nausea; vomiting; flicking up and down of the eyes; drooling; loss of
balance; dizziness; violence; seizures, coma, and death.
|
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Memory loss, problems with speech and thinking, loss of appetite, anxiety. |
Pain relievers with an origin similar to that of heroin. Opioids can cause euphoria and are often used nonmedically, leading to overdose deaths.
| Street Name | Commercial Name |
|
Captain Cody, Coties, Schoolboy,
With soft drinks/candy: Lean, Sizzurp, Purple Drank
With hypnotic sedatives: Doors & Fours, Loads, Pancakes and Syrup
|
Codeine (various brand names) |
|
Apache, Blonde, Blue Diamond, Blue Diamond, China Buffet, China White, Snowflake,
Humid, Jackpot, Murder 8,
Tango and Cash, TNT, White Ladies, With heroin: Birria
With heroin pills: Facebook
|
Fentanyl (Actiq®, Duragesic®, Sublimaze®) |
|
Vikes, Veeks, Idiot Pills, Scratch, 357s,
Lemonade, Bananas, Dones, Droco, Lorries, With valium and vodka: Triple V
|
Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone (Vicodin®, Norco®, Zohydro®, and others) |
| D, Dillies, K4, Needle Candy, | Hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) |
| Demmies, Pain Killer | Meperidine (Demerol®) |
|
Amidone, Biscuits, Fizzies, Jungle Juice,
Maria, Wafer With MDMA: Chocolate Chip Cookies |
Methadone (Dolophine®, Methadose®) |
| Dreamer, First Line, Joy Juice, Morpho, Miss Emma, Monkey, White Stuff, Mister Blue, Unkie |
Morphine (Duramorph®, MS Contin®) |
| 30s, 40s, 512s, Oxy, Beans, Blues, Buttons, Cotton, Hillbilly Heroin Kickers, Killers, Percs, Roxy |
Oxycodone (OxyContin®, Percodan®, Percocet®, and others) |
| Biscuits, Blue Heaven, Blues, Mrs. O, O Bomb, Octagons, Stop Signs |
Oxymorphone (Opana®) |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Pain relief, drowsiness, nausea, constipation, euphoria, slowed breathing, death. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Increased risk of overdose or addiction if misused. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Dangerous slowing of heart rate and breathing leading to coma or death. |
Medications that slow brain activity, which makes them useful for treating anxiety and sleep problems.
| Street Name | Commercial Name |
| Barbs, Dolls, Phennies, Red/BlueBirds, Tooties, Yellow Jackets, Yellows | Barbiturates: pentobarbital (Nembutal®) |
| Benzos, Downers, Poles, Tranks, Totem Z-Bars, Vs, Yellow/Blue Zs, Zannies | Benzodiazepines: alprazolam (Xanax®), chlorodiazepoxide (Librium®), diazepam (Valium®), lorazepam (Ativan®), triazolam (Halicon®) |
| Forget-me pill, Looney Bar, Mexican Valium, R2, Roche, Tic-Tacs, Sleepeasy, Symphony, Zombie flip | Sleep Medications: eszopiclone (Lunesta®), zaleplon (Sonata®), zolpidem (Ambien®) |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Drowsiness, slurred speech, poor concentration, confusion, dizziness, problems with movement and memory, lowered blood pressure, slowed breathing. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Unknown. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Further slows heart rate and breathing, which can lead to death. |
Medications that increase alertness, attention, energy, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.
| Street Name | Commercial Name |
| Addys, Bennies, Beans, Black Beauties, Crosses, Hearts, Ivy League Drug, Pep Pills, Speed, Truck Drivers, Uppers |
Amphetamine (Adderall®) |
| Diet Coke, JIF, Kiddie Coke, MPH, R-Ball, RPop, Skippy, Study Buddies , The Smart Drug, Vitamin R |
Methylphenidate (Concerta®, Ritalin®) |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Increased alertness, attention, energy; increased blood pressure and heart rate; narrowed
blood vessels; increased blood sugar; opened-up breathing passages. High doses: dangerously high body temperature and irregular heartbeat; heart disease; seizures. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Heart problems, psychosis, anger, paranoia. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Masks the depressant action of alcohol, increasing risk of alcohol overdose; may increase blood pressure. |
| Drug | Rohypnol® (Flunitrazepam) |
| Description | A benzodiazepine chemically similar to prescription sedatives such as Valium® and
Xanax®. Teens and young adults tend to misuse this drug at bars, nightclubs, concerts, and parties. It has been used to commit sexual assaults due to its ability to sedate and incapacitate unsuspecting victims. |
| Street Names | Circles, Date Rape Drug, Forget-Me Pill, La Rocha, Mexican Valium, Mind Eraser, Pingus,
R2, Rib, Variations of: Roaches, Roapies, Rochas Dos, Roofies, Rope, Rophies, Rowie, Ruffies |
| Commercial Names | Flunitrazepam, Rohypnol® |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Drowsiness, sedation, sleep; amnesia, blackout; decreased anxiety; muscle relaxation,
impaired reaction time and motor coordination; impaired mental functioning and judgment;
confusion; aggression; excitability; slurred speech; headache; slowed breathing and heart rate. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Unknown. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Severe sedation, unconsciousness, and slowed heart rate and breathing, which can lead
to death. |
| Drug | Steroids (Anabolic) |
| Description | Man-made substances used to treat conditions caused by low levels of steroid hormones
in the body and misused to enhance athletic and sexual performance and physical appearance. |
| Street Names | Gear, Gym Candy, Juice, Pumpers, Roids, Stacking |
|
Commercial Names
|
Nandrolone (Oxandrin®), oxandrolone (Anadrol®), oxymetholone (Anadrol-50®),
testosterone cypionate (Depo-testosterone®)
|
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Builds muscles, improved athletic performance. Acne, fluid retention (especially in the hands and feet), oily skin, yellowing of the skin, infection. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Kidney damage or failure; liver damage; high blood pressure, enlarged heart, or changes in cholesterol leading to increased risk of stroke or heart attack, even in young people; aggression; extreme mood swings; anger ("roid rage"); extreme irritability; delusions; impaired judgment. |
| Possible Health Effects if used with Alcohol | Increased risk of violent behavior. |
| Drug | Synthetic Cannabinoids |
| Description | A wide variety of herbal mixtures containing man-made cannabinoid chemicals related to THC in marijuana but often much stronger and more dangerous. Sometimes misleadingly called "synthetic marijuana" and marketed as a "natural," "safe," legal alternative to marijuana. |
| Street Names | Black Mamba, Bliss, Bombay Blue, Fake Weed, Fire, Genie, K-2, Moon Rocks, Solar Flare, Skunk, Smacked, Spice, Yucatan, Zohai |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Increased heart rate; vomiting; agitation; confusion; hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia; increased blood pressure. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Unknown. |
| Drug | Tobacco (and Nicotine) |
| Description | Tobacco is a plant grown for its leaves, which are dried and fermented before use. Tobacco contains nicotine, an addictive chemical. Nicotine is sometimes extracted from the plant and is used in vaping devices. |
| Street Names |
Cigarettes/Cigars: Butts, Cancer sticks,
Ciggys, Cigs, Coffin nails, Smokes, Stogies, Stokes Cigar hollowed out with marijuana added: Blunt Vaping: Cig-A-Like, EHookah, E-Juice, JUULing, vape pens, mods |
| Commercial Names | Multiple brand names. |
| Possible Short-term Health Effects | Increased blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate. Exposes lungs to a variety of chemicals. Vaping also exposes lungs to metallic vapors created by heating the coils in the device. |
| Possible Long-term Health Effects | Greatly increased risk of cancer, especially lung cancer when smoked, and oral cancers when chewed; chronic bronchitis; emphysema; heart disease; leukemia; cataracts; pneumonia |
Drug information found above adapted from National Institute on Drug Abuse - Commonly Used Drugs Chart.
Drug Abuse and Addiction
Addiction is a brain disease. People from all backgrounds can get an addiction. Though an addiction can start at any age, chances of addiction are higher when a person starts using drugs when they're young..
- Drugs alter how the brain works.
- Changes to the brain from drug use can last for a long time.
- Changes to the brain brought on by drug use can cause problems like mood swings, memory loss, difficulty thinking, and difficulty making decisions.
Adapted from What is an Addiction?
People with drug problems might not act like they used to.
They might:
- change their friends a lot
- spend a lot of time alone
- choose not to spend time with family and friends like they used to
- lose interest in their favorite things
- not take care of themselves—for example, not take showers, change clothes, or
- brush their teeth
- be really tired and sad
- have changes in eating habits (eating more or eating less)
- be very energetic, talk fast, or say things that don't make sense
- be in a bad mood
- quickly change between feeling bad and feeling good
- sleep at strange hours
- miss important appointments
- have problems at work or at school
- have problems in personal or family relationships
It’s hard for people with an addiction to stop taking the drug on their own. They might try to stop taking the drug and then feel really sick. Then they might take the drug again to stop feeling sick. They might need help to stop using drugs.
Drug treatment can help.
Acquired from Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse.