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NCSL Substance Abuse Snapshot

Matthew Gever, Staff Writer
Allison Colker, Editor

April 15, 2008

Emerging Issues

Using Prescriptions on the Job
Performance-enhancing drugs are no longer just for athletes. One in five science professionals is using a prescription drug on the job for non-medical purposes according to a recent survey in the journal Nature.  The respondents, mostly scientists and engineers, claimed to use prescriptions such as methylphenidate (Ritalin) and modafinil (Provigil) to improve focus, concentration or memory. Use was most common among those 35 and under and those age 55-65. Frequency of use was split faily evenly among respondents between daily, weekly monthly and yearly use. About half of respondents reported negative side ffects including headaches, jitteriness, anxiety and sleeplessness, leading some to discontinue use.

Source: “Poll Results: Look Who's Doping,” Nature, No 452, 674-675 (2008), accessed at: http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080409/full/452674a.html.

Pre-Natal Substance Abuse and Children’s Brains
Children born to women who used cocaine, alcohol or tobacco during pregnancy can end up with altered brain structures well into childhood, according to a new report in the Journal Pediatrics.  In the study, researchers from the Harvard and Boston University schools of medicine and public health gave MRI exams to children age 10-14 with and without pre-natal exposure to these drugs. Overall, the researchers found that children with exposure had smaller brains, both in terms of gray matter and overall brain volume. Those exposed to more than one substance had the highest reductions in brain volume. The study’s authors told Health Day News that the study so far was too small to discern statistically significant effects of single substances, but still find the results highly suggestive and plan to continue this research.

Drug Specific Issues

Stimulants and Teen Behavioral Problems
Teens who used stimulants for non-medical reasons were more likely to engage in a series of other delinquent behaviors, according to a new SAMHSA report. About half a million adolescents ages 12 to 17 have used a stimulant non-medically in the past year, with rates of use ranging from 0.7 percent of 12-13 years olds to 3.3 percent for 16-17 year olds. Violent episodes such as fights with others or attacking someone were especially common. Teenagers who used stimulant were also considerably more likely to experience a major depressive episode than teens who did not use.

Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 Engaging in Delinquent Behaviors in the Past Year, by Past Year Nonmedical Stimulant Use: 2005 and 2006

Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 with Past Year Major Depressive Episode (MDE), by Past Year Nonmedical Stimulant Use: 2005 and 2006

Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The NSDUH Report:  Nonmedical Stimulant Use, Other Drug Use, Delinquent Behaviors, and Depression among Adolescents. Accessed at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k8/stimulants/depression.pdf

Youth Binge Drinking Worse Than Thought
Young adults having 21 drinks to celebrate their 21^st birthdays is more common than previously thought, according to a story on The Today Show. The story picked up on a study from the University of Missouri which tracked the drinking habits of 2,518 college students and found that 34 percent of men and 24 percent of women claimed to have imbibed 21 drinks to celebrate their new legal status, with the drinks generally being shots of hard liquor. Researchers estimate that consumption of this magnitude can lead to blood alcohol levels of 0.26 or higher, which can cause the respiratory system to slow down to a death-inducing level. The study also points out that the 21 ritual is spreading thanks in part to other revelers who after attempting this feat, posted videos of the binge on YouTube or various social networking sites. On a brighter side, another study referenced in the article found that students who were given web-based information on the perils of binging ended-up drinking less than students who did not receive the information.

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