Alcohol and Drug Information

Alcohol abuse is a pattern of problem drinking that results in health consequences, social, problems, or both. However, alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, refers to a disease that is characterized by abnormal alcohol-seeking behavior that leads to impaired control over drinking.

💡 What is Caffeine?

Caffeine is a stimulant that affects your central nervous system. It’s commonly found in:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Energy drinks
• Soda
• Pre-workout supplements
• Chocolate

✅ Safe Caffeine Intake

For most healthy adults:

• Up to 400 mg per day is considered safe
  (about 3–4 cups of coffee)

For adolescents and young adults:

• Aim for no more than 100–200 mg per day

Common Caffeine Amounts:

• Brewed coffee (8 oz): ~95 mg
• Energy drink (8 oz): 80–200 mg
• Soda (12 oz): 30–50 mg
• Tea (8 oz): 40–70 mg

⚠️ Be mindful: energy drinks and pre-workout supplements can contain high and sometimes unregulated amounts of caffeine.

⚠️ Dangers of Too Much Caffeine

High caffeine intake can lead to:

• Increased heart rate (palpitations)
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Sleep disruption and insomnia
• Dehydration
• Headaches
• Digestive issues

In rare but serious cases, excessive caffeine consumption can cause:

• Cardiac arrhythmias
• Seizures
• Medical emergencies requiring hospitalization

🚨 Signs You’ve Had Too Much Caffeine

Pay attention to your body. Symptoms of excessive caffeine intake include:

Mild to Moderate:

• Jitters or shakiness
• Restlessness
• Rapid heartbeat
• Trouble sleeping
• Upset stomach

More Serious Symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Severe anxiety or panic
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat

👉 If you experience severe symptoms, seek medical care immediately.

😴 Caffeine & Sleep

Caffeine can stay in your system for 6–8 hours (or longer).

Tips:

• Avoid caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime
• Limit late afternoon/evening intake
• Poor sleep = lower academic performance, mood changes, and weakened immunity

🏋️‍♂️ Energy Drinks & Supplements

Be cautious with:

• Energy drinks
• Pre-workout powders
• “Energy shots”

These may:

• Contain very high caffeine levels
• Include additional stimulants
• Increase risk of adverse effects when combined with alcohol

⚠️ Mixing caffeine with alcohol can mask intoxication and increase risk-taking behaviors.

💧 Healthier Alternatives for Energy

Instead of relying on caffeine:

• Stay hydrated 💧
• Get 7–9 hours of sleep 💤
• Eat balanced meals 🍎
• Take short movement breaks 🚶
• Try brief naps (20–30 minutes)

🧠 Tips for Smart Caffeine Use

• Track your daily intake
• Read labels carefully
• Avoid combining multiple caffeine sources
• Start low and go slow
• Listen to your body

📍 When to Seek Help

Contact Student Health Services if you:

• Experience frequent palpitations or anxiety related to caffeine
• Have trouble sleeping regularly
• Use caffeine to cope with fatigue or stress
• Have questions about safe use

📢 Quick Takeaway

Caffeine can be helpful—but more is not better.
Use it wisely to support your health, not harm it.

 

Although many people smoke because they believe cigarettes calm their nerves, smoking releases epinephrine, a hormone which creates physiological stress in the smoker, rather than relaxation. The use of tobacco is addictive. Most users develop tolerance for nicotine and need greater amounts to produce a desired effect. Smokers become physically and psychologically dependent and will suffer withdrawal symptoms including: changes in body temperature, heart rate, digestion, muscle tone, and appetite. Psychological symptoms include: irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbances, nervousness, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and cravings for tobacco that can last days, weeks, months, years, or an entire lifetime.

Risks associated with smoking cigarettes:

• diminished or extinguished sense of smell and taste
• frequent colds
• smoker's cough
• gastric ulcers
• chronic bronchitis
• increase in heart rate and blood pressure
• premature and more abundant face wrinkles
• emphysema
• heart disease
• stroke
• cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, lungs, pancreas, cervix, uterus, and bladder

Cigarette smoking is perhaps the most devastating preventable cause of disease and premature death.

Smoking is particularly dangerous for teens because their bodies are still developing and changing and the 4,000 chemicals (including 200 known poisons) in cigarette smoke can adversely affect this process.

Cigarettes are highly addictive. One-third of young people who are just "experimenting" end up being addicted by the time they are 20.

For information about smoking cessation go to: The Wellness Center

Cocaine is a white powder that comes from the leaves of the South American coca plant. Cocaine is either "snorted" through the nasal passages or injected intravenously. Cocaine belongs to a class of drugs known as stimulants, which tend to give a temporary illusion of limitless power and energy that leave the user feeling depressed, edgy, and craving more. Crack is a smokeable form of cocaine that has been chemically altered. Cocaine and crack are highly addictive. This addiction can erode physical and mental health and can become so strong that these drugs dominate all aspects of an addict's life.

Some users spend hundred or thousands of dollars on cocaine and crack each week and will do anything to support their habit. Many turn to drug selling, prostitution, or other crimes.

Cocaine and crack use has been a contributing factor in a number of drownings, car crashes, falls, burns, and suicides.

Cocaine and crack addicts often become unable to function sexually.

Even first time users may experience seizures or heart attacks, which can be fatal.

Drugged drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) contain any variety of drugs, narcotics, or harmful substances. These drugs are often scentless, colorless, and tasteless and placed in drinks of unsuspecting individuals. Drugs slipped in drinks commonly possess, but are not limited to, Rohypnol, GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyric acid) or Ketamine.

Symptoms:

Drugged drinks often cause a number of dangerous symptoms, so get help immediately if you, or someone you are with, experiences the following:

• Feelings of paralysis
• Loss of body control
• Loss of motor skills
• Numbness
• Vomiting
• Gaps in short-term memory

Get help immediately if you, or someone you are with, experiences these symptoms – they are indicative of someone who may have consumed a drugged drink. 

Safety Precautions:

In order to help keep yourself and those around you safe from drugged drinks:

• Be sure that any drinks that are served to you are given to you directly by a bartender or server.
• Do not allow strangers or people you do not trust order drinks for you or your friends.
• Keep an eye on your drink at all times.
• Keep your hand over the drink if you’re not looking at it.
• Pay attention to your friends’ behavior and safety – especially if they are intoxicated.

Drugged drinks are commonly associated with off-campus parties, but issues can occur at local bars, restaurants, and other less-suspecting places as well. When in public settings with alcohol present, it is important that you be aware of any uncharacteristic behavior from friends or acquaintances.

Get Help:

If you observe anyone who appears to be in distress, wandering alone at night, or in an uncommon place, call 9-1-1 immediately. You will not get in any trouble for reporting this, SU’s Code of Community Standards includes an amnesty clause – the Responsible Action Protocol – that is designed to encourage students to call for help when they, or anyone else, needs it. 

For additional resources and support, consider discussing drug and alcohol related abuse, concerns, and safety with a trained professional at the Counseling Center or a Student Health Services staff member.

Ecstasy is an illegal synthetic, or designer, drug. Designer drugs mimic an already illegal drug by slightly altering the chemical composition. Ecstasy is also called MDMA, which stands for methylenedioxymethamphetamine. The amount of MDMA needed to get "high" is close to the toxic dose. Ecstasy is similar to methamphetamine and MDA, which is another designer drug in it's chemistry; therefore it may have similar affects to other amphetamines. Ecstasy acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system. Ecstasy can be found in a capsule or pill form, of various colors. It may also be in powder form. Ecstasy is commonly used at "rave" party settings. "Raves" are all night parties known for their dance music and drug experimentation. Other names for ecstasy are wonder drug and XTC.

Ecstasy can deplete as much as 90% of the brain's serotonin supply with two weeks of use. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter in the brain, which controls activities such as regulating aggression, thinking, sleeping, eating, sensitivity to pain, and mood.

Psychological Effects

• Confusion.
• Depression.
• Sleep problems.
• Anxiety.
• Paranoia.
• Hallucinations.
• Panic.
• Psychotic episodes.

Hallucinogenic drugs are substances that distort the perception of objective reality. The most well-known hallucinogens include phencyclidine, otherwise known as PCP, angel dust, or loveboat; lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly known as LSD or acid; mescaline and peyote; and psilocybin, or "magic" mushrooms. Under the influence of hallucinogens, the senses of direction, distance, and time become disoriented. These drugs can produce unpredictable, erratic, and violent behavior in users that sometimes leads to serious injuries and death. The effect of hallucinogens can last for 12 hours.

LSD produces tolerance, so that users who take the drug repeatedly must take higher and higher doses in order to achieve the same state of intoxication. This is extremely dangerous, given the unpredictability of the drug, and can result in increased risk of convulsions, coma, heart and lung failure, and even death.

Everyone reacts differently to hallucinogens--there's no way to predict if you can avoid a "bad trip."

The main drug in herbal ecstasy is ephedra or ma huang, a natural herb. Herbal ecstasy is legal in most states; although some states have recently banned the drug. Ephedra has been used for weight control, upper respiratory treatment, and as an energy booster. Herbal ecstasy can be found in a capsule or pill form, of various colors. Herbal ecstasy can be purchased from a variety of places, including some health food stores, record stores, nightclubs, and through mail order. Herbal ecstasy is commonly used at "rave" party settings. Other brand names of drugs containing ingredients similar to herbal ecstasy are Cloud 9, Ultimate Xphoria, X, and Rave Energy.

Herbal ecstasy, when combined with caffeine, stimulates the central nervous system.

Effects

• Liver failure
• Increased blood pressure
• Increased heart rate
• Palpitations
• Stroke
• Fainting
• Euphoric feeling
• Increase in sexual sensations
• Increase in awareness
• Seizures
• Heart attacks
• Death

Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States and tends to be the first illegal drug teens use.

The physical effects of marijuana use, particularly on developing young adults, can be acute.

Marijuana blocks the messages going to your brain and alters your perceptions and emotions, vision, hearing, and coordination.

A recent study of 1,023 trauma patients admitted to a shock trauma unit found that one-third had marijuana in their blood.