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What You Can Do About Drug Use In America

Other publications available in the OSAP Drug-Free Communities Series:

Examines the cultural and community attitudes, norms, and environmental factors that encourage the use of alcohol and other drugs. This bookletis written for persons interested in prevention who are looking for help in getting started.

Prevention Plus II: Tools for Creating and Sustaining a Drug-Free Community

Provides a framework for organizing or expanding community alcohol and other drug prevention activities for youth into a coordinated, complementary system. This booklet is written for persons from the community who are serious about prevention and in a position to assist in organizing a community effort.

Lists more than 3,000 local, State, and Federal agencies dealing with alcohol- and other drug-related topics. This national directory is intended to be a regional volunteer guide, where ordinary citizen may go to find agencies that may need their volunteer services.

DHHS Publication No. ADM 91-1572
Printed 1988, Reprinted 1990, Revised 1991

What You Can Do About Drug Use in America

Office for Substance Abuse Prevention
5600 Fishers Lane, Rockwall II
Rockville, MD 20857

As part of the Drug-Free Communities Series, What You Can Do About Drug Use in America is a comprehensive overview of drug use and what we can do about it. This booklet is directed toward the individual, specifically toward parents, since change in the community needs to be reinforced by change at home.

For additional information, write to:

or call 1-800-729-6686

Please feel free to be a "copy cat," and make all the copies you want. You have our permission!

Contents

• What You Can Do About Drug Use in America

• What Are Drugs?
  • What Kinds of Drugs Are There?
  • How and Why Does Drug Use Start?
  • What Are the Physical and Psychological Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs?
  • The Effects of Alcohol

• How Can We Begin to Deal with the Problem of Drug Abuse?
  • How Can I Tell If Someone I Know Is Using Drugs?
  • How Can I Come to Grips with My Problem?
  • How Can I Help a Family Member or a Friend
  • Four Basic Stages of Alcohol and Other Drug Use

• How Can I Keep My Family Free from Problems Caused by Alcohol and Other Drugs?
  • What Early Education Information Do I Need?
  • How Can I Set an Example?
  • How Can I Help My Younger Children to Say "No"?

• Where Can I Go for Help?
  • Private Organizations, Civic Groups, Religious Organizations
  • State Organizations

What You can Do About Drug Use in America

Americans have become concerned as never before about the dangers of alcohol and other drug use. Public opinion polls have repeatedly indicated a general intolerance for the use of alcohol by minors and the use of illegal drugs by anyone. Indicators show that most Americans are prepared to take a stand against such illegal alcohol and other drug use.

The abuse of alcohol and the use of illegal drugs have ravaged families, and have infiltrated our streets, neighborhoods, and schoolyards. These problems have also invaded the workplace and the highway. The American public has finally said, "We've had enough," and is joining forces against drug use.

This booklet is designed to help all Americans meet that challenge. It provides vital information about alcohol and other drugs, their physiological effects, and how we can help each other overcome the problems alcohol and other drugs can cause.

The first section explains what drugs are, how and why use starts, and the physical and psychological toll alcohol and other drugs take. After reading the material, you may want to know how to prevent alcohol and other drug problems among your family and friends, the topic of the next section. There you will find information on early education and how to prevent problems before they start. You will also learn about how you can set an example for those close to you and how you can teach children to resist pressure to use alcohol and other drugs. The section that follows explains how you can tell if someone you care about is having problems with alcohol and/or other drugs. This section not only explains the best steps to take to help but also gives you pointers on what you should not do. The last section provides a list of Federal, State, and private organizations you can turn to for help.

What Are Drugs?

What Kinds of Drugs Are There?

There are many drugs that affect the mind or behavior, and they are either legal or illegal. Legal drugs are those that have been approved for sale either by prescription or over the counter. Alcohol, which is legally available in beverages except to those under legal drinking age, is a drug. Illegal drugs are those whose manufacture, sale, purchase for sale, or possession is prohibited by law. These include such drugs as marijuana, cocaine, PCP, and heroin - or those drugs approved but obtained by illegal means or used for illicit purposes.

Prescription drugs are drugs that have been determined to be safe, effective, and legal only when given under the direction of a licensed physician. Both the manufacture and dispensing of prescription drugs are regulated by laws enforced by the Food and Drug Administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the individual States. If used improperly, people can become physically dependent upon some prescription drugs (for example, morphine and Valium).

Illegal drugs are sold and used against the law. They may harm those who use them - not only in terms of the direct physical and emotional damage they cause, but also in terms of the criminal and financial consequences they bring. Many illegal drugs are manufactured in illegal underground laboratories in the United States.

How and Why Does Drugs Use Start?

How and why do people start using alcohol and other drugs? There is no single answer to that question. Surely in the case of many youths, alcohol and other drug use starts in response to peer pressure. Young people naturally want to "fit in" - to be accepted by their classmates or friends. Whatever the reasons, first use can be dangerous. Research studies show that once involvement with alcohol and other drugs begins, such involvement all too often follows a predictable sequence leading to problems due to the use of alcohol and other drugs.

Drug abuse often starts with the illicit use of legal drugs and with the use of alcohol (illegal for youth) and tobacco; users often progress from these substances to marijuana. Some users, including over half of the teenagers who use these substances, may eventually turn to other illegal drugs or combinations of drugs. For this reason, alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana are frequently called "gateway" drugs. Use of drugs such as cocaine and heroin is unusual in those who have not previously used alcohol, tobacco, and/or marijuana.

What Are the Physical and Psychological Effects of Alcohol and Other Drugs?

Alcohol, a natural substance formed by the fermentation that occurs when sugar reacts with yeast, is the major active ingredient in wine, beer, and distilled spirits. Although there are many kinds of alcohol, the kind found in alcoholic beverages is ethyl alcohol. Whether one drinks a 12-ounce can of beer, a shot (1.5 ounces) of distilled spirits, or a 5-ounce glass of wine, the amount of pure alcohol per drink is about the same - one-half ounce. Ethyl alcohol can produce feelings of well-being, sedation, intoxication, or unconsciousness, depending on the amount and the manner in which it is consumed.

Alcohol is a "psychoactive" or mind-altering drug, as are heroin and tranquilizers. It can alter moods, cause changes in the body, and become habit-forming. Alcohol is called a "downer" because it depresses the central nervous system. That's why drinking too much causes slowed reactions, slurred speech, and sometimes even unconsciousness (passing out). Alcohol works first on the part of the brain that controls inhibitions.

A person does not have to be an alcoholic to have problems with alcohol. Every year, for example, many young people lose their lives in alcohol-related automobile crashes, drownings, and suicides. Serious health problems can and do occur before drinkers reach the stage of addiction or chronic use.

In some studies more than 25 percent of hospital admissions were alcohol-related. Some of the serious diseases associated with chronic alcohol use include alcoholism and cancers of the liver, stomach, colon, larynx, esophagus, and breast. Alcohol abuse also can lead to such serious physical problems as:

• Damage to the brain, pancreas, and kidneys.

• High blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

• Alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver.

• Stomach and duodenal ulcers, colitis, and irritable colon.

• Impotence and infertility.

• Birth defects and fetal alcohol syndrome, whose effects include retardation, low birth weights, small head size, and limb abnormalities.

• Premature aging.

• A host of other disorders, such as diminished immunity to disease, sleep disturbances, muscle cramps, and edema.

Marijuana

Contrary to many young people's beliefs, marijuana is a harmful drug, especially since the potency of the marijuana now available has increased more than 275 percent over the last decade. For those who smoke marijuana now, the dangers are much more serious than they were in the 1960s.

Preliminary studies have shown chronic lung disease in some marijuana users. There are more known cancer-causing agents in marijuana smoke than in cigarette smoke. In fact, because marijuana smokers try to hold the smoke in their lungs as long as possible, one marijuana cigarette can be as damaging to the lungs as four tobacco cigarettes.

Even small doses of marijuana can impair memory function, distort perceptions, hamper judgment, and diminish motor skills. Health effects also include accelerated heartbeart and, in some persons, increased blood pressure. These changes pose health risks for anyone, but particularly for people with abnormal heart and circulatory conditions, such as high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries.

More importantly, there is increasing concern about how marijuana use by children and adolescents may affect both their short-and long-term development. Mood changes occur with the first use. Observers in clinical settings have noted increased apathy, loss of ambition, loss of effectiveness, diminished ability to carry out long-term plans, difficulty in concentrating, and a decline in school or work performance. Many teenagers who end up in drug treatment programs started using marijuana at early age.

Driving under the influence of marijuana is especially dangerous. Marijuana impairs driving skills for at least 4 to 6 hours after smoking a single cigarette. When marijuana is used in combination with alcohol, driving skills become even more impaired.

Cocaine

Cocaine is one of the most powerfully addictive of the drugs of abuse - and it is a drug that can kill. No individual can predict whether he or she will become addicted or whether the next dose of cocaine will prove fatal. Cocaine can be snorted through the nose, smoked, or injected. Injecting cocaine - or injecting any drug - carries the added risk of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), if the user shares a needle with a person already infected with the virus.

Cocaine is a very strong stimulant to the central nervous system, including the brain. This drug produces an accelerated heart rate while at the same time constricting the blood vessels, which are trying to handle the additional flow of blood. Pupils dilate and temperature and blood pressure rise. These physical changes may be accompanied by seizures, cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, or stroke.

Nasal problems, including congestion and a runny nose, occur with the use of cocaine, and with prolonged use the mucous membrane of the nose may disintegrate. Heavy cocaine use can sufficiently damage the nasal septum to cause it to collapse.

Research has shown that cocaine acts directly on what have been called the "pleasure centers" in the brain. These "pleasure centers" are brain structures that, when stimulated, produce an intense desire to experience the pleasure effects again and again. This causes changes in brain activity and, by allowing a brain chemical called dopamine to remain active longer than normal, triggers an intense craving for more of the drug.

Users often report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety, and cocaine can trigger paranoia. Users also report being depressed when they are not using the drug and often resume use to alleviate further depression. In addition, cocaine users frequently find that they need more and more cocaine more often to generate the same level of stimulation. Therefore, any use can lead to addiction.

"Freebase" is a form of cocaine that is smoked. "Freebase" is produced by a chemical process whereby "street cocaine" (cocaine hydrochloride) is converted to a pure base by removing the hydrochloride salt and some of the "cutting" agents. The end product is not water soluble, and so the only way to get it into the system is to smoke it.

"Freebasing" is extremely dangerous. The cocaine reaches the brain within seconds, resulting in a sudden and intense high. However, the euphoria quickly disappears, leaving the user with an enormous craving to freebase again and again. The user usually increases the dose and the frequency to satisfy this craving, resulting in addiction and physical debilitation.

"Crack" is the street name given to one form of freebase cocaine that comes in the form of small lumps or shavings. The term "crack" refers to the crackling sound made when the mixture is smoked (heated). Smoking "crack" is very dangerous since it produces the same debilitating effects as "freebasing" cocaine. Crack has become a major problem in many American cities because it is inexpensive - selling for between $5 and $10 for one or two doses - and easily transportable-sold in small vials, folding papers, or tinfoil.

PCP

PCP is a hallucinogenic drug; that is, a drug that alters sensation, mood, and consciousness and that distorts hearing, touch, smell, or taste as well as visual sensation. It is legitimately used as an anesthetic for animals. When used by humans, PCP induces a profound departure from reality, which leaves the user capable of bizarre behavior and severe disorientation. These PCP-induced effects may lead to serious injuries or death to the user while under the influence of the drug.

PCP produces feelings of mental depression in some individuals. When PCP is used regularly, memory, perception functions, concentration, and judgment are often disturbed. Used chronically, PCP may lead to permanent changes in cognitive ability (thinking), memory, and fine motor function.

Mothers who use PCP during pregnancy often deliver babies who have visual, auditory, and motor disturbances. These babies may also have sudden outbursts of agitation and other rapid changes in awareness similar to the responses in adults intoxicated with PCP.

Heroin

Heroin is an illegal opiate drug. Its addictive properties are manifested by the need for persistent, repeated use of the drug (craving) and by the fact that attempts to stop using the drug lead to significant and painful physical withdrawal symptoms. Use of heroin causes physical and psychological problems such as shallow breathing, nausea, panic, insomnia, and a need for increasingly higher doses of the drug to get the same effect.

Heroin exerts its primary addictive effect by activating many regions of the brain; the brain regions affected are responsible for producing both the pleasurable sensation of "reward" and physical dependence. Together, these actions account for the user's loss of control and the drug's habit-forming action.

Heroin is a drug that is primarily taken by injection (a shot) with a needle in the vein. This form of use is called intravenous injection (commonly known as IV injection). This means of drug entry can have grave consequences. Uncertain dosage levels (due to differences in purity), the use of unsterile equipment, contamination of heroin with cutting agents, or the use of heroin in combination with such other drugs as alcohol or cocaine can cause serious health problems such as serum hepatitis, skin abscesses, inflammation of the veins, and cardiac disease (subacute bacterial endocarditis). Of great importance, however, is that the user never knows whether the next dose will be usually potent, leading to overdose, coma, and possible death.

Needle sharing by IV drug users is fast becoming the leading cause of new AIDS cases. The AIDS virus is carried in contaminated blood left in the needle, syringe, or other drug-related implements and is injected into the new user when he or she uses this equipment to inject heroin or other drugs. There is no cure for AIDS and no proven vaccine to prevent it.

Heroin use during pregnancy is associated with stillbirths and miscarriages. Babies born addicted to heroin must undergo withdrawal after birth and these babies show a number of developmental problems.

The signs and symptoms of heroin use include euphoria, drowsiness, respiratory depression (which can progress until breathing stops), constricted pupils, and nausea. Withdrawal symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, yawning, loss of appetite, tremors, panic chills, sweating, nausea, muscle cramps, and insomnia. Elevations in blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate, and temperature occur as withdrawal progresses.

Symptoms of heroin overdose include shallow breathing, pinpoint pupils, clammy skin, convulsions, and coma.

Analogs

By modifying the chemical structure of certain drugs to create analogs, underground chemists have been able to create what are sometimes called "designer drugs" - a common label that incorrectly glamorizes them. These analogs are chemicals structurally similar to medical or illegal drugs but which are altered enough to make them different compounds and which are on the Drug Enforcement Administrations' (DEA) list of controlled substances.

Originally, analogs were made to bypass the Controlled Substance Act, but in 1984 and 1986, "designer drugs" were added to the list of controlled substances.

Examples of designer drugs are an analog of methamphetamine (commonly called "ecstasy") and an analog of fentanyl (a narcotic). These drugs are made in underground laboratories with no regard for cleanliness or quality. Thus, these drugs can be more potent than the original substances, and they can therefore produce more toxic effects.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant. The street version of the drug is most often manufactured illegally in underground labs. It is also known as "speed" or "crystal" when it is swallowed or sniffed; as "crank" when it is injected; and as "ice" when it is smoked. All forms are extremely dangerous and induce long-lasting, debilitating effects.

Side effects of methamphetamine use include irritability, nervousness, insomnia, nausea, hot flashes, dryness of the mouth, sweating, palpitations, and hypertension. Excessive doses can produce mental confusion, severe anxiety, and paranoia. Continued moderate to chronic use may lead to physical dependence and even death.

How Can We Begin to Deal With the Problem of Drug Abuse?

How Can I Tell If Someone I know Is Using Drugs?

Aside from the physical effects of drugs discussed in the preceding section, certain warning signs may indicate that a family member or friend is drinking too much alcohol or using other drugs. Although these warning signs are not foolproof, each by itself or many signs combined overtime should be cause for concern.

These are some of the signs to look for which involve drinking:

• Does the person pour a drink as an immediate reaction when faced with any problem?

• Does the person drink until intoxicated?

• Is there a record of missed work because of drinking or an ill-disguised odor of alcohol on the breath during work hours even though attendance may be regular?

• Does the person drive a car while intoxicated?

• Has his or her home life become intolerable because of drinking or arguments resulting from drinking?

• Does he or she handle all social celebrations and stress with alcohol?

These are the signs of an adult problem drinker. It is important to note, however, that any use of alcohol by youth is abuse and cause for concern.

When these signs are present, it means that a person's drinking pattern, if not already out of control, is heading that way. A person does not have to be an alcoholic to have problems with alcohol.

There are numerous signs of illegal drug use. For example, when a person is carrying drugs or has them hidden around the house, there is a strong possibility of use. Obviously, possession of drug paraphernalia also is a likely sign to use.

Indications of prescription drug misuse vary according to the type of drug in question. Drug misuse may lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms can be severe if drug use is stopped suddenly.

Certain additional behavioral characteristics also seem to accompany the use of alcohol and other drugs. The clues can be found in all people who abuse alcohol or use other drugs, regardless of age. Examples of these clues include:

• An abrupt change in mood or attitudes.

• Sudden and continuing decline in attendance or performance at work or in school.

• Sudden and continuing resistance to discipline at home or in school.

• Impaired relationships with family members or friends.

• Unusual flares of temper.

• Increased amount and frequency of borrowing money from family and friends.

• Stealing from the home, at school, or in the workplace.

• Heightened secrecy about actions and possessions.

• Associating with a new group of friends, especially with those who use drugs.

How Can I Come to Grips With My Problems?

If you have an alcohol or other drug problem, you should do three things immediately. First, admit it to yourself. Acknowledge that you do have problem and that something must be done.

Second, contact a group that can recommend or provide treatment and moral support. (See the back of this pamphlet for a list of such organizations.)

Third, admit your problem to the members of your immediate family and/or closest friends. Mobilize your family and friends to help provide you with the strength and support you will need to address your reasons for use and the difficulties of freeing yourself of addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

How Can I Help a Family Member or a Friend?

If someone confides in you that he or she has a problem with alcohol or other drugs, some ways of dealing with this situation clearly work better than others. You should try to be -

• Understanding - listen to reason why he or she uses/abuses alcohol or other drugs;

• Firm - explain why you feel use of alcohol or other drugs can be harmful, causing problems which require counseling and treatment;

• Supportive - assist the user in finding help and provide moral support through the tough times ahead;

• Self-examining - ask yourself whether you have provided a good role model.

Actions that you should avoid include being:

• Sarcastic,
• Accusatory,
• Stigmatizing,
• Sympathy seeking for yourself, or
• Self-blaming.

Intervening in the case of a family member or friend who has a problem can be very difficult and hurtful. The person with problem will most likely deny the problem and try to put you on the defensive - "I thought you were my friend; are you calling me a drunk?" Or "You've used drugs; where do you get off calling me an addict?" In a case such as this, what you don't do is as important as what you should do:

• Avoid emotional appeals, which may only increase feelings of guilt and the compulsion to drink or use drugs.

• Don't cover up or make excuses for the person.

• Don't take over his or her responsibilities, which will leave the person with no sense of importance or dignity.

• Don't argue with the person when he or she is under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

• Don't hide or dump bottles nor shelter your loved one from situations where alcohol is present.

• Above all, don't accept responsibility for the person's actions nor guilt for his or her drinking.

Four Basic Stages of Alcohol and Other Drug Use

Stage 1

Too many youngsters and adults believe that the first use of alcohol and other drugs is safe. For youths, using drugs such as tobacco and alcohol is often, unfortunately, viewed as normal. However, because young bodies are particularly susceptible to alcohol and other drugs and their effects, there is no such thing as totally "safe" use of any mind-altering drug by a youngster. In stage one, however, there may be no outward behavioral changes caused by the use of drugs.

Stage 2

The second stage involves more frequent use of alcohol or other drugs as the person actively seeks the euphoric effects of a mind-altering drug. At this point, the user usually establishes a reliable source, and may add mid-week use of alcohol or other drugs to previous habits of weekend use at parties. Among adolescents, significant clues how include changes in friends, deterioration of school performance, and possibly a general lack of motivation.

Stage 3

In stage three, there is intense preoccupation with the desire to experience euphoric effects. Daily use of mind-altering drugs, depression, and thoughts of suicide are common. Family troubles increase and the adolescent may be having problems with the law.

Stage 4

In the fourth stage, increasing levels are needed just to feel OK. Physical signs such as coughing, frequent sore throats, weight loss, and fatigue - which may have begun to appear earlier - are now common. Blackouts and overdosing also are more common, family life is a disaster, and crime may be becoming a way of life to obtain money to buy drugs.

How Can I Keep My Family Free from Problems Caused by Alcohol and Other Drugs?

What Early Education Information Do I Need?

Knowledge is a powerful weapon against drugs. The information contained in this pamphlet represents a good start in your educational efforts. However, to increase your understanding of drugs and their effects, you should also read some additional material.

In addition to some excellent information available from private sources, the Federal Government has compiled a great deal of information about the effects of alcohol abuse and other drug use and the successful strategies that can be used to combat these problems. Free materials may be obtained by writing to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, Maryland 20852, or you may want to call the Clearinghouse's toll-free number: 1 (800)729-6686.

How Can I Set an Example?

First and foremost, set an example by not using illegal drugs or misusing alcohol or prescription drugs. Period. No excuses or self-exceptions should be offered to yourself or to others. If alcohol is used it should be used only by persons of legal age and only in moderation. Prescription drugs should only be used when prescribed and closely monitored by a physician. And you should abstain from the use of any illegal drugs.

Don't keep illegal drugs in the house and don't allow their use in your home by others. Let your family and friends know that drugs are not acceptable in your home. And let others know that you do not tolerate illegal drugs at parties that you or your family attend. Talk to your neighbors about the fact that drug use should not be tolerated on your streets or anywhere else near you.

The best way to keep your family from abusing alcohol (any use of alcohol by youth is abuse) is by carefully looking at the example set in your home. Are your parties, entertainment, and celebrations centered around alcohol? Do you reach for a drink or another drug whenever you want to relax or to deal with any problem that comes up? Such behavior sends the wrong signal-that alcohol and other drugs are needed to have a good time or to cope with daily living.

How Can I Help My Younger Children to Say "No"?

First, talk to your child about alcohol and other drugs. Carefully explain the health consequences of alcohol and other drug use, and the dramatic effect they can have on a child's life and preparation for the future. Correct mistake ideas perpetuated by peers and the media. And really listen carefully to your child talk about alcohol and other drugs. Children are more likely to communicate when they receive positive verbal and nonverbal cues that show parents are listening.

Second, help your child to develop a healthy self-image. Self-regard is enhanced when parents praise efforts as well as accomplishments. In turn, when being critical, criticize the actions and not the person.

Third, help your child develop a strong system of values. A strong value system can give children the criteria and courage to make decisions based on facts rather than pressure from friends.

Fourth, help your child deal with peer pressure. Explain that saying "No" can be an important statement about self worth. Helping your child practice saying "No." Together, set out the reasons for saying "No" and discuss why it is beneficial to avoid alcohol and other drugs.

Fifth, make family policies that help your child to say "No." The strongest support your child can have in refusing to use alcohol and other drugs is to be found in the solid bonds created within the family unit. Always chaperon your children's parties. It is helpful when parents let other family members - and friends - know that drug use, and use of alcohol by minors, is a violation of the rules by which the family will operate, and that their use of alcohol and other drugs is simply unacceptable within the family. The consequences and punishment for such a violation must be clearly spelled out.

Sixth, encourage your child to join an anti-drug club. With over 10,000 clubs nationwide, chances are that your child's school has such a club. If not, it might be a good idea to contact the local principal about starting a club. These clubs help develop positive peer pressure, strength children's ability to say "No," and teach the harmful effects of alcohol and other drugs on children's bodies.

Finally, encourage healthy, creative activities that may help to prevent children from using alcohol and other drugs. Help your child live such a full life that there is no time or place for alcohol and other drugs.

Meet the parents of your child's friends and classmates and encourage alcohol and other drug-free alternative activities. Learn about drugs and share a "no use" message of alcohol or other drugs for youth. Discuss guidelines and problem areas and agree to keep in touch. Consider forming parent-peer groups. There is strength in numbers. Making these contacts before there is a problem often prevents the problem from ever developing. When the entire peer group is on the right track, you stand a better chance of keeping your child drug free.

Where Can I Go for Help?

Sometimes the quickest way to find out what help is available in your local area is to join a group such as Al-Anon. Al-Anon is a group of family members and friends of problems drinker who meet to share practical suggestions on day-to-day living with someone who has a drinking problem. These family members and friends of problem drinkers usually know where help is available in your community.

Listed below are some other sources of help and information:

1-800-729-6686
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

1-800-622-HELP
National Institute on Drug Abuse Information and Referral Line
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.

1-800-554-KIDS
The National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

1-800-622-2255
National Council on Alcoholism
7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

1-800-241-9746
Parent's Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE)
Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (recorded service other times)

1-800-COCAINE
Cocaine Helpline
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m.

1-800-843-4971
The National Institute on Drug Abuse Workplace Helpline (For employers establishing workplace drug abuse programs)
Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.

For information on where to find treatment for alcohol and other drug problems, the best place to look is in the telephone book's Yellow Pages under "Alcoholism Information" or "Drug Abuse and Addiction Information." Usually there is a listing of the nearest Council on Alcoholism (or Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse). These Councils provide information over the phone on the availability of the nearest alcohol treatment programs. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or Narcotics Anonymous (NA) may also be listed. Both offer immeasurable help in enabling people to cope with problems with alcohol and other drugs.

For further information, write to:

National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
P.O. Box 2345
Rockville, Maryland 20852

or call:

1-800-729-6686

Private Organizations, Civic Groups, Religious Organizations

Adult Children of Alcoholics
(ACoA)
P.O. Box 3216
Torrance, CA 90505
(213) 534-1815

Al-Anon Family Groups
P.O. Box 862
Midtown Station
New York, NY 10018
(212) 302-7240
1(800) 344-2666

Alcoholic Anonymous (AA)
15 E. 26th Street, Rm. 1810
New York, NY 10010
(212) 683-3900

American Council for Drug Education
204 Monroe Street, Suite 110
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 294-0600
1(800)488-DRUG

The Chemical People/WQED
1 Allegheny Square
Suite 720
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
(412) 391-0900

Cocaine Anonymous (CA)
3740 Overland Avenue
Suite G
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(213) 559-5833
1(800) 347-8998

CoAnon Family Groups
P.O. Box 64742-66
Los Angeles, CA 90064
(213) 859-2206

Families Anonymous, Inc.
P.O. Box 528
Van Nuys, CA 91408
(818) 989-7841

Institute on Black Chemical Abuse
2616 Nicollet Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 871-7878

Just Say No Foundation
1777 North California Boulevard
Rm 210
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(415) 939-6666
1(800) 258-2766

Mothers Against Drunk Driving
511 East John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
(214) 744-6233

Nar-Anon Family Groups
P.O. Box 2562

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274
(213) 547-5800

Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
P.O. Box 9999
Van Nuys, CA 91409
(818) 780-3951

National Asian Pacific American Families Against Drug Abuse
6303 Friendship Court
Bethesda, MD 20817
(301) 530-0945

National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA)
31582 Coast Highway
Suite B
South Laguna, CA 92677
(714) 499-3889

National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD)
444 North Capitol Street, N.W.
Suite 642
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 783-6868

National Black Alcoholism and Addictions Council (NBAC)
1629 K Street, N.W.
Suite 802
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 296-2696

National Coalition of Hispanic Health and Human Services Organization (COSSMHO)
1030 15th Street, N.W.
Suite 1053
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 371-2100

National Families in Action
2296 Henderson Mill Road
Suite 204
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 934-6364

National Federation of Parents for Drug-Free Youth
9551 Big Bend
St. Louis, MO 63122
(314) 968-1322

National Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE)
The Hurt Building
50 Hurt Plaza
Suite 210
Atlanta, GA 30303
(404) 577-4500

National Prevention Network
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 642
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 783-6868

Quest International
537 Jones Road
P.O. Box 566
Granville, OH 43023
(614) 587-2800

Women for Sobriety
P.O. Box 618
Quakertown, PA 18951
(215) 536-8026

State Organizations

Alaska
Office of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Department of Health & Social Services
P.O. Box H
Juneau, AK 99811-0607
(907) 586-6201

Arizona
Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Office of Community Behavior Health
Department of Health Services
411 North 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85008
(602) 220-6455

Arkansas
Office on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention
Donaghey Plaza, North
Suite 400
P.O. Box 1437
Little Rock, AR 72203-1437
(501) 682-6650

California
Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs
1700 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 445-0834

Colorado
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
Department of Health
4210 East 11th Avenue
Denver, CO 80220
(303) 331-8201

Connecticut
Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission
999 Asylum Avenue
3rd Floor
Hartford, CT 06105
(203) 566-4145

Delaware
Delaware Division of Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Mental Health
1901 North DuPont Highway
Newcastle, DE 19720
(302) 421-6101

District of Columbia
Health Planning and Development
1660 L Street, NW
Suite 1117
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 673-7481

Florida
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program
Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services
1317 Winewood Boulevard
Building 6, Room 182
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0700
(904) 488-0900

Georgia
Alcohol and Drug Services
878 Peachtree Street, NE
Suite 319
Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 894-6352

Hawaii
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
Department of Health
1270 Queen Emma Street
Suite 706
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96803
(808) 548-4280

Idaho
Department of Health and Welfare
450 West State Street
3rd Floor
Boise, ID 83720
(208) 334-5935

Illinois
Department of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
100 West Randolph Street
Suite 5-600
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 814-3840

Indiana
Division of Addiction Services
Department of Mental Health
117 East Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 232-7816

Iowa
Department of Public Health
Division of Substance Abuse and Health Promotion
Lucas State Office Building
321 East 12th Street
3rd Floor
Des Moines, IA 50319-0075
(515) 281-3641

Kansas
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services
300 SW Oakley
2nd Floor
Biddle Building
Topeka, KS 66606-1861
(913) 296-3925

Kentucky
Division of Substance Abuse
Department for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services
275 East Main Street
Frankfort, KY 40621
(502) 564-2880

Louisiana
Office of Human Services
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
1201 Capitol Access Road
P.O. Box 3868
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-3868
(504) 342-9354

Maine
Office of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Prevention
Bureau of Rehabilitation
35 Anthony Avenue
State House Station #11
Augusta, ME 04333
(207) 289-2781

Maryland
Maryland State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration
201 West Preston Street
4th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
(301) 225-6910

Massachusetts
Division of Substance Abuse Services
150 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 727-8614

Michigan
Office of Substance Abuse Services
Department of Public Health
2150 Apollo Drive
P.O. Box 30206
Lansing, MI 48909
(517) 335-8809

Minnesota
Chemical Dependency Program Division
Department of Human Services
444 Lafayette Road
St. Paul, MN 55155-3823
(612) 296-4610

Mississippi
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Department of Mental Health
Robert E. Lee State Office Building
11th Floor
239 North Lamar Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(601) 359-1288

Missouri
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Department of Mental Health
1706 East Elm Street
P.O. Box 687
Jefferson City, MO 65102
(314) 751-4942

Montana
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division
Department of Institutions
1539 11th Avenue
Helena, MT 59620
(406) 444-2827

Nebraska
Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Department of Public Institution
P.O. Box 94728
Lincoln, NE 68509
(402) 471-2851, 5583

Nevada
Alcohol & Drug Abuse Bureau
Department of Human Resources
505 East King Street
Room 50
Carson City, NV 89710
(702) 687-4790

New Hampshire
Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention
State Office Park South
105 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-6100

New Jersey
Department of Health
CN 322
Trenton, NJ 08625-0362
(609) 292-3147

Division of Narcotic and Drug Abuse Control
CN 362
129 East Hanover Street
Trenton, NJ 08625-0362
(609) 292-5760

New Mexico
Substance Abuse Bureau
190 St. Francis Drive
Room 3200 North
P.O. Box 26110
Santa Fe, NM 87502
(505) 827-2589

New York
Division of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse
194 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
(518) 474-5417

Division of Substance Abuse Services
Executive Park South
Albany, NY 12203
(518) 457-7629

North Carolina
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Section
Division of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services
325 North Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
(919) 733-4670

North Dakota
Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Department of Human Services
State Capitol/Judicial Wing
1839 East Capitol Street
Bismark, ND 58501-252
(701) 224-2769

Ohio
Bureau on Alcohol Abuse and Recovery
Ohio Department of Health
Two Nationwide Plaza
280 North High Street
12th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-3445

Bureau on Drug Abuse
Ohio Department of Health
Two Nationwide Plaza
280 North High Street
12th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 466-7893

Oklahoma
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
1200 NE 13th Street
P.O. Box 53277
Capitol Station
Oklahoma City, OK 73152-3277
(405) 271-7474

Oregon
Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs
1178 Chemeketa Street, NE
#102
Salem, OR 97310
(503)378-2163

Pennsylvania
Drug and Alcohol Programs
Department of Health
P.O. Box 90
Harrisburg, PA 17108
(717) 787-9857

Rhode Island
Division of Substance Abuse
Department of Mental Health, Retardation and Hospitals
P.O. Box 20363
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 464-2091

South Carolina
South Carolina Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
3700 Forest Drive
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 734-9520

South Dakota
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Joe Foss Building
700 Governor's Drive
Pierre, SD 57501-2291
(605) 773-3123

Tennessee
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services
Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
Doctor's Building
706 Church Street
4th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243-0675
(615) 741-1921

Texas
Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
720 Brazos Street
Suite 403
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-5510
Utah
Division of Substance Abuse
Department of Social Services
120 North 200 West
4th Floor
P.O. Box 45500
Salt Lake City, UT 84103
(801) 538-3939

Vermont
Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05676
(802) 241-2170/241-2175

Virginia
Office of Substance Abuse Services
Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse
P.O. Box 1797
109 Governor Street
Richmond, VA 23214
(804) 786-3906

Washington
Bureau of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Washington Department of Social and Health Services
Mail Stop OB 21W
Olympia, WA 98504
(206) 753-5866

West Virginia
Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse
State Capitol
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Building 3, Room #451
Charleston, WV 25305
(304) 348-2276

Wisconsin
Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
1 West Wilson Street
Room 434
P.O. Box 7851
Madison, WI 53707
(608) 266-3442

Wyoming
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Programs
Hathaway Building
Cheyenne, WY 82002
(307) 777-7115, Ext. 7118

Guam
Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
P.O. Box 9400
Tamuning, GU 96911
(671) 646-9262-69

Puerto Rico
Departmento de Servicios
Contra la Adiccion
Box 21414
Rio Piedras Station
Rio Piedras, PR 00928-1414
(809) 764-3795

Virgin Islands
Division of Mental Health Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Services
P.O. Box 520
St. Croix, VI 00820
(809) 773-1992

American Samoa
Social Services Division
Alcohol and Drug Program
Government of America Samoa
Pago Pago 96799

Public Health Services
LBJ Tropical Medical Center
Pago Pago 96799