Drug Policy
A. Use
St. Lawrence University prohibits the use and possession of controlled substances/illegal
drugs and/or marijuana. St. Lawrence University campus is not a sanctuary,
and University authorities will cooperate fully with law enforcement agencies.
The possession, use, sale, or transfer of controlled substances/illegal drugs
and/or marijuana, as defined under New York State Penal Law, is incompatible
with the University expectations of student responsibility and is therefore prohibited.
Any student found to be in violation of the above is subject to the decision
of the St. Lawrence University Student Judiciary Board and/or the vice president
and dean of student life.
Present New
York State statutes
referent to illegal drugs states in part:
1. Use and possession
of controlled substances/illegal drugs is a misdemeanor and/or a felony
and is therefore prohibited.
2. Possession of small
quantities of marijuana is a violation and punishable by a fine.
3. Sale and/or gift
of marijuana is a misdemeanor and punishable by not more than 3 months
in jail or a fine.
4. Possession of larger
amounts of marijuana is punishable by possible jail sentences.
B. Sales
Students who sell or otherwise make illegal drugs available adversely
affect the lives of those around them. When the vice president and
dean of student life has reason to believe a student is selling or
otherwise making available to others illegal drugs, she/he may immediately
suspend that student. The case may then be reviewed by the Student
Judiciary Board within 30 days of the date of suspension or be referred
to civil authority.
C. Health
Risks Associated with Drug Use
Drugs interfere with the brain’s ability to take in, sort, and
synthesize information. They distort perception which can lead users
to harm themselves or others. Drug use also affects sensation and impairs
memory. In addition to these general effects, risks associated with
particular types of drugs are discussed below:
Cocaine/Crack: Cocaine
stimulates the central system. Its immediate effects include dilated
pupils and elevated blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and
body temperature. Occasional use can cause a stuffy or runny nose,
while chronic use can ulcerate the mucous membrane of the nose. Injecting
cocaine with contaminated equipment can cause HIV infection, hepatitis,
and other diseases. Preparation of freebase, which involves the use
of volatile solvents, can result in death or injury from fire or explosion.
Cocaine can produce psychological and physical dependency, a feeling
that the user cannot function without the drug. In addition, tolerance
develops rapidly, thus leading to higher and higher doses to produce
the desired effect.
Crack or freebase rock is a purified form of cocaine that is smoked.
Crack is far more addictive than heroin or barbiturates. Repeated use
of crack can lead to addiction within a few days. Once addicted, many
users have turned to stealing, prostitution, and drug dealing in order
to support their habit. The effects of crack are felt within 10 seconds.
The physical effects include dilated pupils, increased pulse rate,
elevated blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, hallucinations,
paranoia and seizures. Continued use can produce violent behavior and
psychotic states similar to schizophrenia.
Cocaine in any form, but
particularly as crack, can cause sudden death from cardiac arrest or
respiratory failure.
Marijuana: Marijuana
use causes a substantial increase in the heart rate, bloodshot eyes,
a dry mouth and throat, increased appetite, and may impair short-term
memory and comprehension, alter sense of time, and reduce ability to
perform tasks requiring concentration and coordination, such as driving
a car. Research also shows that motivation and cognition
may be altered, making learning difficult. When marijuana contains two
percent THC, it can cause severe psychological damage, including paranoia and
psychosis. Since the early 1980s, most marijuana has contained from four
to six percent THA-two or three times the amount capable of causing serious
damage. Marijuana smoke contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco
smoke. Because users often inhale the unfiltered smoke deeply and then
hold it in their lungs as long as possible, marijuana is damaging to the lungs
and pulmonary system.
Long-term users of marijuana may develop psychological dependence and
require more of the drug to get the same effect. The drug can
become the center of their lives.
Narcotics: Narcotics
such as heroin, codeine, and morphine initially produce a feeling of euphoria
that often is followed by drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Users also
may experience constricted pupils, watery eyes, and itching. An overdose
may produce slow and shallow breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma, and
possible death.
Tolerance to narcotics develops rapidly and dependence
is likely. The
use of contaminated syringes may result in disease such as HIV infection,
endocarditis, and hepatitis. Addiction in pregnant women can
lead to premature, stillborn, or addicted infants who experience severe
withdrawal symptoms.
Amphetamines/other Stimulants: Amphetamines
(speed, uppers), methamphetamines, and other stimulants can cause
increased heart and respiratory rates, elevated blood pressure, dilated pupils,
and decreased appetite. In addition, users may experience sweating, headache,
blurred vision, dizziness, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Extremely high
doses can cause a rapid or irregular heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination,
and even physical collapse. An amphetamine injection creates a sudden
increase in blood pressure that can result in stroke, very high fever, or heart
failure. Extremely high doses of amphetamines can cause rapid or irregular
heartbeat, tremors, loss of coordination, and physical collapse.
In addition
to the physical effects, users report feeling restless, anxious, and
moody. Higher
doses intensify the effects. Persons
who use large amounts of amphetamines over a long period of time can
develop an amphetamine psychosis that includes hallucinations, delusions,
and paranoia.
Barbiturates/other Depressants: Barbiturates
(downers), methaqualone (Quaaludes), tranquilizers (Valium), and other depressants
have many of the same effects as alcohol. Small amounts can produce calmness
and relaxed muscles, but somewhat larger doses can cause slurred speech, staggering,
and altered perception. Very large doses can cause respiratory depression,
coma, and death. The combination of depressants and alcohol can multiply
the effects of the drugs, thereby multiplying the risks.
The use of depressants can cause both physical and psychological dependence. Regular
use over time may result in a tolerance to the drug, leading the user
to increase the quantity consumed. When regular users suddenly
stop taking large doses, they may develop withdrawal symptoms ranging
from restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety, to convulsions and death.
Babies born to mothers who abuse depressants during pregnancy may be
physically dependent on the drugs and show withdrawal symptoms shortly
after they are born. Birth defects and behavioral problems also
may result.
Hallucinogens: Phencyclidine (PCP, Angel
Dust) interrupts the functions of the part of the brain that controls the intellect
that keeps instincts in check. Because the drug blocks pain receptors,
violent PCP episodes may result in self-inflicted injuries. The effects
of PCP are unpredictable and can vary, but users frequently report a sense
of distance and estrangement. Time and body movement are slowed down. Muscular
coordination worsens and senses are dulled. Speech is blocked and incoherent. Chronic
users of PCP report persistent memory problems and speech difficulties. Mood
disorders, depression, anxiety, and violent behavior also occur. In later
stages of chronic use, users often exhibit paranoid and violent behavior and
experience hallucinations. Large doses may produce convulsions and coma,
as well as heart and lung failure.
Lysergic acid (LSD, Acid), mescaline,
and psilocybin (mushrooms) cause illusions and hallucinations. The physical
effects may include dilated pupils, elevated body temperature, increased heart
rate and blood pressure, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, and tremors. Sensations
and feelings may change rapidly. It is common to have a bad psychological
reaction to LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin. The user may experience
panic, confusion, suspicion, anxiety, and loss of control. Delayed
effects, or flashbacks, can occur even after use has ceased.
Designer Drugs: “Designer
drugs” are
produced by underground chemists who attempt to avoid legal definitions
of controlled substances by altering their molecular structure. These
drugs can be several hundred times stronger than the drugs they are
designed to imitate. Some
of the designer drugs have been known to cause permanent brain damage
with a single dose.
Many of the so-called designer drugs are related
to amphetamines and have mild stimulant properties but are mostly euphoriants. They
can cause nausea, blurred vision, chills or sweating, and faintness. Psychological
effects include anxiety, depression, and paranoia. As little
as one dose can cause severe neurochemical brain damage. Narcotic
designer drugs can cause symptoms such as those in Parkinson’s
disease: uncontrollable tremors, drooling, impaired speech, paralysis,
and irreversible brain damage.
Inhalants: The immediate negative effects
of inhalants (laughing gas, whippets) include nausea, sneezing, coughing, nosebleeds,
fatigue, lack of coordination, and loss of appetite. Solvents and aerosol
sprays also decrease the heart and respiratory rates and impair judgment. Amuyl
and butyl nitrite cause rapid pulse, headaches, and involuntary passing of
urine and feces. Long-term use may result in hepatitis or brain damage.
Deeply
inhaling the vapors, or using large amounts over a short time, may
result in disorientation, violent behavior, unconsciousness, or death. High concentrations
of inhalants can cause suffocation by displacing the oxygen in the lungs or
by depressing the central nervous system to the point that breathing stops.
Long-term use
can cause weight loss, fatigue, electrolyte imbalance, and muscle fatigue. Repeated
sniffing of concentrated vapors over time can permanently damage the
nervous system.
Anabolic Steroids: Steroid users
subject themselves to more than 70 side effects, from liver cancer to
acne and including psychological as well as physical reactions. The
liver and the cardiovascular and reproductive systems are most seriously
affected by steroid use. In males, use can cause withered testicles,
sterility, and impotence. In females, irreversible masculine traits
can develop along with breast reduction and sterility. Physical
effects in both sexes include jaundice, purple or red spots on the body,
swelling of feet or lower legs, trembling, unexplained darkening of the
skin, and persistent unpleasant breath odor. Psychological effects
in both sexes include very aggressive behavior known as “roid rage” and
depression. While some side effects appear quickly, others, such
as heart attacks and strokes, may not show up for years.
