Welcome to the Wixom Police Department DARE Page

Our Wixom DARE Officers are
Officer Louie McKaig and Officer Mike DesRosiers

TOBACCO

Brand / Generic Names
Cigarettes, Cigars, Chewing Tobacco, Tobacco

Street Names
Butts, Coffin Nails, Fags, Snuff, Chew, Nicotine, Chaw, Stogies, Skag, Gasper, Cig, Smoke, Pill, Dog Turd

Possible Effects of Tobacco
Nicotine is the active ingredient in tobacco that acts as a stimulant on the heart and nervous system. Nicotine itself is an oily alkaloid found in concentrations of approximately 2% to 5% in tobacco plants. In its pure form nicotine is colorless, has a potent odor, a strong acid taste and is highly poisonous; only one drop - approximately 50mg - can kill a person within minutes. In addition to nicotine, cigarette smoke contains some 4,000 other chemicals, several of which are known to cause cancer. Other toxins and irritants found in smoke can produce eye, nose, and throat irritation.

Steady users feel a relaxed mood. Large amounts can cause appetite loss, nausea, and headache. Due to the addictive properties of the nicotine in tobacco, the body builds up a tolerance to the drug. The toxic effects develop rapidly but the damage to the body is cumulative. Long term effects increase the chances of lung cancer and other lung diseases such as emphysema, asthma, bronchiectasis, and lung abscesses. Other long term effects include heart and blood vessel disease that may result in a heart attack, coronary heart disease, and generalized hardening of the arteries.

MARIJUANA

(The scale = centimeters)

Brand / Generic Names
Hash Oil, Hashish, Marijuana, Marinol, Dranabinol, Thai Stick.

Street Name
Acapulco Gold, Aunt Mary, Bambalachacha, Betas, Bhang, Bo-Bo Bush, Boo, Broccoli, Bud, Canadian Black, Chicago Green, Colombia Red, Chronic, Cheeva, Ding, Donjem, Dope, Dubie, Fu, Gange, Ganja, Gates, GOM (Good Old Marijuana), Grass, Greefo, Griffas, Gauge, Giggle Sticks, Gunga, Gunja, Hay, Hemp, Herb, Honey, Indian Hemp, Jay Smoke, Jamaican Red, Joint, Joy Smoke, Ktutchu String, Kona, Kif, Laughing Grass, Light Green, Loco Weed, Love Weed, Maggie, Marijuana, Mary Jane, Mary Worner, Mary Weaver, Megg, Mexican Brown, Mexican Commercial, Mez, Moahsky, Mocoha, Moocha, Mooster, Mota, Mu, Mutah, Number, Pod, Pot, Reef, Reefer, Roach, Sinsemilia, Ses, Smoke, Snop, Splim, Tea, Texas Tea, Thai Stick, Viper Weed, Wake and Bake, Weed, Weed Tea, Yesca.

Possible Effects of Cannabis
Cannabis appears to interfere with a person's ability or willingness to pay attention. People under the influence of marijuana do not divide their attention very well. When driving, they may attend to certain parts of the driving task but ignore other parts. For example, the driver may continue to steer the car but ignore stop signs, traffic lights or pedestrians. Cannabis will generally diminish inhibitions, impair perception of time and distance, create disorientation, and can cause body tremors.

User's of marijuana generally feel the effects within 8-9 seconds after inhaling the smoke. The effects will reach their peak within 10-30 minutes, and usually last for approximately 3-6 hours. The user will typically feel "normal" within 3-6 hours after smoking marijuana.

Evidence of marijuana can be disclosed in some blood and urine tests long after the effects have dissipated. This is because certain chemical tests do not seek to find THC, Delta-9 Tetrahydrocannabinol - the active ingredient in cannabis that causes intoxication, but instead looks for metabolites of THC, or chemical by-products. Some tests can indicate the presence of THC metabolites for up to 45 days after smoking marijuana.

Two important metabolites of THC affect the duration, and perception, of the effects of cannabis. One of these metabolites is Hydroxy THC: this causes the user to feel euphoric, so that he or she is aware of the effects. Hydroxy THC usually is eliminated from the blood plasma within about 6 hours. The other important metabolite is Carboxy THC. This metabolite also causes impairment, but no feeling of euphoria, so the user might not be aware that he or she is still impaired. Carboxy THC may be found in the blood plasma for several days following marijuana use. Therefore, the user may actually be impaired for a good deal of time after his or her perceptions of impairment have ended.

Excessive use of marijuana can create paranoia and possible psychosis. These same effects may develop from long-term use of the drug, which has also been observed to produce sharp personality changes, especially in adolescent users. Other long-term effects include: lung damage, chronic bronchitis, lowering of testosterone, acute anxiety attacks, chronic reduction of attention span, and possible birth defects, still births and infant deaths.

Raw Marijuana is NOT Medicine
Thousands of scientific studies show it is dangerous and false to regard raw marijuana as medicine.

• Studies reveal that raw marijuana was not superior to currently available therapies for glaucoma, AIDS patients, nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, MS or intractable pain.
• The standard for acceptance of a drug as medicine is that it has been proven safe and effective. Raw marijuana does not meet that standard.
• In addition, raw marijuana has dangerous side effects.
• Neither smoking raw marijuana nor synthetic THC were particularly effective in patients suffering from nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy.
• There is no evidence that raw marijuana is effective in treating nausea and vomiting resulting from radiation treatment. No legitimate studies have been conducted which make such conclusions.
• Leading ophthalmologists are disturbed by the notion of offering raw marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma. Using raw marijuana as a treatment is likely to mask problems and increase the risk of blindness.
• Studies show that raw marijuana smoking impairs coordination and balance in MS patients. The Chairman of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania states, "I have not found any legitimate medical or scientific works that show marijuana is medically effective in treating MS."
• Treating "Wasting Syndrome" for AIDS: Professor of Medicine, University of Oregon, "I cannot support the use of marijuana to treat patients with this condition. Marijuana is extremely irritating to the airways and may add additional lung problems... and is more irritating than tobacco smoke."
• DEA Administrator has ruled that raw marijuana must remain in the class 1 category - and is unavailable for use as medicine. This recent ruling was made after testimony of national recognized specialists in treating illnesses in question.
• There is not a single disease that cannot be treated with approved medications that are safer and more effective than raw marijuana.
• The drug culture has created the issue of marijuana as a medicine in their cruel and sick attempts to legalize marijuana.

References

• National Medical Advisory Board
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• Kenneth P. Johnson, M.D., Director of the Maryland Center for MD
• Dr. David S. Ettinger, Professor of Oncology, John Hopkins University
• David N. Gibler, M.D., Professor of Medicine; Providence Medical Center
• Emil J. Bardana, Jr., M.D.; Professor of Medicine, OHSU
• William T. Shults, M.D.; Neuro-Ophthalmologist, Devers Eye Institute
• E. Michael Van Buskirk, M.D.; Devers Eye Institute
• A. Sonia Buist, M.D., Professor of Medicine, OHSU
• National Institute of Health
• Dr. Paul J. Donald, UC Davis
• John H. McAnulty, M.D.
• Drug Evaluation Classification Program, California Highway Patrol DRE Manual
• Narcotic Training Techniques
  The Commission on Police Officers Standards and Training of California
  Glendale Police Department Sponsored
• Dr. Forest S. Tennant,Jr.,M.D.,Dr.P.H.

ALCOHOL

Brand / Generic Names
Beer, Wine, Brandy, Gin, Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey.

Street Names
Booze, Brew, Cold One, Juice, Sauce, Wahoo Juice

Possible Effects of Alcohol
The term "Alcohol" has been synonymous with "spirituous" liquids for the past 300 years while the history of alcohol consumption , along with codes limiting its consumption, go back to 1700 B.C. There are basically four types of alcohol, Methyl Alcohol, Ethyl Alcohol, Propyl Alcohol and Butyl Alcohol. Ethyl Alcohol is the type used in the production of alcoholic beverages. The other three types of alcohol, Methyl, Propyl and Butyl Alcohol, if consumed can result in blindness and death - even in relatively small doses.

Alcohol, and its consumption, can cause a number of marked changes in behavior. Even low doses significantly impair judgment and coordination. In small amounts, it can induce feelings of relaxation and tranquility, suppress anxiety, and in some, inspire feelings of confidence. However, as the dose is increased , normally beyond 6 ounces, the pleasant euphoric feelings begin to give way to feelings of depression. Intoxication occurs because the liver is unable to metabolize more than one ounce of alcohol every hour. Therefore, when a person consumes more alcohol than the body can metabolize, intoxication occurs. Intoxication can generally last anywhere from one to 12 hours. Repeated use of alcohol can lead to increased tolerance to the drug that in turn leads to greater and greater amounts required to achieve its desired effects. Once the body develops a dependence to alcohol, a sudden cessation of its intake is likely to produce withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening and include severe anxiety, tremors, hallucinations , and convulsions. Alcohol can be lethal if the amount of alcohol reaches a concentration above 460 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. When the amount of alcohol in the blood is to high, death from respiratory depression can occur. Additionally, while long-term consumption of large quantities of alcohol can lead to permanent damage to vital organs such as the brain and liver, mothers who drink alcohol during pregnancy may give birth to infants with fetal alcohol syndrome that can include irreversible physical and mental changes to the baby.