What parents don't know about student drug use | Health Watch

(CNN) — Hardly a week goes by that I don't get a panicked text or call from a distraught parent whose college-age child is in the emergency room for a substance abuse problem.

Young adults ages 18 to 25 account for 11.1% of the more than 7.7 million drug-related emergency department visits per year in the United States, and they have the highest rate of cannabis-related emergency department visits, according to a 2023 report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

I'm a primary care physician and college health professional. Parents often rely on me for help in figuring out what to do when their child is in crisis. This gives me a third title: Medical Myth Buster.

Before sending your teens off to college, consider the myths and facts surrounding drug use on college campuses to get a better idea of ​​what parents can do to keep their young adult children safer in this new cultural climate.

Here are some of the most dangerous myths I hear and my advice for combating them.

Myth #1: I don’t need to talk to my kids about drugs because they are “good” kids.

INCORRECT. Parents find it unbelievable that their smart, successful, law-abiding teenager is suddenly using drugs. Parents cannot imagine why their responsible child would trust a shady stranger offering them pills or weed.

In my experience, sometimes your kids will try drugs, even if they're straight-A students, Eagle Scouts, or their high school's volunteer of the year. That's why you might get a call about a drug overdose, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, or a drug or alcohol-related car accident.

Myth #2: My child knows to stay away from shady drug dealers.

INCORRECT. Most college drug dealers don't look like the kind of scary criminals you'd imagine. They actually look like typical college students, because that's often what they are. So forget the image of a heroin dealer in a dark alley and replace it with a concerned friend in the dorm.

This is how it can start. Let's say your child hasn't slept for several days because he's studying so hard for chemistry. A friend could offer him some pills so that he can rest and pass the test tomorrow with flying colors.

What if they can't stay awake but need to finish that homework assignment that's due tomorrow morning? They might try a friend's “study aid” pill – often a stimulant for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that's available by prescription.

Does their social anxiety cause them to have a panic attack before heading out to a party? Maybe they try a gummy (laced with THC) to make them feel better. (Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis.)

Is there anything more innocent-looking than an animal-shaped gummy bear? Not only are THC edibles intentionally packaged in childish, brightly colored graphics, but the edibles also look like childhood gummy bears, brownies, candy bars, chips, and more.

These THC-containing foods bypass the “bad” things we've warned our children about, like smoking, inhaling, or taking pills. Even kids who would never light up a cigarette or joint might be tempted to try a piece of candy.

Myth #3: We experimented with weed in college and it worked, so our kids will be able to, too.

Maybe wrong. College kids aren't just experimenting anymore. Cannabis use is now common on college campuses, whether it's legal in your child's state or not. In a 2022 study of more than 14,000 students enrolled in 19 colleges in Texas (where recreational cannabis is still illegal), nearly 40% of students had used cannabis and more than 26% had used it on their college campus, according to a 2023 study.

Plus, today's weed is stronger than what you may have used in the past. The THC of the 1980s and earlier wasn't considered addictive because there was no apparent withdrawal syndrome, according to addiction psychiatrist Dr. Elizabeth Stuyt.

THC concentrations have increased from less than 1.5% in 1980 to 3.96% in 1995 to an average of 16.14% in 2022, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse based on cannabis samples seized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to the Colorado Market Size and Demand Update 2020 report, marijuana flower produced in Colorado currently averages 19.2% THC per gram; concentrate products such as hash or oils average 67.8% THC per gram, and vaporizer cartridges average 79.7% THC per gram.

In fact, according to SAMHSA, today's weed is addicting at least 1 in 6 teens and 1 in 10 adults. While the odds are yours overall, there's no way to predict whether you'll be among the 16.7% of teens or the 10% of adults who will become addicted.

Myth #4: Only hardcore partygoers do drugs in college.

INCORRECT. Outside of the party drug culture, I see more college students self-medicating. Students are looking for a way to either stay alert and focused or to calm their brain's anxiety so they can study, sleep, and socialize more effectively. They're not looking for a high – they're trying to achieve functional normalcy.

Although almost everyone knows about the fentanyl crisis, few college students see significant risk in accepting or buying Xanax or Adderall pills that are believed to be prescription drugs. Drug dealers likely see the risk as minimal, since they often sell products they use themselves.

Myth #5: My child is not a drug dealer.

Maybe wrong. I was intrigued by the fact that many students who sell drugs do not consider themselves drug dealers. They are usually shocked and offended when I use those words and talk about the serious legal consequences of selling prescription drugs. There is clearly a disconnect in their minds between their actions and those of the people who sell over-the-counter illegal drugs.

Some students sell some of their own properly prescribed ADHD stimulants or other medications, and these pills are often passed around or resold. This practice likely reinforces the misconception that other pills offered by peers are also safe, legally manufactured and prescribed pills.

Fact: Parents can prepare their children for the realities of drugs and college life.

TRUE. First, make sure to include Narcan Spray, an opioid antagonist that can instantly reverse a fentanyl overdose, in your college student's first aid kit. Narcan is available over the counter, but you'll likely have to ask for it at the pharmacy, as most stores keep it “behind the counter” to prevent shoplifting of the product, which sells for about $44 per two units.

Discuss the instructions for Narcan with your teen, but using it is simple: The spray is a single-dose unit that you spray into the victim's nose with a squirt after laying them on their back. If the victim, who is breathing heavily or is unconscious, does not have fentanyl or another opioid in their system, Narcan will not cause harm. Make sure your teen knows to always call 911 and stay with the victim when given Narcan; a second dose may be needed.

Second, actively encourage your student to seek medical help if they complain of difficulty concentrating, if they can't sleep, or if they have anxiety about social issues or exams. Counseling and legitimate medications can be very helpful for these problems, and that's a big part of what college health services treat.

Reassure them that they shouldn't wait until they're in crisis to seek help, whether it's a physical illness, an injury, stress, anxiety, or depression. Especially with mental health issues, students will try anything to help and self-medicate, and that's exactly why many “good kids” end up using drugs.

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