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FAQ's
for Teens:
What
constitutes a DUI charge for a person under 21 years old?
Consequences are severe. In PA, you are considered to be "Driving Under the Influence" if your blood alcohol level is .08% or higher unless you are under 21 years of age. If you are under 21, you are considered to be driving under the influence if your blood alcohol level is .02% or greater.
What
is a drug?
There is no single definition for the word "drug." The word
is commonly used to mean medicines, narcotic substances or both. The World
Health Organization defines a drug as "any substance that, when taken
into a living organism, may modify one or more of its functions."
Is
smokeless tobacco a safe alternative to cigarettes?
No, because it contains nicotine. Smokeless tobacco is no different than
cigarettes. Chewing tobacco and snuff damage the lining of the mouth and
throat contributing to serious disease or death from cancer. Other health
problems linked to chewing tobacco and snuff include gum disease, tooth
decay, bad breath, and loss of teeth.
Isnt
heroin a less dangerous drug if you snort or smoke it instead of injecting
it?
No. Heroin is heroin no matter how you use it. There is no safe way of
ingesting it. You can still die from an overdose or become addicted by
snorting or smoking it.
Do some people use cocaine to feel good?
Any positive feelings are fleeting and often followed by some very bad
feelings, like paranoia and intense cravings. Cocaine may give users a
temporary illusion of power and energy, but it often leaves them unable
to function emotionally, physically, and sexually.
Can
a user have a bad reaction to using marijuana?
Yes. Some users, especially someone new to the drug or in a strange setting,
may suffer acute anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely
to happen with high doses of THC. These scary feelings will fade as the
drug's effects wear off. In rare cases, a user
who has taken a very high dose of the drug can have severe psychotic symptoms
and need emergency medical treatment. SOther kinds of bad reactions
can occur when marijuana is mixed with other drugs, such as PCP or cocaine.
Can
a person become addicted to marijuana?
Yes. While not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, when a user
begins to seek out and take the drug compulsively, that person is said
to be dependent on the drug or addicted to it. In 1995, 165,000 people
entering drug treatment programs reported marijuana as their primary drug
of abuse, showing they needed help to stop using.
Is a
glass of wine or wine cooler better for you than beer or hard liquor?
The alcohol content of a shot of hard liquor, can of beer, glass of wine,
or wine cooler is about the same. Drinking any type of alcoholic drink
can lead to problems. No one drink is worse than the other.
Can coffee or a cold shower sober you up?
No. Neither coffee or a cold shower can sober you up. All they will do
is make you a sober drunk. Only time can sober you up.
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