For the Record 10.16.13

DRUG ABUSE

“Ohio saw a 440 PERCENT INCREASE in the number of deaths by drug overdose from 1999 to 2011.”

ISSUE NO. 21 • OCT. 16 - OCT. 22, 2013 • DRUG ISSUE

DRUG ABUSE ISSUE / WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2013 / PAGE 2

Kara Driscoll @kardadri @pdidion

SPORTS EDITOR

Joshua Miller @josh_tnrsports Jake Grieco @Rosewater_Eliot

ARTS EDITOR NEWS EDITOR

Ryan Hoffman @ryanhoffman3 Emily Begley @begleyeg

COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR

Phil Didion

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE

ASK

HAVE YOU PERSONALLY BEEN AFFECTED BY DRUG USE?

DO YOU FEEL UC HAS A DRUG OR DRINKING CULTURE?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE IN THE DRUG ABUSE TABLOID?

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW ABOUT THE WAR ON DRUGS?

BEST THING TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE OFFERS YOU DRUGS?

I have close friends and family who definitely struggle with alcoholism. Addiction isn’t pretty.

I think every college in the U.S. has a drug and drinking culture. It’ll never change either.

The prescription drug article on Page 4 is interesting.

I don’t have any serious opinions, but I did have fun watching police bust a crack house in the West End.

Just start sobbing and talking about journalism.

They’ll think you’re already unstable enough without the drugs.

At least it works for me ...

One of my best friend’s sisters died of a heroin overdose when I was 16. I’m from a small town, where that sort of tragedy has a pretty profound effect.

As a college, there’s no avoiding a drinking culture. I’m a bartender, the drinking culture pays my rent. And, I’d say that there’s more of a drug culture here than most would like to believe.

The article on Page 3 about the changes in drugs in the music industry over the years is pretty interesting.

At this point, they should probably stick to fighting the drugs that actually kill people.

A swift punch to the face usually speaks louder than word. Unless the person offering is on an upper, in which case you may be in trouble. Seriously, you’re adults; you can handle peer pressure with a ‘No.’

Yes, some people around me don’t know their limit. It’s hard to watch someone close to you almost throw their life away.

My house on Wheeler Street does.

The article about Miley Cyrus is interesting, and I will always take an opportunity to look at Miley Cyrus.

‘WAR what is it good for? Stopping us from smoking.’

“Let me call my Mom and ask if it’s okay.”

Unfortunately a lot of some of my best friends from high school became complete addicts and their lives are ruined. Heroin is a serious problem.

I think the majority of college campuses have a drinking culture and UC is no exception. As for drugs, a lot of people smoke weed but other drugs I’m not sure of.

Interesting Q&A about steroid use in sports on page 8.

A complete failure. You can’t solve this problem by attacking the supply.

This country has to curb the demand for liferuining substances.

No thanks man I’m high on life ... and piss-face drunk.

I know a few people who have struggled with addiction, and it’s scary to see how it affects those close to you.

I think it’s common for all colleges to have somewhat of a drinking culture, and I don’t think UC stands out as having a particularly negative one in either category.

The article about prescription drugs on Page 4.

I don’t have a strong opinion about it.

Just say no!

I’ve had some scary experiences watching friends go too far. It’s one thing to read about it but when it’s right in front of you, it’s a lot harder to handle.

By the sounds of screams, bass beats, and bottles crashing that keep me awake at night, I’d say yes to the latter.

As always, I’m a sucker for those photos. But seriously, the article on Page 3 that can lead people with addictions to help.

Out of sight, out of mind.

Say “no” cause I can get them cheaper through Obamacare.

EDITORS

DRUG ABUSE ISSUE WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16 / PAGE 3

Campus resource sheds light on health topics Student Wellness Center provides help, information about drugs, sexual health, nutrition, more EMILY BEGLEY COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR

MADISON SCHMIDT | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Party Smart Kits, available for free at the Student Wellness Center, include items and information that help party throwers and goers increase safety.

The term “drug” is multifaceted. It encompasses an immense range of substances into one collective category, including everything from cigarettes and alcohol to nonprescription medication use.

For students struggling with drug abuse — whether personally or regarding a friend or family member — the diverseness of the subject can make it difficult to receive information tailored to a specific situation.

But students are not alone.

The Student Wellness Center (SWC) at the University of Cincinnati opens its doors to all, offering the UC community help and information about a variety of health topics.

Drugs are only one category in which students can receive resources; the center is involved in topics including body image, financial wellness, sexual health, nutrition and more.

“It’s easier to hear it from people your own age [certified peer educators] rather than an authority figure.”

Tiffany Stainfield, SWC certified peer educator

“We’re a resource and education center surrounding multiple areas of health and wellness, from drug and alcohol health to sexual health and even financial wellness,” said Tiffany Stainfield, a fifth-year philosophy

and pre-med student and SWC-certified peer educator.

Certified peer educators present programs to university organizations and as students themselves, they strive to establish a relatable connection with the individuals they speak to.

“We’re the ones that go out in the UC community and talk to residence halls and student groups,” Stainfield said. “It’s easier to hear it from people your own age rather than an authority figure.”

Several free resources are available at the center to make students’ experiences safer both on and off campus. An example is a kit put together by Party Smart, a collaboration of campus organizations focused on giving students a safe party experience. Party Smart Kits include posters, safe drinking tips, taxi cards and more and are picked up by students on a daily basis. “[The information] influences people’s decision,” Stainfield said. “Having someone just read that once, it’s mission accomplished.”

The Student Wellness Center is located in Steger Student Life Center Room 675. For more information, call 513-556-6124.

Saying goodbye: Glee fans, cast remember leading actor Emotional tribute episode remembers Cory Monteith, includes admirable performances AMONA REFAEI STAFF REPORTER

“Glee” fans and cast members came together Thursday to say goodbye to lead actor Cory Monteith, 31, who died of an alcohol and heroin overdose in July.

Monteith played lovable jock Finn Hudson, who has played a central role in Glee since its premiere in 2009.

Audience members learn quickly that “Glee” producers chose not to address how Monteith or his character died.

“Everyone wants to talk about how he died, but who cares?” Chris Colfer’s character (Kurt) said in the episode. “One moment in his whole life. I care more about how he lived.”

Rather than focusing on the actor’s death, the episode, titled “The Quarterback,” remembered Finn and his relationship with the show’s characters.

Many original cast members returned for the event in order to pay their respects to Monteith. The episode opened with the show’s

current cast dressed in black singing “Seasons of Love” from Rent. Characters Artie (Kevin McHale), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), Blaine (Darren Criss) and Sam (Chord Overstreet) joined them.

Original characters Kurt, Santana (Naya Rivera), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Puck (Mark Salling) and Mike (Harry Shum Jr.) then came out on the show’s iconic auditorium, and all the characters completed the song together.

Toward the end of the song, characters turned toward a photo of Monteith. The simplicity of the scene and the emotion each actor was able to portray established poignant sentiment right at the start of the show.

As the episode progressed the emotion increased.

The next scene featured Colfer, Monteith’s stepbrother on the show, packing in his New York apartment to return to Ohio three weeks following Monteith’s character’s funeral.

The episode then showed Colfer’s character saying goodbye to Rachel (Lea Michele), Monteith’s real-life and on-screen girlfriend.

However, she remained off-screen for the majority of the episode, raising the question of whether or not she would appear at all.

Santana (Rivera) performed a notably emotional rendition of “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry in the choir room shared

by members of Glee. Toward the end of the song, her character is joined by all of the others in the room. Rivera’s character became overwhelmed with emotion, rendering her unable to complete the song.

Rivera, who’s character is generally known for her strong personality, does an incredible job of balancing that with a much more sensitive side in this episode.

One of the most heart-wrenching scenes occurred when Michele finally appeared and paid tribute to her on and off-screen boyfriend.

Her emotions are so genuine during this scene that it is easily transferred to viewers at home.

Her character sang “Make You Feel My Love”

by Bob Dylan, which she explained she and Finn sang together on drives. Her emotion shines through during the very first stanza.

Her character also donned a necklace reading “Finn,” which she held during the song while tears streamed down her face.

Michele’s performance is one to be applauded, especially considering her close relationship with Monteith.

“He was my person,” she said in the show.

Everyone involved in the making of the episode did a superb job of honoring Monteith without exploiting the tragedy in an attempt to raise their rating, which is truly admirable.

PROVIDED

Actor Cory Monteith of “Glee,” who died of an overdose in July, was remembered in an emotional tribute episode Thursday.

DRUG ABUSE ISSUE / WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2013 / PAGE 4

Q&A: Ohio’s prescription drug abuse problem growing Overdoses claim more Ohio lives than car accidents; UC expert talks causes, possible solutions ALEXIS O’BRIEN CHIEF REPORTER

Prescription drug abuse has been a longstanding problem in Ohio and residents’ misuse of prescription drugs has steadily worsened since 1999.

Ohio saw a 440 percent increase in the number of deaths by unintentional overdose from 1999 to 2011, according to a recent report issued by the Ohio Department of Health, and drug overdoses were the cause of 1,765 Ohio resident deaths in 2011 alone — the highest number of overdose deaths on state record.

Erin Winstanley, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine assistant professor, is working to increase awareness of the national prescription drug abuse epidemic and highlight the importance of not only abuse prevention, but also addiction treatment.

Q: What is the difference between opioids and prescription drugs?

A: Opioids are a class of drugs that relieve pain and include both prescription pain relievers, for example, oxycontin and heroin.

Opioids are a class of commonly abused prescription drugs that are prescribed for pain.

Q: Is Ohio having problems with both?

A: Yes. In 2007, drug overdose deaths surpassed motor vehicle accidents to become the leading cause of injury and death in Ohio.

This means that Ohioians are more likely to die of a drug overdose than in a car accident.

In Hamilton County, someone dies of a drug overdose every other day.

Overdose fatalities are a preventable cause of death. Naloxone, marketed as Narcan, is a synthetic drug that blocks opiate receptors and signals to the diaphragm to restore breathing in overdosers. It can be administered to reverse an overdose and prevent a fatality.

Some addiction treatments have also been demonstrated to prevent overdose.

Q: Why is Ohio seeing such an increase in drug overdoses?

A: The cause of the opioid epidemic in Ohio is multifaceted. Over prescribing of prescription opioids and the diversion of legitimate prescription opioids have likely contributed to the epidemic. Additionally, there is evidence that heroin availability has increased and extended outside of urban areas. Limited access to evidenced based practices to prevent and reverse fatalities is problematic and will need to be addressed in order to reduce overdose deaths.

Q: What are the most commonly abused prescription drugs and how do abusers commonly get them?

A: The most commonly used illicit drug is marijuana, followed by prescription medications. The most frequently misused prescription medication is prescription painkillers — opioids such as fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone and oxymorphone.

Persons who misuse prescription medications report getting the drug from a friend or relative.

Q: What steps can abusers take?

A: It’s important to seek help because addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease.

More simply, treatment works, and people with an addiction don’t realize that. Treatment is not only to become abstinent, but also to discuss strategies for preventing an overdose.

The purpose of treatment is to reduce drug use and ultimately achieve abstinence, address drug use consequences such as risk of HIV, prevent overdose and ensure access to naloxone.

UC students specifically can find help within the university’s department of psychiatry. It is made up of highly qualified psychologists, psychiatrists and clinicians who treat substance abuse.

Q: What are the top three things that can be done to reverse this increasing trend?

A: The most proximal intervention to prevent a drug overdose fatality is to administer naloxone, either intravenously or intranasal.

Naloxone is an FDA-approved medication with well-established efficacy and safety, is available with a prescription and can be administered to reverse an opioid or heroin overdose. However, very few people seem to be aware of naloxone, and it’s unclear how many states require paramedics or first-responders to carry it.

All community members should be aware that some prescription medications may be associated with an increased risk of overdose and the potential for abuse or dependence.

Persons and their family members at high risk of an overdose should receive education on how to prevent overdose, how to identify someone who has overdosed and how to

PHIL DIDION PHOTO EDITOR

Over prescribing opioids, such as oxycontin, is drastically growing Ohio’s drug abuse epidemic.

appropriately respond, including the use of naloxone.

Sometimes people are afraid to call 911 in drug-related emergencies in fear of arrest, but people need to be trained on signs and symptoms of an overdose. They need to call 911 so naloxone can be administered.

Opinion: Cons of marijuana use not enough to outweigh pros Seemingly inconsequential effects don’t justify high incarceration rate LUKE MANSER CONTRIBUTOR

Green, reefer, ganja, pot, weed, marijuana, or more formally, cannabis and its effects and potential legality have been a controversial topic throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.

It’s been a hectic road from its official prohibition in 1970 under the Controlled Substances Act, to its legal recreational use in Colorado and Washington in 2012. Many view the drug as a catalyst for the degradation of society; others view it as the best thing since, well, pot.

Like all things in life, I believe marijuana’s legality and its use has its highs and lows.

From the research I have seen, marijuana isn’t going to put you in a hospital bed dying

from cancer.

On the positive side, from what I understand, marijuana is fun and has very minimal negative side effects. The only conclusive

“Marijuana-related incidents consists of 49.8 percent of all drug arrests in the U.S.” negative side effect from heavy marijuana use in adults is short-term memory loss, according to a study conducted by Harvard University in 2001. However, after 28 days of sobriety, all side effects are neutralized.

For a drug that does minimal damage to society and individuals, it seems to be nonsensical for it to be one of the highest

prosecuted drug crimes in the United States.

Marijuana-related incidents consist of 49.8 percent of all drug arrests in the U.S., and 88 percent of those arrests are for possession; not for manufacturing or distributing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

American prisons are already incredibly overcrowded, and it is only logical to look and see if the people who are being locked up are actually detrimental to society. It’s doubtful that marijuana users are the ones causing problems in the streets.

The statistic that blows this debate out of the water is the cannabis drug dependency rate.

Cannabis is actually less addictive than heroin, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol and even caffeine, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Three of those five substances are legal universally in the U.S., so to say marijuana should be illegalized due to public safety is simply not a valid argument.

On the other hand, cannabis consumption

has lifelong negative side effects with those who start at a younger age. McLean Hospital, a Harvard-affiliated research facility, administered cognitive ability tests to groups of marijuana users who started before and after the age of 16. Those who started earlier performed significantly worse than those who started later, according to the study.

In fact, those who started smoking after the age of 16 performed almost twice as well as those who started earlier.

The assumption is Tetrahydrocannabinol — the active substance in cannabis that gives it its mind-altering affects — has a negative longterm impact on the developing brain.

Marijuana can indeed be a negative influence on the adolescent mind, but it also can be a positive form of relief from nausea and depression with the adult brain.

Only time will tell how society will eventually view this green plant that causes so much controversy.

DRUG ABUSE ISSUE / WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2013 / PAGE 5

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Now versus then: Music’s mind-altering influences Popular music lost all meaning; drugs promoted, used as inspiration in wrong way

malleable, a little more debatable but unarguably the more relevant of the two. The influence of drugs on music can go one of two ways — kind of like a trip — good or bad.

I’m not talking about a matter of life or death here; I’m talking about the difference between Miley Cyrus and Janis Joplin.

The point is not to ignore or glamorize the devastating outcome of drug abuse on the lives of so many adored musicians and artists, but to deem it irrelevant to this conversation. It’s really just about the music, the mellow vibes, the life-altering lyrics and unforgettable melodies created by those wonderful people and their psychedelic stimuli.

TASK: Analyze the difference between the below sets of lyrics:

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“Red cups and sweaty bodies everywhere/Hands in the air like we don’t care/’Cause we came to have so much fun now/Bet somebody here might get some now/If you’re not ready to go home/Can I get a hell, no!?/’Cause we’re gonna go all night/’Til we see the sunlight, alright/So la da di da di/We like to party/Dancing with molly*/Doing whatever we want/This is our house/ This is our rules/And we can’t stop/And we won’t stop/Can’t you see it’s we who own the night?/Can’t you see it’s we who ‘bout that life?”

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THE BEATLES “TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS”

MILEY CYRUS “WE CAN’T STOP”

The phrase “sex drugs and rock ‘n’ roll” isn’t just a reflection of rock star hobbies, but a dedication to the impact it has on music.

The sex part is obvious: Big hair, tight pants, men wearing makeup. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t think the male rock stars of today or yesterday squeeze into those pants for extra support. And the women with their revealing outfits and extravagant makeovers — face it, sex sells.

Now, on to the drugs: the topic is a little more

“Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream/It is not dying, it is not dying/ Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void/It is shining, it is shining/Yet you may see the meaning of within/It is being, it is being/Love is all and love is everyone/It is knowing, it is knowing .../But listen to the colour of your dreams/ It is not leaving, it is not leaving/So play the game Existence to the end of the beginning.”

First, notice the similarities. Both songs, though not directly, explore the experience of a drug.

The Beatles and Cyrus romanticize an encounter with one or multiple mindaltering substances and the outstanding sensations felt.

But one key element is missing from the set of lyrics on the left, imagination.

“Tomorrow Never Knows” is a lot more than heavy bass and a catchy beat — it’s an experience.

One could argue the difference in genres and target audience, blah blah blah.

But the Beatles were once “pop” music, weren’t they?

The genre doesn’t matter; it’s the premise and the complete lack of substance in popular music.

“Let’s all get high and love one another” somehow turned into, “Let’s all get F’d up, then go out and get F’d up some more while we flaunt our nice cars and diamond jewelry (and don’t forget to shake dat a**).”

Anyone can understand the changing of times along with trends and morals and so on, but the drugs are the same and still openly promoted in popular music, just in a completely different way, a way that almost insults a listener’s intelligence and capability of thinking for his or herself.

This is not to say every song ever created has to be some revelation of profound intellect, but at least give us something to contemplate.

DRUG ABUSE ISSUE / WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16, 2013 / PAGE 8

Q&A: director of sports medicine talks steroid use Dr. Angelo Colosimo, UC’s director of sports medicine — a former college football player and steroid user — speaks of the dangers of performance enhancing drug use in college sports, an issue he says will never be solved JOSHUA MILLER SPORTS EDITOR

Q: For those who wouldn’t know, what’s your daily schedule when you walk into the office in the morning?

A: My [day] depends on whether I’m in the office or the operating room. If I’m in the office, I see athletes from all over. If I’m in the operating room, I’m in surgery all day.

Q: So, say it’s an operating day. How many surgeries would you preform on average.

A: I’ll do 10 to 12 cases a day.

Q: Did you perform Munchie Legaux’s (UC’s starting quarterback, who suffered a gruesome knee injury in September) surgery?

A: Yes. It’s probably the worst knee injury I’ve seen in 25 years. Thank God he didn’t hurt his artery — all that other shit, I can fix.

Q: You were a college athlete yourself, right?

A: I played at Colgate, I was a tailback (a two-time Academic All-American, 1979-80 and 1980-81).

Q: And that’s where you had your first experience with performance-enhancing drugs?

A: The point that people have to know is that they’ve been around since the Roman Empire.

Since athletic completion began, people have looked for competitive advantage. When we were in college, it was just starting to become really popular in college football.

Q: What prompted you to start using?

A: We were playing some pretty big teams like Penn State and Syracuse in the same year, and all of those guys were taking steroids.

They’d tell us they were taking steroids and they were all blown up.

Q: So it was just a matter of competing?

A: Those of us who play the game, you play the game for a reason.You compete.You compete to win and you want to win rings — you want to win championships. It’s ego, that’s what drives everything. As long as there’s competition, there will be performance-enhancing drugs and people trying to get that advantage.

Q: When did you take steroids for the first time?

A: The summer between our junior and senior year; one of the tight ends on our team

went down to Arizona to train and he got on steroids. He came back and said, “Hey this stuff is unbelievable.” Back then we didn’t know anything about it, so a bunch of us started trying it and it was a pretty phenomenal result as far as what you were experiencing, the change in your physical being.

Q: What types of P.E.Ds were you guys using back then?

A: Pretty much the same things that guys are using now. The big things were anabolic steroids. There’s two ways to do it, orally — which most of us did — or injectable. The popular ones were Dianabol and Deca-Durabolin.

Q: How easy was it to attain steroids then?

A: You could get it anywhere.You could go to any gym downtown and get any steroid that you want and it’s not very expensive.

Q: Is it still that easy today?

A: Still that accessible, easy as can be.You can still get anything you want at any of those gyms.

Q: How widespread was the use back then?

A: It’s hard to say because back then we weren’t focusing on it the way we do now. But I can tell you that probably 20 percent of the kids in our locker room [at Colgate] were using them at some point. Some of the bigger schools were probably a lot higher than that. Guys would deny it, but you look at them and say, “Well you sure didn’t look like that six months ago.”

Q: But back then, you guys didn’t have any idea about possible consequences A: We didn’t know anything. It’s just like the concussions now.You would get dinged and wouldn’t know where the hell you were.You’d wobble back to the huddle and then they’d hand you the ball anyway. That’s why our generation now is starting to feel the consequences.

“We’re not going to [be able to stop steroid use]. They’re everywhere. Even today, every time we find a way to test for a given drug, they find a way to hide it. We’re constantly chasing our tail.”

Dr. Angelo Colosimo, UC Director of Sports Medicine

PROVIDED

Dr. Angelo Colosimo, UC’s director of sports medice, (left) tends to an injured UC football player at Nippert Stadium.

so publicized?

A: There was a study years ago, I can’t remember where I saw it, but they took athletes at the top of their game and asked if they could take a pill that would make them win the highest honor of their sport, but die one year later. Eighty-four percent of them said they would take the pill. That’s the nature of the mind of a competitive athlete.

The more they publicize it; the more kids are going to use them. The problem is they do work [and] they do help performance. There’s a reason they’re called performance-enhancing drugs.

Q: What is the P.E.D of choice in today’s college athletics scene?

A: It rotates, but what’s become really popular are 5-hour Energy type supplements [which are technically on the banned substance list], the steroids are still around. Kids are more aware of getting caught now, especially in the NCAA. They’re not as cavalier as we were back then.

Q: How much use would you say is going on now compared to then?

A: I think it’s probably more now than it was back then. I can’t say that with absolute certainty, but there are different types now and different ways.You can go to GNC and get all of these powders. A lot of guys will take that stuff and not even realize what’s truly in them. There is some anabolic stuff in a lot of those products.

Q: Have you seen college-aged people in your work who are already affected by steroid use?

A: I usually don’t see it at this level, it happens later on down the line. Now, does the fact that using P.E.Ds make kids bigger, faster and stronger — does that affect their ligaments and injury rates? There have been some studies, but it’s hard to really do because people don’t admit they’re using them. Maybe our ACL injury rates are much higher because of that.

Q: Why do you think use continues to be widespread, despite the consequences being

Q: Are there any unpublicized consequences that you might warn users of?

A: . The psychiatric consequences are pretty impressive. They talk about concussions and guys that are killing themselves later in life.

I wonder if anyone’s ever looked back and said, “We’re these guys using P.E.Ds.” I will tell you that when you’re on them, it changes your personality.You tend to get a lot more aggressive, intolerant, short tempered; that’s real.Your whole being kind of changes, mind you, I only used them for six months.

Q: Do you talk to UC athletes about this at all?

A: Nobody talks about it. They get tested and Bob Mangine, our head trainer, does his testing routines where he does test for them. But to us, nobody talks about it.

Q: Will we ever see a time when steroid use in sports isn’t an issue?

A: The problem we get into is, do we use them or do we not use them? There’s an integrity issue there. A lot of people say,“Well shit, we’re never going to be able to stop it.”And we’re not going to. They’re everywhere. Even today, every time we find a way to test for a given drug, they find a way to hide it. We’re constantly chasing our tail.

Q: Why do you think that is?

A: The steroid era will never end because it works too much. The competition now is worse than it was 20 years ago. It starts when you’re 3 or 4 years old, when your parents tell you that you’re going to the NFL. The guys are always going to compete and when you get to that level [collegiate], they’re going to do whatever it takes.