Policy on alcohol and drugs

This policy is established to help maintain a safe and healthy environment for all students and employees, to ensure compliance with applicable law, and to require the adoption and implementation of a program to help prevent the use of illicit drugs and alcohol abuse by students and employees. 

Policy:  

All campuses are designated as drug-free. The possession, sale, furnishing, or use of alcohol or controlled substances on campus is prohibited. Students will be held accountable for the use of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances on AAH or externship property, including the purchase, consumption, possession, furnishing, or sale of such items. The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required all states to raise their minimum purchase and public possession of alcohol to age 21. The possession, sale, manufacture of distribution of any controlled substance is illegal under both state and federal laws. 

In compliance with the Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989, Public Law 101-226, AAH provides the following information regarding the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol: 1) AAH Disciplinary Action, 2) Applicable Local, State, and Federal Laws, 3) Health Risks Associated with the Use of Drugs and Abuse of Alcohol, and 4) Drug/Alcohol Counseling and Rehabilitation Programs. 

Internal Sanctions:

A student that violates the AAH prohibition on controlled substances or alcohol is subject to disciplinary action up to and including immediate suspension or dismissal, criminal prosecution, fine and/or imprisonment. Students dismissed for misconduct will be advised by the Campus Director. Readmission is subject to the Campus Director’s approval. An employee who violates the AAH prohibition on controlled substances or alcohol is subject to disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination of employment, criminal prosecution, fine and/or imprisonment. Any disciplinary action taken will be consistent with applicable AAH policies. 

External Sanctions:

Local, state and federal laws provide for a variety of legal sanctions for the unlawful possession and distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol. These sanctions include, but are not limited to, incarceration and monetary fines. Federal and state laws provide severe penalties for distributing or dispensing, or possessing with the intent to distribute or dispense, a controlled substance, and less severe penalties for possession of a controlled substance.  If drugs are involved the city will, most likely, defer to the state or federal authorities because their penalties are more severe. If alcohol is involved, it may lead to a conviction under both local and state law and punishment according to both laws.  Courts do not excuse individuals convicted of these offenses from a prison sentence to go to college or work. A conviction for such an offense can seriously damage your record, which could prevent you from entering many careers.  Further information regarding these local, state, and federal laws are on campus and available to students and employees who are encouraged to review the information. The above-referenced examples of penalties and sanctions are based on the relevant laws at the time of adoption of this policy statement. Such laws are, of course, subject to revision or amendment by way of the legislative process. 

Health Risks: 

The use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol can dull sensation and impair muscular coordination, memory, and judgment. Ingested in larger quantities over a long period of time, alcohol can damage the liver and heart and cause permanent brain damage, and can lead to death. The health risks associated with the use of illegal drugs range from increased heart rate, lung problems, and liver damage to coma and death. Consult your personal physician about the health risks associated with alcohol and drug abuse. REV 07.22 REV 07.22 

The following information is provided by the Center for Disease Control: 

Alcohol - short-term effects include behavioral changes, impairment of judgment and coordination, greater likelihood of aggressive acts, respiratory depression, irreversible physical and mental abnormalities in newborns (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) and death. Long-term effects of alcohol abuse include damage to the liver, heart and brain, ulcers, gastritis, malnutrition, delirium tremens and cancer. Alcohol combined with other barbiturates/depressants can prove to be a deadly mixture.

Amphetamines/Stimulants - seriously affect the liver, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. Can cause sterility in males and females, as well as impotency in males. Barbiturates/Depressants - (“downers”, Quaaludes, valium, etc.) slows down the central nervous system which can cause decreased heart and breathing rates, lower blood pressure, Slowed reactions, confusion, distortion of reality, convulsions, respiratory depression, coma and death. Depressants combined with alcohol can be lethal. 

Cocaine/Crack - Stimulates the central nervous system and is extremely addictive, both psychologically and physically. Effects include dilated pupils, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, hallucinations, paranoia, seizures, and death due to cardiac arrest or respiratory failure. 

Hallucinogens - (PCP, “angel dust”, LSD, etc.) interrupt the functions of the part of the brain which controls the intellect and instincts. May result in self-inflicted injuries, impaired coordination, dulled senses, incoherent speech, depression, anxiety, violent behavior, paranoia, hallucinations, increased heart rate and blood pressure, convulsions, coma, and heart and lung failure. 

Cannabis - (marijuana, hashish, “weed”, etc.) impairs short term memory, comprehension, concentration, coordination, and motivation, may also cause paranoia and psychosis. Marijuana smoke contains more cancer-causing agents than tobacco smoke. The way in which marijuana is smoked -deeply inhaled and held in the lungs for a long period - increases the risk of getting cancer. Combined with alcohol, marijuana can produce a dangerous multiplied effect. 

Narcotics - (“smack”, “horse”, Demerol, Percodan, etc.) initially produce feelings of euphoria often followed by drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. An overdose may result in convulsions, coma and death. Tolerance develops rapidly and dependence is likely. Using contaminated syringes to inject such drugs may result in HIV, hepatitis, or AIDS. 

Tobacco/Nicotine – according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) each year, an estimated 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, and another 8.6 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking. Smokeless tobacco, vaping, e-cigarettes, cigars, and pipes may also have deadly consequences, including lung, larynx, esophageal, and oral cancers. 

Drug/Alcohol Counseling and Rehabilitation Programs 

Programs in each campus community or nearby provide drug and/or alcohol counseling and rehabilitation. See below for a list of programs, their locations, and phone numbers, although the list is not all-inclusive, nor is AAH recommending any facility. Seeking help from, or being referred to or from these services is confidential, and will not alone result in disciplinary action. Individual privacy will be maintained in the counseling/rehabilitation process.