Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention Program

Drugs and Alcohol

The following behavior regarding drugs, alcohol, or any form of intoxicant shall be prohibited:

• The use, possession, control, manufacture, transmission, or sale, or being under the influence, of a drug or narcotic, or other prohibited substances, unless under the direction of a physician;
• Attempt to possess, use, transmit or sale of a prohibited substance.
• The use, possession, control, manufacture, transmission, or sale of paraphernalia related to any prohibited substance; and
• The use possession, control, manufacture, transmission, or sale, or being under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating beverage without the permission of Midland College.

Drug and alcohol, use, misuse, and abuse are complex behaviors with many determinants at both the cultural and individual levels. Awareness of the effects of any drug/alcohol is imperative for an individual’s well-being or survival.

Alcohol

• Acts as a central nervous system depressant, affects mood, dulls the senses, and impairs coordination, reflexes, memory and judgment.
• Dangers include physical and psychological dependency; impaired coordination; fatal respiratory or heart failure from consuming large quantities in a short time period; damage to liver, heart, pancreas, brain and nervous system by excessive and continuous consumption
• Increased likelihood, injury, or death from car or equipment accidents.
• It is the leading cause of death among individuals 15-24 years of age. 

Drugs

Marijuana

• A prolonged use can lead to physical dependence; withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, depression, irritability and overall negative mood states; disrupted sleep, decrease in food intake, and possible aggressive behavior. An immediate increase in heart and pulse rate may cause an acute panic anxiety reaction.
• Cannabis use effects short-term memory.
• Dangers include impaired coordination, paranoia and psychosis; damaged lungs and pulmonary systems; brain damage; safety risks while driving or operating equipment due to impaired judgment and motor skills

Opiates

• Dangers include physical addiction; overdose can cause coma, shock and depressed respiration or death; withdrawal problems include sweating, diarrhea, fever, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, muscle/joint pains; abrupt withdrawal may cause death
• May cause infections of the skin, liver, heart and lungs
• Injection of illegal opiates is highly associated with AIDS, hepatitis, tetanus, and infections of the heart.

Tobacco

• Dangers include shortness of breath, nagging cough and heart difficulties.
• Long-term effects may be emphysema, bronchitis, heart disease, and cancer.

Anabolic Steroids

• Effects include aggression, acne, dizziness, diarrhea, hives and insomnia
• Dangers include medical complications including sterility, impotence, liver cancer, heart disease and death.

Amphetamines

• Effects include increases in blood pressure and heart and respiratory rates; dilates pupils; decreases appetite and blurs vision.
• Dangers include dizziness; insomnia; high doses cause loss of coordination, tremors and physical collapse; injection causes sudden increase in blood pressure that can result in stroke, fever or heart failure, false sense in indestructibility, hallucinations and acute anxiety

All employees and students are expected and required to obey the law, to comply with Midland College rules and with directives issued by an administrative official in the course of his or her authorized duties. Employees and students are expected to observe standards of conduct appropriate for an academic institution.

When the Standards of Conduct regarding alcohol and drugs are violated, Midland College will impose, at a minimum, the following disciplinary action: (a) admonition and warning, (b) formal written warning, (c) loss of privileges, (d) formal disciplinary probation, (e) suspension, (f) dismissal.

Specific information regarding more stringent sanctions is available in the MC Catalog and Student Handbook and Program Handbooks. College-imposed sanctions are additional to any legal actions taken by local, state or federal authorities.

Catalog and Student Handbook: Student Rights & Responsibilities

Students living on Midland College campus are expected and required to obey the law and abide by the Midland College Campus Housing Regulations.

• Residence Halls Regulations

Employees and students found in violation of any local, state or federal law regarding the use, possession or distribution of alcohol or other drugs (as defined by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Subtitle C. Substance Abuse Regulations and Crimes) will receive the full legal penalty in addition to any appropriate College disciplinary action. The most common legal violations and their consequences are:

Alcohol

Minors convicted for possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages may be subject to fines not to exceed $500 depending on the number of previous convictions.

Convictions for selling to Minors or making alcohol available to Minors may subject individuals to a fine not to exceed $4000 and/or to a maximum of one year in jail.

Convictions for Driving While Intoxicated may subject individuals to fines ranging from $100 to $2000 and to a jail term ranging from three days to two years. Fines and jail terms escalate with subsequent offenses.

Controlled Substances (Drugs)

Sanctions upon conviction for possession, distribution, or manufacture of controlled substances range from fines to probation to imprisonment. Amounts of fines, terms of probation or years of imprisonment are generally contingent upon the circumstance and amounts of drugs in possession, sale, distribution or manufacture. Penalties for drug possession are governed by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Sub-title C.

Midland College strives:

• To provide students, faculty, and staff with a confidential source of help when dealing with drug or alcohol abuse or addiction problems. Information is available in the Human Resources Office and Student Services Office. Counseling services may be obtained at a reduced fee by calling the Midland College Behavioral Health Center, (432) 686-4219.
• To promote activities and programs with student support to focus campus attention on the problem of drug and alcohol abuse.

Campus Awareness

The Student Life office coordinates projects and events to focus attention on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and with the problems of dependency. The implementation of AlcoholEdu through the Canvas website as well as Mandatory Alcohol awareness program for all residence hall students, risk management training for clubs and organizations, mocktail parties and educational activities along with publications during April (Alcohol Awareness Month). Along with these measures Midland College also strives to provide students with a variety of drug and alcohol free activities on campus.

Additional information both on the effects of specific drugs and alcohol and drug counseling resources in the Midland area and surrounding areas is available in the Human Resources Office, the Student Services Office, and in the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling office. Counseling is available on the main campus to those in need.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling Program
Abell-Hanger Science Faculty Building, Room 175
(432) 685-4729

MC Behavioral Health Center
Abell-Hanger Science Faculty Building, Room 176
(432) 686-4277

Human Resources Office
Pevehouse Administration Building
(432) 685-4532

MC Counselor
Scharbauer Student Center
(432) 685-4505

You may have a problem with alcohol if:

• you are difficult to get along with when drinking
• you drink because you're depressed
• you drink to relax or to cope with life problems
• you drink until “dead drunk” at times
• you don't recall some drinking episodes, have blackouts
• you hide liquor
• you lie about your drinking
• you neglect to eat when drinking
• you want a drink “the morning after,” an eye-opener
• others have complained about your drinking
• you have wanted to “cut down” on drinking and have not been able to
• you have felt guilty about your drinking

Signs and symptoms of alcohol or other drug dependence:

• Tolerance: using more of the same substance to achieve the desired effect
• Withdrawal: when stopping use of a substance unwanted physiological symptoms present; i.e. shakiness, anxiety, vomiting, excessive sweating, etc.
• Loss of control: using more of a substance than intended, despite planning to use less
• Desire to stop and can't
• Neglecting other activities that are important because of the use of substances
• Preoccupation with substances-the substance takes up more time, energy and focus
• Continued use despite negative consequences