Drug and Alcohol Abuse Within The
Community
Luis Alberto (L. A.) Medina
Ismael Medina Huezo
Leonardo Nahum Rivera
Vanessa Mendoza
Uriel Haro
Efren Zamora
December 17th 2008
Steve Hammond
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
The Contents of Presentation
Our Mission Statement
The Research Questions
Facts about Drugs and Alcohol
Our Findings via Our Surveys
The Flaws of the Survey
Facts about Drugs and Alcohol
Determined Needs
Determined Solutions
Recommendations
Criteria Table
The Resources
The Goals
The Objectives
The Outcomes
Consequences of meeting those in need of help:
Consequences of not meeting those in need of help:
Our Summary
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy The
Conclusion
Cabrillo
College
Our Mission Statement
We will research the impact and effects of drugs and
alcohol use within youth. We will also provide a focus
on the community as a whole.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
What Defines A Need?
A social problem that affects people with an addiction to
drugs and/or alcohol, their future, and the well being of
the people around them.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
The Research Questions
What drugs and/or alcohol are most commonly used
within the youth?
What are the influences of drugs and/or alcohol on the
community?
What are the concerns of drugs and/or alcohol on education?
How do drugs and/or alcohol affect the user and the family as a
whole?
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
General information about Drugs and Alcohol
1: The drug of choice among High School Seniors is Alcohol. While it’s
competitor marijuana is number two.
2: Drugs and alcohol within teens who start losing interest in academics
or extra curricular activities.
3: Middle school and High Schools might be drug infested.
4: Teens who are depressed have a higher chance of consuming drugs or
alcohol in order to relive the symptoms of depression. Even though
this seems relevant it will cause more problems in the long run.
5: 80 – 90 % of the youth know adults who can buy them alcohol in
Watsonville.
6: Marijuana smoke is three to five times more deadlier than cigarette
smoke when it is inhaled.
7: Cocaine is addicting and can cause heart problems if used in the long
run .
8: Meth is more addicting than cocaine and easy to make or get a hold of.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Link Sources
1 - http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/dcf/du.htm
2 - http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/govpubs/rpo884/
3 - http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/1536/0
4 - http://www.about-teen-depression.com/drugs-alcohol.html
5–
http://www.appliedsurveysearch.org/www/products/Project_CURB_Executive_S
ummary_2007.pdf
6 - http://www.freevibe.com/Drug_Facts/marijuana.asp
7 - http://www.freevibe.com/Drug_Facts/crack.asp
8 - http://www.freevibe.com/Drug_Facts/meth.asp
9http://media.www.unogateway.com/media/storage/paper968/news/2005/02/18/Ne
ws/Meth-Still.A.Homemade.Heartland.Problem-2548863.shtml
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Where We Surveyed
Cabrillo College Watsonville Campus
Cabrillo College Aptos Campus
Downtown Santa Cruz
Watsonville Plaza
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Our Findings Via Our Surveys
Total Surveys: 147
Total English: 103
Total Spanish: 44
Age Group
English
Spanish
Below 15
1
3
15-20
41
17
21-25
37
11
26-30
8
4
31 or older
15
9
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Our Findings Via Our Surveys
Nationality:
Hispanic
White
Asian
African-American
Other
English Survey
61
28
1
3
11
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Spanish Survey
40
2
0
0
2
Our Findings Via Our Surveys
Citizens of the United States
Yes
No
English Surveys
98
5
Spanish Surveys
34
10
How many actually voted in the last election?
Yes
No
English Surveys
36
67
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Spanish Surveys
11
33
Who Is In Need?
Teens Between the ages of 15-25.
Hispanic/Latinos and Caucasians who are using drugs
in the community.
People who have a drug and/or alcohol addiction.
People who have issues with family and self-esteem.
People who have tried to quit the their use with drugs
and/or alcohol.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
The Flaws in the Survey
Questions in Spanish survey compare to the English survey:
Question 5: Spanish survey only has 3 choices while the English has 6
choices
5. What educational level have you reached?
 Primary School
 Middle School
 Some High School
 High School Diploma
 Some College
 College Diploma
5. ¿Cual es su nivel de educación?
 Primaria
 Secundaria
 Preparatoria
Question 7: Spanish survey asks if you are a stay home mother not like
the English one that ask if you are or did you ever have one.
7. Do you or did you at one point have a “stay at home” mother?
 Yes
 No
7. ¿Usted ama de casa?
Digital Bridge Academy  Si
 Fall
No'08 - Cabrillo
College
The Flaws in the Survey
Question 9: Spanish survey asks if you are married only, the
English one asks if you are married or living with your
partner.
9. Are you married or do you live with a partner?
 Yes
 No
9. ¿Esta usted casado/a?
 Si
 No
Question 11: Spanish survey doesn’t include Bilingual as a
language and the English does.
11. What is your primary language that you speak?
 English
 Spanish
 Bilingual
 Other
11. ¿Cual es su primer idioma que usted habla?
'08 - Digital Bridge Academy  Ingles
Fall
Español
 Otro _________
Cabrillo College
The Flaws in the Survey
Question 41: The English surveys don’t ask “yes” or “no”
for the first person to take you on a “boonie.”
41. Who was the first person to take you to the boonies?
 Family member  Friend  Other  Yourself
41. ¿Quién fue la persona que primero te paseo?
 Si
 No
 Familia
 Amigo
 Usted mismo  Otra persona
Furthermore, questions 27 though 29 and 38 though 41
needed to be sub categorized. This is the same in the
Spanish surveys.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Recommended Organizations
Teen Challenge
Si Se Puede
Narcotics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Janus of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Alcohol and Drug Services
'08 - Digital
Bridge Academy -Center
PajaroFallValley
Prevention
Cabrillo College
Three recommended solutions:
Programs taught by people who have dealt with drugs and alcohol
in the past.
Involve students in educational programs on drug/alcohol use
before attending middle school
Add an amendment to the state constitution that would legislate a certain
percentage of money to after school programs and other extra curricular
activities.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Solution 1:
Programs taught by people who have dealt with drugs and alcohol in
the past.
Design a program that will provide life stories from
people who have dealt with drugs and/or alcohol.
Provide counseling and support groups for users and
non-users.
Bring those learning about drugs/alcohol to the places
where people are recovering and attending support
groups themselves.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Solution 2:
Involve students in educational programs on drug/alcohol use before
attending middle school
Have other educational programs other than D.A.R.E, to
provide a real spectrum of what drugs and alcohol
could do to your body and your life.
Involve parents/guardians in the learning process with the students.
Make them aware of situations where they might encounter
“peer-pressure” and help them avoid the situation.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Solution 3:
Add an amendment to the state constitution that would legislate a
certain percentage of money to after school programs and other extra
curricular activities.
Create a lobby to support and bring forth the realization of
the amendment of the state constitution.
Create of coalition of legislators, organizations and
citizens to support the amendment and bring it to
action.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Criteria for Table
1. Track list of successful people
2. Easy to create
3. Meets the needs of those effected
4. Cost effective
5. Less time consuming
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Criteria
Table
Solution #1
Programs taught by
people who have
dealt with drugs and
alcohol in the past.
Solution #2
Educational
programs on
drug/alcohol use
before attending
middle school.
Solution #3
Add an amendment
to the state
constitution that
would legislate a
certain percentage
of money to after
school programs
and other extra
curricular activities.
Total:
11
14
14
1.Tracking listing of
successful people
XX
XX
XXX
2. Easy to create
XXX
XXX
XXX
3. Meets the needs
of those effected
XX
XXX
XXX
4. Cost effective
XX
XXX
XX
XX
XXX
XXX
5. Less time
consuming
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Expected Outcomes
1. To learn from people who have been down the path
of drugs and alcohol and not repeat their mistakes.
2. The rate of teens doing drugs and alcohol may
decrease. Increasing funds will bring affective people to
educate the youth.
3. Participating in extracurricular activities can help a young
mind develop a better grasp to bring a positive effect in life. It
can help young people stay off the streets and decrease the use
of drugs and alcohol. By keeping a set of secure funding,
the programs will be sustained, and the continued success
will decreaseFallthe
among youth.
'08 -drug/alcohol
Digital Bridge Academy use
Cabrillo College
Consequences of meeting those that need help:
Help the user by becoming financially stabled.
Provide more opportunities in life. Such as jobs, spending time
with one’s family and friends.
Users can become more healthier.
Users are given a real spectrum of life of their long term effect if
drug use continues.
They receive support and encouragement by participating in a
support group system.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Users will feel loved and cared for.
Consequences of not meeting those in need of help:
Users may endure financial problems.
Might perform illegal activities in order to support the
substance. Activities like steal or sell drugs.
Users may become more immune to either the drug or
alcohol which may result in withdrawals or relapses.
May harm their body and brain to the extent to where it
can result to permanent damage.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
May cause death.
How do we know it’s a need?
Survey Question: What is your drug of choice?
Alcohol users: 77
Marijuana users: 43
This question was taken as multiple-choice question.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
How Do We Know It’s A Need?
Survey Question: Do you know where to get counseling
or any good assistance for your addiction?
69% = 101 out of 147 know where to get help.
Survey Question: Have you gotten help from school or
family members to be at school?
44% = 45 out of 103
Survey Question: ¿A recibido ayuda para su vicio?
39% = 17 out of 44
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Why People Use Drugs and Alcohol?
Family Problems
22 People
Friends at a party
60 People
Depression
23 People
Other
42 People
No Answer
14 People
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Why are these needs evident?
Our survey indicates that 77% of teens between the ages of 15-25 use
drugs and/or alcohol.
Our survey shows that 69% are Hispanic/Latinos while 20% are
Caucasians are using drugs with in the community.
The survey also shows that 39% have a drug addiction. 31% have a
low self-esteem or family problems.
Finally our surveys show that 54% people have tried to quit the use of
drugs.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Goals for Solution
Decrease the drugs and/or alcohol use among youth.
Ensure that those who been in drugs and/or alcohol teach
others not to do drugs and/or alcohol.
Distract youth with positive activities; which can help
develop character instead of addicting.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Summary
We have seen how drugs and alcohol are impacting
our community, however we see that there is still hope
to change all that for a better path. It will just take
effort to persuade the government to completely
acknowledge that this still a huge issue and it will not
end unless they step forward. Not only the government
has to but the community itself.
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
Conclusion
The Digital Bridge Academy Program
The Instructors:
Stephen Hammond
Gerri Dayharsh
Gerlinde Brady
Shawn Ogimachi
Sharon Took-Zozaya
The DBA Staff:
Andres Medina
Antonio Alarcòn
Diana Cabanban
Maura Carrasco
And all the rest of the staff
Our classmates
Specifically: Providence Alaniz and Josh Riparetti
Our
Family and Friends
Fall '08 - Digital Bridge Academy Cabrillo College
The community
as a whole