Policy:  Health Risks with Chemical Dependency Responsible Unit: Student Affairs Category: General   Office of Origin: Student Success  Policy Contact by Title: Director of Wellness and Engagement Created Date:  Effective Date:  Revised Date(s): 9.28.15, 7.16.2020 Compliance:  Drug Free Schools and Communities Act 20 U.S.C. § 1011, Higher Education Act § 120; Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 34 86.100(a); Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988 Drug Free Schools and Communities Act, Federal Student Aid (FSA) Handbook Vol. 2, Chapter 6; FSA Handbook Appendix F Scope:  All College students, employees, and student organizations who conduct activities on and off campus. Approving Body (ies) and Date(s) (approved by each):  (TCC Board, TCC President, Curriculum and Assessment Committee)

Policy Statement  All drugs and alcohol can have side effects. Their influences can affect the safety and well-being of the users as well as those around them. Illicit drugs can interfere with important brain activities including but not limited to coordination, memory and learning. They can also increase the risk of lung cancer, destroy liver cells, initiate severe weight loss and in some cases weaken the immune system. Users may also experience abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, irregular breathing, convulsions, and coma. Combining drugs can be fatal. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that is absorbed into the blood stream and transmitted to all parts of the body. Moderate doses reduce physical coordination and mental alertness while larger doses of alcohol drastically impair an individual’s ability to function, sometimes rendering them unconscious. Long term drinking can increase the risk of developing liver and heart disease, circulatory and stomach problems, various forms of cancer and causes irreversible brain damage. For more information about the health risks associated with chemical dependency please see www.drugabuse.gov