In compliance with the Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act, it is the policy of Gettysburg College to provide a work environment that is free from the use, sale, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs or the improper or abusive use of legal drugs or alcohol on Gettysburg College premises, and to require College or contract employees to perform all College-related job duties, either on or off the College premises, without the presence of illegal drugs or inappropriate legal drugs in their systems.
The objective of this policy is to ensure a safe, healthy, and work-efficient environment for Gettysburg College employees and the surrounding community.
We are concerned about the well-being of employees whose drug or alcohol use, abuse, or dependency may affect their job performance as well as the safety and well-being of co-workers. Gettysburg College will utilize every reasonable measure to maintain a drug and alcohol-free work environment.
Definitions:
• Illegal Drugs - Illegal drugs, for the purposes of this policy, include narcotics, hallucinogens, depressants, stimulants, other substances capable of creating or maintaining adverse effects on one's physical, emotional, or mental state, and controlled medication not prescribed for current personal treatment by a licensed medical professional, in a medical setting, to address a specific physical, emotional, or mental condition.
• Medication or Prescription Drugs - Medication or prescription drugs, for the purpose of this policy, are drugs that an individual may be taking under the direction of a licensed medical professional in a medical setting to address a specific physical, emotional, or mental condition.
• Supervisory Referral - A process whereby supervisors require an employee to seek appropriate referral services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Awareness: In order to meet the objectives of this policy, Gettysburg College will provide to all employees information about the effects of drugs and alcohol through educational efforts and about the availability of information and services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Additionally, the College will educate and train its management and supervisors to identify problems and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse.
Following are descriptions of the health risks associated with the use of illicit drugs and the abuse of alcohol:
Alcohol: Although moderate alcohol use can be a healthy life-style choice for many, it is America's most abused drug. Each year, alcohol contributes to over one third of all traffic fatalities, over half of fires and half of burn injuries, almost half of hypothermia and frostbite cases and about 20 percent of completed suicides.
Chronic, excessive use causes cirrhosis of the liver, heart disease, cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatitis, respiratory ailments, neurological and nutritional disorders.
Alcohol abusers risk two to six times the rate of the population at large for death from disease, accident or violence. Alcohol abuse is a major factor in child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and other crimes. Use during pregnancy is linked to early fetal death, decreased birth weight, increased infant mortality and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
Nicotine: Nicotine is contained in tobacco products, nicotine chewing gum/skin patches and snuff. Overdose results in dizziness, weakness, nausea, and in rare cases tremors and convulsions. It is particularly risky when used in combination with other drugs, which increase heart rate and blood pressure.
Smoking causes lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart and vascular system diseases. Smokers develop thinner skin, possibly due to decreased blood supply, and often appear to age more rapidly than non-smokers.
Marijuana:Reactions to smoking marijuana depend on its strength, user expectations, mood, setting and other substances unknowingly mixed with the marijuana. It usually produces feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria, but an anxiety/panic reaction can also occur. Use results in cognitive impairment and perceptual distortions, making it very dangerous to drive or to operate machinery while under its influence.
Smoking marijuana increases heart rate, damages lungs and interferes with sex hormone production. Regular users can develop a psychological dependence on the drug. Heavy use in adolescence can interfere with the development of adequate social and coping skills necessary for dealing with normal frustrations and stresses of life. "Amotivational Syndrome" is characterized by lethargy, loss of interest in work, relationships , exercise and other key life components. Academic performance can be particularly adversely affected by marijuana use in students who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder.
MDMA (Ecstasy):Although ecstasy users typically seek an increase in pleasurable sensations and emotional closeness with others, use can also result in anxiety, paranoia, and psychotic episodes. It appears that with repeated use, depression and memory loss may be significant and long-term. Research suggests that repeated use or use at high doses may be linked to permanent changes in levels of the neurotransmitter, Serotonin and brain activity. These changes may be more evident in women than men.
Ecstasy use has been associated with a number of deaths, especially in conjunction with intense physical exertion. Overdose, characterized by greatly increased body temperature, hypertension and kidney failure, is typical of a stimulant overdose. It has also been linked to liver failure. Early signs of overdose are jitteriness and teeth clenching.
Hallucinogens:The effects of hallucinogens (e.g. LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, peyote) are often unpredictable, depending on what the drug is “cut” with, the user’s personality, mood, expectations and setting. Effects include disturbances in sensory perceptions, dilated pupils, increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, sweating, loss of appetite, insomnia, dry mouth and tremors. Combining PCP-like drugs with alcohol or sedatives can be fatal. Mescaline (peyote) taken with stimulants can also be very dangerous.
Negative psychological reactions (“bad trips”) are unpredictable and not uncommon. They may be mildly anxiety producing or terrifying. Sometimes they can unmask serious underlying psychiatric problems which may require long-term treatment. Flashbacks, in which a person experiences the drug’s effects without taking it again, can occur for months afterwards. Chronic use can result in mental confusion, difficulty with abstract thinking, and impaired memory/attention span/ concentration.
Stimulants: Stimulant drugs include amphetamines (Dexedrine, “uppers”) diet pills, caffeine (found in products such as “No Doze”) and nicotine. Stimulant drugs are used relatively safely to medically treat overweight, mild depression, fatigue, narcolepsy and Attention Deficit Disorder.
When abused, stimulants are associated with exhaustion, irritability, heart and circulatory system damage (including cardiac arrest and strokes), mental fatigue and confusion, psychosis, convulsions, hallucinations, panic, dizziness, social withdrawal depression and increased suicidal risk. Abusers can become profoundly physically dependent.
Sedatives: Sedatives include barbiturates, Rohypnol, Valium, Librium and other benzodiazapams (e.g., Xanax), GHB, “date rape drugs”.
Sedatives produce relaxation and at higher doses, lightheadedness, drowsiness, slurred speed and in coordination. Driving can be extremely dangerous. Overdoses, using combinations of sedatives or mixing sedatives with alcohol can be fatal. Rohypnol and GHB, the “predatory drugs”, can be added to drinks to facilitate a sexual assault. GHB is easy to manufacture, difficult to detect in a drink and can be fatal. Anyone who feels weak, dizzy, lightheaded or confused after a drink should obtain medical help immediately.
Cocaine: Cocaine is a short-acting, stimulant drug which induces short-lived euphoria and increased energy and alertness. Use results in increased motor activity, respiratory rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Cocaine use leads to impaired perception, coordination and reaction times. It also can cause mood changes, impulsive behavior, risk-taking, nervousness, and perceived decreased need for food and sleep.
Cocaine may initially appear to energize the body, but in fact depletes energy by using it up faster. Even small doses of relatively pure cocaine can be fatal by causing hypertension, seizures, convulsions, respiratory and cardiac arrest. Nicotine, when used with cocaine, increases risk for sudden death from cardiac arrest.
Long-term effects can include restlessness, extreme mood swings, insomnia, paranoia, malnutrition, dehydration, constipation, rapid tooth decay and difficulty urinating. Male impotence and reduced female sexual response can also occur.
Addiction develops rapidly, especially when smoked in the form of "crack" cocaine. After the initial euphoria wears off, the user begins to feel depressed. The user then uses more cocaine to offset the depression. Soon, frequent users need the drug just to feel normal.
Inhalants: Inhalants include nitrites, anesthetics (nitrous oxide), solvents, paints sprays and fuels(gasoline, glues). Risks are especially high with anesthetic agents and solvents which can cause cardiac arrhythmia/arrest and severe, sudden oxygen deprivation. Risks are compounded by the extreme flammability of some of these agents. These agents are also associated with accidents and suicides. A significant percentage of people who die from use, are first-time users. Inhalants are particularly dangerous when combined with alcohol, sedatives, and cold medicines.
Long-term use is associated with central nervous system damage, neurological damage and deficits in memory, attention and concentration.
Ketamine (“Special K”): Ketamine is an animal tranquilizer, sometimes used as a "club drug". It is a dissociative drug, in that the user may lose the normal sense of connection between body and mind. In its tablet, powder, or liquid form it is similar in appearance to cocaine and methamphetamine, and may be mistaken for those drugs. In powder form, it may be sprinkled on tobacco or marijuana and smoked. Or it may be injected. Large doses can lead to convulsions, brain damage, heart attack, stroke, coma, or death.
Sources: C Kuhn, S Swartzwelder, W Wilson, Buzzed: The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs, W. W. Norton and Company, 1998.
NIDA (National Institute for Drug Abuse) website: http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDAHome.html
Prohibited Conduct (Drugs): Employees may not possess, use, purchase, sell, or transfer illegal drugs or controlled substances in any amount on College property(including parking lots), or in College vehicles (either owned by, leased to or used on behalf of the College), or while on College business or performing College-related duties on or off campus. Illegal drugs and substances are those which cannot be legally obtained, including controlled substances and controlled substance analogues,as well as those drugs which, although legal, have been illegally obtained (i.e.,prescribed drugs not being used for prescribed purposes or not being used by the intended recipient of the prescription, including amphetamines and barbiturates).Examples of illegal drugs include marijuana, cocaine, "crack", heroin, morphine, phencyclidine (PCP), hallucinogens, narcotics, etc.
Employees may not possess, use or consume illegal drugs or substances on or off College property during working hours, lunch periods, or break or relief periods.
Employees may not report to work “under the influence” of illegal drugs or substances.
Employees are prohibited from bringing drug paraphernalia onto College property(including parking lots) at any time.
Prohibited Conduct (Alcohol): Employees may not possess, use, purchase, sell, or transfer alcohol on College property (including parking lots), or in College vehicles (either owned by, leased to or used on behalf of the College), or while on College business or performing College-related duties on or off campus. An exception to this general rule is the responsible and legal use of alcohol at College sponsored events. The College does not take responsibility for the improper or illegal use of alcohol at such events.
Disciplinary Action: Any employee found to be in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action that may include warning, immediate suspension, and up to and including termination. All such action requires the joint review and approval by the immediate supervisor and the Co-Directors of Human Resources and Risk Management. Any illegal substance confiscated will be turned over to the appropriate law enforcement agency for additional investigating and handling. Illegal substances include medication or prescription drugs not being used in accordance with a legitimate prescription.
Relapse by Employee: Any employee who is rehabilitated through the EAP must abide by the terms of any last chance agreement and/or the terms and conditions of the EAP program. Any relapse by an employee will be considered a violation of this policy and the employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Reporting Violations: As a condition of continued employment with this College, any employee convicted in court of any workplace violation of any criminal drug statute must report the conviction to the College no later than five (5) days after such conviction. An employee who fails to report such a violation is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.
Following is description of applicable legal sanctions under local, state, or federal law:
Pennsylvania Law/Borough Ordinances:
Underage drinking 18 Pa. C.S.A. 6308 This includes consumption, or transportation of alcoholic beverages. Penalties include fines from $300 to $500, 90 days to one year in prison, and 90-day to two-year driver’s license suspension. Parents will be notified for those under 18.
Requesting or inducing a minor to obtain alcohol 18 Pa. C.S.A. 6310 Penalties include fines of not less than $300 up to $2,500 and/or up to one year in prison.
Knowingly making, altering, selling, or attempting to sell a false ID:18 Pa. C.S.A. 6310.2
Penalties include fines of not less than $1,000 and up to $5,000 and/or up to two years in prison.
Furnishing alcohol to minors (including allowing minors to possess alcohol on
premises owned or controlled by person charged) 18 Pa. C.S.A. 6310.1 Penalties include fines of not less than $1,000 up to $2,500 (can be per person served) and/or up to one year in prison.
Alcoholic Beverages (“Open Containers”)
It is unlawful, within the Borough of Gettysburg, for any person to drink “liquor” or “malt or brewed beverages” upon any public street, municipal parking lot, private parking lot open for public use, or public park, or in any vehicle operated or parked thereon.
It is unlawful, within the Borough of Gettysburg, for any person to have in such person’s possession, or in a vehicle under such a person's control, any open container containing “Liquor” or “malt or brewed beverages” upon any public street, municipal parking lot, private parking lot open for public use, or public park.
Noise Violations (Disorderly Conduct)
It shall be unlawful for any person to make unreasonable noise as to disturb, annoy or inconvenience any other person. Any noise includes, but is not limited to, noises caused by loud music, loud talking, yelling, barking dogs (etc.). The Gettysburg Borough Police Department has the right to issue citations on a single complaint from the public. A warning is not necessary if the Police Officer feels the citation is warranted.
- Following is a description of applicable counseling, treatment, rehabilitation, or re-entry programs1. 1. We want to encourage employees who think they may have a drug or alcohol dependency problem to seek help voluntarily through the Employee Assistance Program. The EAP may be accessed at www.wellspaneap.org; or by phone 1-866-227-6527.
- Local off-campus drug and alcohol assessment, treatment, and referral resources:
- Adams-Hanover Counseling Services, 44 S. Franklin St. Gettysburg, PA 17325 -717-334-9111; Hanover 717-632-4900.
- Pennsylvania Counseling Services: 334 York Street, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-337-0026.
- Wellspan Behavioral Health: 40 V-Twin Drive Suite 202, Gettysburg, PA 17325, 717-337-2257.
- There are also a number of drug/alcohol related self-help groups, which meet regularly in the area. For a listing, contact Counseling Services, 337-6960.