after extremely high doses. This state clears as the user eliminates  the  drug  from  the  body. A person under the influence of marijuana has a harder  time  making  decisions  that  require  clear  thinking; therefore,  the  user  becomes  more  open  to  other  people's suggestions.  Since  marijuana  affects  people’s  reflexes and  thinking,  their  performance  of  some  tasks  while under  the  influence  of  the  drug  is  dangerous,  such  as driving. ABUSER  IDENTIFICATION Drug abuse in its various forms can produce identifiable  effects.  However,  persons  taking  drugs under a physician’s instructions may sometimes experience side effects that may be mistaken as signs of drug  abuse.  For  example,  such  disorders  as  epilepsy, diabetes,  or  asthma  may  require  maintenance  drug therapy that will produce low-level side effects; or a person might be drowsy from taking a nonprescription product, such as an antihistamine. Many people use legitimate   drugs   following   a   physician’s instructions–but without the knowledge of their associates.  Therefore,  finding  tablets,  capsules,  or  other forms of drugs on a person suspected of being an abuser does  not  necessarily  mean  the  drugs  are  narcotics  or some other dangerous drug. A clue to the possibility of drug  abuse  comes  with  seeing  the  same  symptoms  over and over again. No  instant  tests  exist  for  identification  of  most drugs. The only way many drugs can be identified is through  a  series  of  complicated  laboratory  procedures performed  by  a  trained  technician.  Simple  visual inspection  cannot  be  relied  upon  for  drug  identification. Many potent drugs that are misused arc identical in appearance  to  relatively  harmless  drugs-many  of  which people  can  easily  get  without  a  prescription. Not all drug abuse-related character changes appear harmful in the initial stages. For example, a person who is  normally  bored  and  sleepy  may,  while  using amphetamines,  become  more  alert  and  thereby  improve performance.  A  nervous,  high-strung  person  may,  while using  barbiturates,  be  more  imperative  and  easier  to manage. Consequent y, you must not look only for changes for the worse, but you must look for any sudden changes in behavior. The cause could be drug abuse. Signs that may suggest drug abuse include sudden and dramatic changes in discipline and job performance, unusual degrees of activity or inactivity, and sudden displays of emotion. Abusers may show significant changes for the worse in personal appearance; they often become indifferent to their appearance and health habits. Other more specific signs should also arouse suspicion,  especially  if  a  person  exhibits  more  than  one of  these  signs.  Among  them  is  secretive  behavior regarding  actions  and  possessions  (fear  of  discovery). For  example,  abusers  may  wear  sunglasses  at inappropriate  times  and  places  to  hide  dilated  or constricted pupils; they may also wear long-sleeve garments,  even  on  hot  days,  to  hide  needle  marks.  Of course,  when  a  person  associates  with  known  drug abusers, that is a sign of potential trouble. Because of the expense of supporting a drug habit, abusers may try to borrow money from a number of people. If they fail to get money that way, abusers will often  steal  items,  such  as  cameras,  radios,  or  jewelry, that  can  easily  be  converted  to  cash. Persons with a severe habit will use drugs while on duty. In such cases, you may find them at odd times in places such as closets or storage rooms. Generally,  drugs  have  indirect  harmful  effects. Because  abusers  may  not  feel  hungry,  they  often  suffer from malnutrition; and because they are so involved with taking the drug, they usually neglect themselves. They  are  more  likely  to  contract  infections  because  of their  poor  nutrition  and  because  they  may  inject contaminated  drugs  intravenously.  They  are  also  likely to use poor or unsterile injection techniques. That may result  in  serious  or  fatal  septicemia  (blood-poisoning), hepatitis,  and  abscesses  at  the  point  of  injection  as  well as  in  internal  organs.  Contaminated  needles  are  also known  to  spread  AIDS. Although you may have difficulty recognizing drug abusers,  you  should  take  the  steps  needed  to  provide them with help when you realize they have a drug problem. Spotting drug abuse in its early stages (when professional  help  can  be  effective)  can  result  in  the rehabilitation  of  many  potential  hard-core  addicts. Urinalysis  Testing The  Navy  has  adopted  the  use  of  urinalysis  testing as a major means of detecting and deterring drug abuse. The main objective of urinalysis testing programs is to detect  and  deter  abuse.  This  ensures  the  continued visibility  of  the  command’s  drug  abuse  program.  The term random sampling applies to any command urinalysis testing program in which the individuals to be tested  are  selected  at  random.  All  members,  regardless 3-13