Drug Facts
What’s the street name for cocaine?
Coke.
Type: Stimulant
What it does: Boosts energy, confidence, and alertness short-term.
Danger: Super addictive, causes crashes, heart problems, and risky behavior.
A short high that comes with a hard fall — and serious health risks.
You can’t get addicted to vaping
MYTH. Vapes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive — sometimes more than cigarettes.
What chemical in the brain is linked to feeling good (reward)?
Dopamine
You can get addicted to drugs even if you don’t inject them
Any method (smoking, swallowing, vaping) can cause addiction.
A classmate offers you a vape between classes. (Team act)
Say no / walk away / change subject
Which drug is a strong stimulant that can damage teeth and skin?
Methamphetamine
Type: Powerful stimulant
What it does: Speeds up everything — energy, focus, and heart rate.
Danger: Extremely addictive, damages the brain, skin, teeth, and causes paranoia.
High energy now, but wrecks your body fast.
You can get addicted with just one use.
MYTH. For most substances, addiction usually doesn’t happen after just one use. Addiction is a process, not an instant effect. One-time use often just produces the drug’s immediate effects.
True or False: Drugs affect teen brains more than adult brains.
True
what are the two biggest reasons teens start using drugs
Curiosity / Experimentation: Around 40-50% say they try drugs because they’re curious.
Peer Pressure / Friends’ Influence: About 30-40% of teens say they use drugs to fit in or because friends use them.
Name 5 reasons why people turn to drugs
Lonely - lack of support
Family breakups, divorces & custody cases – causing extreme stress
Traumatic events in there life can trigger addiction
Experimentation
Familiarity
What drug can make you feel extremely happy and then suddenly very down?
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Type: Stimulant + hallucinogen
What it does: Makes you feel extra happy, energetic, and connected to others.
Danger: Can cause overheating, dehydration, and serious crash after use.
Feels like a party, but it messes with your brain and body balance.
Only illegal drugs are dangerous.
MYTH. Legal substances like alcohol, caffeine, and prescription medicines can also cause addiction.
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How many categories of drugs there are? and what are they.
Some sources also include a fifth category: Cannabis (marijuana), since it has unique effects.
What is the recommended maximum daily caffeine intake for teens aged 12 to 18 years?
<100 mg/day (some guidelines say up to 2.5 mg/kg body weight)
Name one way influencers can mislead teens about substances.
Acting like it's cool / not showing consequences
Heroin is part of which drug family that is used to block pain, but can also slow breathing and cause deadly overdoses?
Heroin is an illegal opioid. Opioids are powerful painkillers that affect the brain and body — they slow everything down. Overdoses can happen when breathing slows too much or stops completely.
Addiction is a brain disease, not just bad behavior.
FACT. Drugs change how your brain works, especially the parts that control self-control and decision-making.
If your parent misuses drugs or alcohol, how much higher is your chance of developing addiction compared to someone whose parents don’t?
Children of parents with substance use problems are about 2 to 3 times more likely to develop addiction themselves due to genetics, environment, and stress. Addiction risk is influenced by many factors but genetics account for roughly 40–60% of that risk.
Name 3 commonly used drugs by teenagers (ages 14-18)
1. Alcohol: Most commonly used substance among teens. Over 50% of high schoolers report drinking alcohol at least once.
2. Marijuana (Cannabis) Second most popular drug among teens. Around 30-35% report using it in the past year.
3. Vaping / E-cigarette Extremely popular, sometimes higher than cigarettes. About 25-30% of teens have vaped in the past month.
Name a drug that is about 50 times stronger than heroin. is about 100 times stronger than morphine. Start with F
Fentanyl
Which drug can cause people to hallucinate, see colors, or feel time is distorted?
LSD (Acid)
Type: Hallucinogen
What it does: Changes how you see, hear, and feel things; causes hallucinations.
Danger: Can cause panic (“bad trips”), confusion, and long-term mental effects.
Not always a fun trip — can take your mind to scary places.
You can overdose on prescription drugs.
FACT. If taken the wrong way or by someone it wasn't prescribed for, prescription drugs can be deadly — especially painkillers like opioids.
What part of the brain is responsible for decision-making and is still developing in teens?
Prefrontal cortex
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Addiction usually happens in stages. Please explain the stages from first use to full addiction?
1. Experimentation — Trying the drug for the first time; feeling the immediate effects.
2. Repeated Use — Using more often; brain’s reward system starts changing.
3. Dependence — Body and brain start needing the drug just to feel normal.
4. Addiction — Compulsive use even when it causes problems; withdrawal symptoms if stopped.
Your idol offers you ecstasy and says, “Don’t be boring.” What now? (Act)
Use refusal skills / be confident saying no / leave the situation