What Is It?
Name what it means to use a drug or alcohol in a way that's harmful or unsafe.
What is substance abuse?
True or False: Smoking rates among Telluride High School students are going down.
FALSE (and true); vaping has gone down, but cigarette smoking has increased in the past two years. Why?
Teenagers are too young to get addicted to substances.
MYTH: Addiction can happen at any age, and in fact, young people are more vulnerable to the effects of addiction.
True or False: Peer pressure is one of the top reasons teens start using substances.
TRUE.
Bonus: What are other reasons teens start using substances?
Name two physical activities you can do to burn off stress or anger without using substances.
What is going for a run, punching a pillow, dancing, skateboarding, playing basketball?
This popular drug can cause psychosis.
What is marijuana?
True or False: Marijuana is grown naturally, therefore it is less harmful than cigarettes.
FALSE; marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins, irritants, and carcinogens as tobacco smoke. In fact, marijuana smoke can deposit more tar in the lungs than tobacco and contains toxic substances like benzene and formaldehyde.
It's easy to pick a person with an addiction out of the crowd.
MYTH: Not every person with an addiction fits the stereotypical picture in your head. Many people with a substance use disorder are in school, have jobs, and look just like you!
Your friend offers you a vape. What's one way to say no?
Any form of saying no! ex: "No thanks, I'm good."
Divert attention: "No thanks. Hey, did you finish that assignment for class tomorrow?"
Name a trusted adult you can talk to if you feel pressured to use substances.
Who is a parent, teacher, counselor, coach..?
Use of a substance to the point where your body requires it to function normally.
What is dependency?
Name the minimum amount of fentanyl that could cause someone to overdose.
What is 5-7 grains of salt?
As soon as a person feels normal or sober, that means the drug is fully out of their system.
MYTH: Long after the effects of the drug stop being felt, the drug can still be in the body. Cocaine can be found in the body for 2-4 days, and marijuana up to 3 days after a single use.
What's a confident body language tip when saying no?
Stand tall, make eye contact, speak clearly.
True or False: Everyone experiments with drugs at some point.
FALSE; while experimenting is popular among some groups, there is a significant portion of the population that has never used drugs.
These legal prescription painkillers are responsible for hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths.
What are opioids?
Oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl...
True or False: Only "hard" drugs like cocaine and heroin are addictive and harmful.
FALSE: While drugs like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamines are definitely dangerous and come with many risks, drugs that are used more recreationally, like alcohol and marijuana, can be addictive and harmful as well. Even drugs prescribed by a doctor, like opioid painkillers, can lead to addiction.
As long as you buy drugs from someone you trust, they won't be laced.
MYTH: No one can really know what's in their drugs without testing them.
You're at a party, you go to the basement, and you see someone hand your friend a joint. You can see that your friend looks uncomfortable. How can you support your friend?
Divert attention: "Hey, Sara is looking for you upstairs. She needs your help with something."
Name one way to help a friend who might be using substances.
What is talking to them? Find out what they're getting out of the substance and work with them to find alternatives.
Use "I" statements instead of blaming them: "I've noticed you've been acting a bit different lately, and I'm worried about you. Is everything okay?"