Using alcohol or drugs in high school can affect how your brain develops?
Vaping is mostly harmless water vapor.
Weed is natural, so it can’t really hurt your health
Shaking, sweating, feeling very sick, or having seizures after suddenly stopping heavy use of some drugs or alcohol can be signs of this dangerous process.
Withdrawal
If someone might have alcohol poisoning or an overdose, it’s better not to call for help because they could get in trouble
Everyone who drinks alcohol or smokes weed will eventually become addicted.
Nicotine from vaping or smoking can make it harder to concentrate and focus.
You can’t get addicted to marijuana
Taking extra ADHD medication before a test, without a prescription, is a safe way to boost focus
This part of your body, still developing through your teen years and early 20s, is affected by all three: vaping, marijuana, and misused prescription drugs
Brain
This vital sign often goes up when someone uses stimulants like energy drinks, cocaine, or misused ADHD meds.
Heart rate (or pulse)
Sharing vape pens is safe as long as everyone knows each other.
This key mental skill, needed for studying and remembering information for tests, is harmed by THC.
Memory
Opioid pain pills (like oxycodone) can be addictive even if they start out as a real prescription
Energy drinks can cause health problems when used in large amounts or mixed with alcohol.
Give me 2 long term physical effects on Alcohol, Opioids, or Nicotine (smoking/vaping)
Alcohol
Nicotine (smoking/vaping)
Opioids (prescription pain pills, heroin, fentanyl)
Vein damage and infections (for injected use)
Feeling “on edge,” craving a vape, or having trouble focusing when you haven’t used in a while are signs of this.
Withdrawal symptoms
Some edibles or concentrates are so strong that a person may take more before the effects kick in, increasing the risk of this kind of extreme, scary reaction
Bad trip, panic attack, or overdose‑like reaction
Using a substance over and over can cause the body to need more to get the same effect. This is called building what
Tolerance
Using substances to cope with stress usually makes stress and mental health worse over time.
If you can still walk and talk, you’re not at risk for alcohol poisoning
Sharing vapes can spread germs and also expose you to unknown substances. Name the strong opioid that people worry could be hidden in counterfeit product
Fentanyl
Teens who use marijuana regularly are at higher risk for this serious mental health problem involving paranoia, delusions, or hallucinations.
psychosis or a psychotic disorder
Injecting drugs with shared needles increases the risk of getting these two serious infections that affect the blood and liver.
HIV and hepatitis C
This type of trusted adult in school—such as a counselor, nurse, or teacher—can be a first step for getting help with substance or mental health concerns.
A school counselor, nurse, or trusted teacher