Know the Substance
Name one substance that is illegal for teens to use.
Alcohol, cigarettes, vaping products, marijuana
Which organ is mainly affected by vaping and smoking?
The lungs
What is the legal age to buy tobacco or vape products in the U.S.?
21
What position should you put someone in if they are unconscious but breathing
Recovery position (on their side )
Myth or Fact: You can tell if someone is addicted just by how they look.
Myth
What substance in vapes and cigarettes is addictive?
Nicotine
What part of the body continues developing into your 20s?
The brain
Why do schools also have rules about substance use?
To keep students safe and support learning.
What is overdose?
Taking too much of a substance, causing serious harm or death.
Myth or Fact: Nicotine changes the brain and can make it very hard to quit.
Fact
Name one reason prescription or over-the-counter drugs can be dangerous if misused.
Risk of addiction, overdose, side effects, or interacting with other substances
Name one short-term effect of substance use.
Impaired coordination, slowed reaction time, dizziness, nausea, memory lapses, or distorted judgment.
Why do laws limit the age for smoking and drinking?
To protect health, safety, and brain development.
Why is “sleeping it off” dangerous for someone with alcohol poisoning?
Breathing can slow or stop during sleep.
Myth or Fact: If a substance is legal, it cannot be dangerous.
Myth
Why can alcohol affect teens more strongly than adults?
Their bodies and brains are still developing.
After vaping repeatedly, a teen gets lightheaded and has a rapid heartbeat. Why does this happen?
Nicotine is a stimulant that increases heart rate and can reduce oxygen delivery, causing lightheadedness.
Name one consequence for breaking substance-use laws.
Fines, school discipline, or confiscation.
A teen who regularly uses substances notices that they need more of the substance to get the same feeling. What is happening in the brain?
Tolerance develops because the brain adapts to repeated substance exposure, reducing its sensitivity to the chemical.
Myth or Fact: Marijuana is completely safe because it’s natural.
Myth
Even natural substances can affect brain development, memory, and learning, especially in teens.
Is alcohol a stimulant or depressant?
Depressant (it slows the central nervous system)
What brain chemical is released by drugs and by healthy activities like exercise?
Dopamine
A 20-year-old is in a car with three friends under 21. There’s an unopened bottle of alcohol in the back seat, and no one is drinking. Is this legal? Why or why not?
Illegal — because underage possession laws can apply; being in the presence of alcohol that is accessible can lead to citations, even if no one drinks.
Why might someone with alcohol poisoning seem “fine” one moment and be in danger the next?
Alcohol levels in the blood can continue rising, suddenly suppressing breathing and consciousness.
Myth or Fact: People can usually tell when they’ve had too much to drink.
Myth