Health Quests

Teaching Others About Substance Use and Abuse

Did you know that heavy drinkers are more likely to get pneumonia? Did you know that smokeless tobacco causes cracked lips and bleeding in the mouth or that steroid use results in acne? These are just a few facts about the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. You have probably been warned many times to avoid such substances, but once you know the facts about tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, you can see for yourself why it is so important to refuse them.

Substance use can negatively affect personal appearance, athletic performance, and academic achievement. In some cases, the consequences are much more serious, including brain damage and even death. This activity will show you how to use the Internet to find valuable information about tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.

After exploring these sites and completing the questions, you will be able to

• identify the harmful effects of these substances on the body.
• provide tips for avoiding tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs.
• use your knowledge to create a scenario about the dangers of a particular substance.

	Choose one of the harmful substances that you have learned about at the Web sites. With one classmate (for a role-play) or several classmates (for a skit), create a scenario in which a teen is being pressured to use the substance. Show how the teen uses refusal skills to say no. Be sure to include information about the negative effects of the substance.
	Health Links
	Effects of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs Tobacco Visit this Web site to learn about the effects of tobacco on the body. What are three ways that tobacco affects athletic performance? What are three ways that tobacco affects personal appearance? http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/educational_materials/yuthfax1.htm Alcohol At these Web sites, you will discover valuable information about alcohol use. How does alcohol affect the body? How does alcohol affect the brain? What effects does alcohol have on school performance? http://www.thecoolspot.gov/stuff_to_know.asp http://www.madd.org/under21/0,1056,1420,00.html Drugs These Web sites present important facts about commonly abused drugs. Choose three drugs, and find out more about them. What are some common nicknames for these drugs? What are the potential health consequences of taking them? http://www.drugabuse.gov/DrugsofAbuse.html http://store.health.org/catalog/drugs.aspx Avoiding Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs Staying Substance Free Visit these Web sites to discover strategies for staying substance free. What are three actions you can take to make your world smoke free? What are two ways to refuse an alcoholic drink? http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/sgr4kids/backpage.htmp http://www.thecoolspot.gov/life.asp

Once you have explored these links and answered the questions, you are ready to create your skit or role-play. Your skit or role-play should

• include relevant facts from the Web sites about the substance's negative health consequences.
• depict a teen using refusal skills to resist the substance.
• use dialogue appropriate for both the topic and the teen audience.
• provide a message that is organized and focused on the topic.