Ask Yourself

Do you know people who abuse alcohol and drugs? What do you think of them? Do you admire them and the way they act? Think about the things you’ve seen as a result of their abuse and the situations in which they’ve found themselves. They’re probably not too pretty.

What it is. . .

Drugs are really bad for you. End of story. Roll credits. Play the theme song. People do drugs for a lot of reasons. But drugs trash your health, they cost a lot, they screw up your goals, they make you think differently, they mess up your friendships and they take control of your life.

Why it is

Why do people do drugs? It’s a big question with lots of reasons: Sometimes people are depressed and want to feel better Sometimes their friends pressure them to do drugs Sometimes their family members do drugs and tell you it makes things better

DRUGS DON’T SOLVE PROBLEMS – THEY ONLY MAKE NEW ONES!

What do drugs do to your body? Wow. Glad you asked.

YOU CAN DIE SUDDENLY IF YOU USE DRUGS – SERIOUSLY !

Drugs can…

• Harm your body.
• Hurt your liver. (your ability to digest things)
• Hurt your brain. (your ability to think clearly)
• Hurt your heart. (your ability to keep your organs healthy)
• Hurt your lungs. (your ability to breathe well)

So what happens if your organs are damaged?

• You can’t do well in sports.
• You can’t do well in school.
• You can’t make sure you’re going to be healthy.
• You can’t be sure you can do all the things you want to in a normal life.

DRUGS MAY SEEM COOL AT THE TIME, BUT THEY CAN REWIRE YOUR BRAIN…

They can get you into serious legal trouble

• You could wind up in jail.
• Your friends could find you totally uncool if you go to jail.
• You could lie or steal from your friends or family.

DON’T WANT TO DO TIME IN JAIL? DON’T DO DRUGS!

Avoiding the Issue

Okay…just stay away from drugs! The best thing ever! Your best decision EVER! If people around you are doing drugs and you don’t want to, ask a new person to be your friend who doesn’t do drugs. There are more people out there who don’t do drugs than do. FIND THEM!

Avoid parties where drug use is going on. You know the people and you know what parties they tend to be at.

What to Say to Someone Who Offers You Drugs

 IF THEY MAKE FUN OF YOU OR SAY MEAN THINGS JUST REMEMBER : WITHOUT DRUGS . . .…

• You aren’t going to get addicted.
• You won’t make a fool of yourself.
• You won’t lose all your money.
• You won’t feel weird.
• You won’t run the risk of getting busted.

If not…are they a friend, or are they really addicted to drugs?

REALITY CHECK: Are you struggling with drug addiction or substance abuse issues? Ask for help from a doctor, counselor, teacher, parent or friend. They’ll get you the help you need. They care about you. We all do.

Smoking

Ever see one of your friends or someone in a movie smoking and think: Hey, they look cool. Have you ever wanted to try smoking because of peer pressure or just because you were curious? Pretty typical. The fact is, all tobacco products are harmful to you. That includes cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco and pipes.

What’s in a Cigarette?

This is mind-blowing. The tobacco in your cigarette contains NICOTINE which can be as addictive as cocaine or heroin. Some people become sickly addicted to nicotine in cigarettes. It makes them feel better for a while, but then it wears off and their body wants more. That’s addiction in a nutshell. Cigarettes also contain more than 4,000 chemicals that can hurt your body. Why would you want to breathe that? Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your body. The Truth about Cigarettes and Smoking:

For real. Smoking can:

• Cause cancer.
• Destroy your lungs.
• Harm your heart.
• Ruin the looks of your skin, nails and hands.
• Forever damage your teeth and gums.

Costs

They cost a lot of money. One pack of cigarettes costs about $5.00. If you blow through a pack every other day that adds up to almost $1,000 a year! In CIGARETTES! What could you buy that would last you a lot longer and would be healthier for you:

• Several new pairs of athletic shoes.
• New jeans and clothes.
• Purses or handbags.
• Video games.
• Lots of times at the movies, mall or amusement park.
• Gas to get places.

Smells

Smoking makes you and your breath smell like an ashtray! And your clothes. And your hands. And your car. And your room. And the curtains. And your hair. Cigarette smoke smells like smoke no matter how much perfume/ cologne, deodorant and hairspray you put on. If you think it’s damaging to those things, imagine what it does to your lungs.

Quit with help

That’s the first step to smellin’ fly and being a healthier you! People who care about you and your health want to help you quit smoking. Talk to your parents, your doctor, your school nurse, your counselor or your friends who don’t smoke to help you quit smoking. Use them as resources. They may have some real solutions for how to kick that nasty habit.

Second Hand Smoke

It’s dangerous to be around secondhand smoke, someone else’s harsh, puffed out smoke funk. So if a family member or friend smokes and you care about being around them and their health, ask them nicely not to smoke around you. Tell them it’s for your health and theirs, and you want to be around them but not their smoke. Ask them if there is anything you can do to help them quit. Suggest that you two quit something together that is difficult for you both. Clear the air and breathe easier.