My Natural High Is….(from Leland & Gray Students)
Leland & Gray students spent the past week participating in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW), an annual health observance that connects youth with resources about drugs, alcohol, and related health topics. Conversations and activities centered around drug use prevention and positive mental health. In Jaida Henry’s Health Class, 7th and 8th graders answered the question, “What is your Natural High?” Responses, shown in the word cloud above, spanned the spectrum of creative, unique, amusing, and heart-warming. Our choice for the most unique & fun answer: sporks!
The same group of 7th & 8th graders were also asked to consider the facts about drugs and alcohol they want their parents to know. The students worked in small groups to put their facts on sheets titled, “Facts I want YOU to know about drugs and alcohol.” Read their responses below, you could learn something new!
Studies show that parents have one of the biggest influences over whether or not their child will choose to use drugs and alcohol. Ask the kid(s) in your life about their Natural High and the facts they want their adults to know. Whether you are a parent or a caring adult, engaging in conversations about drugs and alcohol at home will help foster the connection and trust that can protect kids into adulthood. Learn more about the risk and protective factors for youth substance use on the Windham County Prevention Partnership website.
Facts I want YOU to know about drugs and alcohol: (For parents & caring adults, from Leland & Gray students.)
Definitions & Data
- A drug is a medicine or other substance which has a physiological effect when ingested or otherwise introduced to the body.
- More than 70% of teens have consumed one alcoholic beverage by the time they reach 18.
- 20% of teens in school vape or do drugs.
- Drugs & alcohol sabotage your social, physical, and mental health.
Mental Effects
- Drugs give you dopamine in bursts lowering your interest in things.
- You can get depressed.
- You become irritable.
- You won’t want to do active things.
- Coke and other drugs cause permanent neurological damage.
Physical Effects
- It can cause a bunch of cancers.
- Drugs impact your oral health badly. (No teeth!)
- Drugs and alcohol make you have
- Lack of coordination skills
- Damage to internal organs
- Poor nutrition
- Muscle and bone breakdown
- Long term memory impairment
- They can kill you.
Social Effects
- Drugs & alcohol ruin relationships.
- There are consequences like not having enough money because you are buying drugs. You will go broke.
- Drugs & alcohol create bad relationships with people.
- Drugs will affect your social life.
- Drugs can make you shut people out.
- Drugs will make you separate from your family and friends.
Addiction Info
- Drugs are very addictive over time. The longer you do drugs the more addicted you get.
- You will get addicted and won’t be able to stop.
- It is hard to stop. If you take a drug you get addicted.
- Addiction can have such a negative impact on your decisions in life.
- Drugs are good at first but soon become addicting and makes you feel tied to them.