Teens

Drug Awareness for Teens

Steer Clear of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is a quick way to wreck your life.  Take the high road, live a healthy, productive life, without the need for drugs.  Look around you.  There are many teenagers that are not using drugs.  They understand that drug abuse could rob themselves of an education, a family, a job, and even their life.  So, don't give-in to peer-pressure.  True friends don't try to get their friends to abuse alcohol or do drugs.

Tips for Teens

Few decisions are as important as the choice not to use drugs.  Make your own choices. Educate yourself by using these important facts:

·         False Statements-

·         "Some drugs are fun, cool, and everyone does it"

·         "I can't get in trouble...drugs won't hurt me."

·         "I know my limits.  I can stop using drugs whenever I want"

·         "Drinking alcohol as a teenager isn't that big of a deal"

·         True Facts-

·         Drugs can affect your entire body and your well being.  Despite the glamorization in movies or music, drugs can produce tragic consequences and affect the body's natural healthy chemistry.

·         Drugs are illegal to buy, sell, or possess and can impair thinking and development, which can negatively impact your future.

·         Many drugs are highly addictive.  Your dependence increases, while your self-control decreases.  Some drugs, like crack cocaine, become addictive the first time you try them.

·         The older a person waits to begin drinking, the less likely they will develop a drinking problem later.

Affects of Drug Abuse

o    Decreases school performance

o    Can't get along or fit in with others

o    Causes brain disorders

o    Kills brain cells and impairs thinking

o    Increases the likelihood of violence

o    Dulls the senses

o    Causes heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, and hepatitis

o    Smoking marijuana greatly increases the risk of using harder drugs later

Safe Surfing: Internet Safety Tips

The Internet is great and a fun way to explore.  However there are dangerous people out there that want to take advantage of teens & young kids.   Here are some tips to be smart when surfing on the World Wide Web:

·         Be very careful when on the Internet.  People online may not be who they say they are.

·         Never give out your real name, any personal information (like your age or where you live) when you’re in a public chat room, on an electronic bulletin board or in your E-mail messages.

·         Make up fun nicknames when you are online.

·         Never call anyone you meet on the Internet.

·         Never send anyone you don’t know a picture of yourself.

·         Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are rude, mean or threatening, and make sure you tell an adult if you get a message like that.  

·         Make sure you never give out any passwords.  People who work for the Internet will never ask for passwords.

·         Realize that everything you read or see on the Internet may not be true.

·         Never let anyone pressure you into doing something you feel uncomfortable doing.

·         Never enter an area on the Internet that charges for services without asking permission from a parent or responsible adult first.

·         Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with any other computer user without getting a parent's permission.

·         Discuss the rules for using the Internet with your parents.  They might impose restrictions on the computer with the true intent to help protect you.

Street Safety

Face it: You're a kid or teen without a car.  This means you probably do a lot of walking to get where you need to go.  This also means you are a pedestrian.  Walking may seem like the easiest, most natural thing in the world, but it can be dangerous.
Did you know that each year, cars, trucks and buses kill almost 6,000 pedestrians?  Sixteen pedestrians are hit and killed each day somewhere in the United States.  By using common sense, pedestrians and drivers can help prevent death and injury.  Below are some tips to help you walk smart and a few ways drivers can help keep you safe:

Starting on the right foot

·         Cross at crosswalks.  If there is no crosswalk, go to the corner to cross.  Never cross in the middle of the block.

·         Give drivers enough time to stop before you step into the crosswalk.   Just because the crosswalk signal gives you the okay, it does not mean the driver has seen you enter the crosswalk.

·         When walking at night, wear light-colored or reflective clothes that will make it easier for drivers to see you.

·         Carry a small flashlight with you when walking at night.

·         Before stepping off the curb, look left-right-left-right, and listen for oncoming traffic.  Do not simply depend on traffic signals to tell you when it's clear to walk. Look before you step into the street.

·         Do not cross from between parked vehicles or from behind obstacles that impair the vision of a driver.

·         If there is a sidewalk, use it.  Do not walk in the street.  If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far out of the street as you can get.

·         Keep an eye on the traffic at all times.  Do not block your view with backpacks, books, hats or other items.

·         Remove earphones so that you can hear cars approaching.

For those in the driver's seat

·         Always come to a full stop behind the white limit line at crosswalk, signals and stop signs.  In an unmarked intersection or crosswalk, stop at the corner.  Do not go until you have made sure there is no one in the crosswalk.

·         Do not pass a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk.

·         Wait for the person crossing to reach the other side of the crosswalk before you go.

·         Make sure to keep all car windows clean, inside and out, so you can clearly see what is in front, to the side and behind your car.

·         Keep your car's headlights clean so people can see you coming.

·         Never wear sunglasses once it starts to get dark.

·         Never speed, especially in areas where people live and near schools during normal school hours.

·         Be aware of other drivers when using your high beams at night.

·         At night, adjust the rearview mirror to the "night" setting to avoid glare from the headlights of cars behind you.

·         Watch for people who may dart out from behind parked vehicles, especially children.

·         By law, drivers must stop for anyone using a guide dog or a white cane whether in or out of a crosswalk.  Only blind, or nearly blind, people are allowed to use guide dogs or white canes.

·         Remember, if you drive a hybrid vehicle pedestrians may not hear your approach, so drive with enhanced caution where pedestrians are. 

Safe Schools

When crime, drugs and violence spill over from the streets into the schools, it makes it harder to find a safe place to learn.  Some student may carry gun or knife for protection. Unfortunately, in recent history guns have replaced fists in school fights.  

When this happens, students cannot learn and teachers cannot teach.

It’s up to everyone – kids, parents, teachers and the community -- to make sure schools are a place where kids can feel safe, not scared.  Here are a few ways students can help:

·         Don’t use gun, knives or your fists to settle fights. Use your head and try to talk it out.  Sometimes it’s best to walk away from a fight, or get an adult involved.

·         If you see a crime being committed or hear that someone has brought a weapon to school, tell your teacher, a parent or the police.

·         Find a safe way to get to school.  Try to stay away from areas where gangs and drug dealers hang.  Know where you can go for help if you need it.

·         Stay away from drugs and alcohol.  Don’t use them and don’t hang out with people who do.

If your school has anti-violence activities such as poster contests or anti-drug rallies, get involved. If there is no anti-violence program, get friends, parents and teachers to help you start one.