OBJECTIVE 3: To recognize and resist pressures to use drugs.
Social influences play a key role in encouraging children to try drugs. Pressures to use drugs come from internal sources, such as a child's desire to feel included in a group or to demonstrate independence, and external influences, such as the opinions and example of friends, older children, and adults, and media messages.
Students must learn to identify these pressures. They must then learn how to counteract messages to use drugs and gain practice in saying no. The education program emphasizes influences on behavior, responsible decision-making, and techniques for resisting pressures to use drugs.
Sample topics for elementary through high school:
- The influence of popular culture on behavior.
- The influence of peers, parents, and other important individuals on a student's behavior. How the need to feel accepted by others influences behavior.
- Ways to make responsible decisions and deal constructively with disagreeable moments and pressures.
- Reasons for not taking drugs.
- Situations in which students may be pressured into using drugs.
- Ways of resisting pressure to use drugs.
- Benefits of resisting pressure to use drugs.
Sample learning activities for elementary through high school:
- Describe recent personal decisions. In small groups, decide what considerations influenced the decision (e.g., opinions of family or friends, beliefs, desire to be popular) and analyze choices and consequences.
- Examine ads for cigarettes, over-the-counter drugs, and alcohol, deciding what images are being projected and whether the ads are accurate.
- Read stories about famous people who stood up for their beliefs in the face of opposition. Students can discuss how these people withstood the pressure and what they accomplished.
- Give reasons for not taking drugs. Discuss with a health educator or drug counselor the false arguments for using drugs. Develop counter-arguments in response to typical messages or pressures on behalf of drug use.
- Given a scenario depicting pressure to use drugs, act out ways of resisting (simply refusing, giving a reason, leaving the scene, etc.). Students then practice these techniques repeatedly. Demonstrate ways of resisting pressures, using older students specially trained as peer teachers.
- Present scenarios involving drug-related problems (e.g., learning that another student is selling drugs, a sibling using drugs; or being offered a drive home by a friend under the influence of drugs). Students practice what they would do and discuss to whom they would turn for help. Teachers should discuss and evaluate the appropriateness of student responses.
- Discuss how it feels to resist pressures to take drugs. Hold a poster contest to depict the benefits derived both from not using and from saying no (e.g., being in control, increased respect from others, self-confidence).
OBJECTIVE 4: To promote activities that reinforce the positive, drug-free elements of student life.
School activities that provide students opportunities to have fun without drugs—and to contribute to the school community—build momentum for peer pressure not to use drugs. These school activities also nurture positive examples by giving older students opportunities for leadership related to drug prevention.
Sample activities: