Frequently Asked Questions About Drugs

Q: If someone offers me drugs, how do I say no?

A: There are lots of ways you can say no to drugs.

1.     �No thank you.�

2.     �I don�t really feel like it.�

3.     �My parents will be really mad at me if I do drugs.�

        �I don�t think that would be fun.�

If that doesn�t work, you don�t need to say anything.  You can just walk away.  Also, if someone offers you drugs, you should tell an adult you trust, like your parents or a teacher.

Q: I�m sick, and my doctor gave me medicine to make me feel better.  Is it a drug?

A: Medicines your doctor gives you to make you feel better are called prescription drugs.  Prescription drugs are OK to take, but only for the sickness that your doctor gave it to you for.  For example, if you had an earache, and your doctor gave you medicine to make it stop hurting, you should take it.  If you were not sick, and you took the medicine, that would be bad.

Q: I heard that everyone in high school and college does drugs and drinks alcohol.  Is that true?

A: No, that is not true at all!  Lots of people in high school and college do not do drugs or drink alcohol at all.  There are many things you can do instead of using drugs or alcohol.  Students hang out with their friends, watch movies, have dance parties, play video games, and generally have a great time without drugs and alcohol.

Q: If drugs are bad for you, why do people make them and sell them?

A: The people who make and sell drugs know that they are addictive, which means that once you start using drugs, you will become dependent on them, and you will need to use them to feel good.  That means that those people can make money off of your addiction by selling you drugs.  They do not care about your health; they only care about making money off of you.  In addition to destroying your body, drugs also take away all of your money!

Q: My parents drink wine or beer sometimes.  Is that bad?

A: The legal drinking age in the United States is 21 years old.  People who are 21 years old or older can make the decision to drink alcohol.  However, even when you are 21 years old, you should drink responsibly, which means that you only drink in moderation, and not drink and drive.

Q: What if you only take a drug once?  Is it still bad for you?

A: Yes.  People have been known to die from bad reactions to drugs.  Cocaine and heroin can both cause you to have a heart attack or a stroke from just using it once! There is no way to know if your body will have a deadly reaction to a drug, so it�s best not to try the drug and find out the hard way.

Q: Is it hard to quit smoking/using drugs?

A: Yes, it is very hard to quit using addictive substances.  Some people go through years of rehab treatments to stop using drugs.  It is a long, hard, painful process.  The best way to avoid the problems of quitting is to not smoke or use drugs in the first place.

~Students Helping Others Choose Knowledgeably~