Healthy Choices Week

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Healthy Choices Week

• Make the Healthy Choice! Make the Best Choice!
• BE DRUG FREE!

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Teens just like you may use drugs for a
host of reasons. Take a second to think of a few.
One reason may be that you think that everyone
uses drugs as a young person. This is absolutely
untrue. Drug use is NOT common among teenage
children. Those that do make up the MINORITY of
drug users. Lets take a look to see just how
uncommon drug use is among Memphis City School
students. You may be hanging with the wrong
crowd.
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Alcohol

• Among MCS high school students 43.1 have NEVER
  had a drink of alcohol. In the last 30 days,
  75.8 have NOT drank alcohol.

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Cigarette Smoking

• Sixty-five percent of MCS high school students
  have NEVER tried cigarette smokingnot even one
  or two puffs.

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Marijuana

• In 2009 60.5 of MCS high school kids reported
  NEVER using marijuana. Seventy seven point nine
  percent reported NOT using marijuana in the last
  30 days.

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Meth, Heroin, Cocaine

• Ninety-eight percent of MCS high school students
  have NEVER used cocaine, heroin, or
  methamphetamines.

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Why?

• MCS students know that
• Drug use is illegal and they can get into trouble
  with the law.
• They can become addicted.
• Their brains are still developing and they may
  damage them.
• Drug use kills thousands of teens each year.
• Using drugs interferes with school work and they
  may not graduate from high school.
• They can be robbed, raped, or assaulted if under
  the influence of drugs.

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Discussion

• Name other reasons why you wouldnt start using
  drugs.
• How would you feel about yourself if you allow
  drugs to put a hold on your dreams?
• How do you think drugs will affect your
  relationships with others?
• How do you resist drugs without fear of being not
  being cool or square?

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Addiction

• Addiction means a person has no control over
  whether he or she uses a drug or drinks.
• The earlier a teen starts to use drugs, the more
  likely it is that he will become addicted.
• A lot of people think they can kick the problem
  on their own, but that doesn't work for most
  people.
• It's not a sign of weakness if you need
  professional help from a trained drug counselor
  or therapist.

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Mental Effects

• Alcohol
• is a depressant, which means it slows the
  function of the central nervous system.
• blocks some of the messages trying to get to the
  brain.
• alters a person's perceptions, emotions,
  movement, vision, and hearing.
• decreases teens' ability to pay attention.
• can cause or mask other emotional problems, like
  anxiety or depression.

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Mental Effects

• Marijuana users
• Are less satisfied with their lives than those
  who do not use marijuana.
• May develop psychosis (a mental condition that is
  characterized by hallucinations).
• Have trouble remembering things that they just
  learned.
• This has a direct relationship with academic
  performance and study habits.
• Have poor judgment and motor coordination that
  can slow reaction time.

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Mental Effects

• Cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine
• Can cause you to forget things more and have poor
  motor skills for activities (e.g. sports,
  dancing).
• Can make you depressed and paranoid.
• Is linked to the development of Parkinsons
  Disease (a disease that affects your
  motor skills, speech, movement).
• May be a cause of a students low performance in
  school.

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Health

• Teens who do not drink
• are less likely to get fat or have health
  problems, too.
• Have normally functioning organs, such as the
  liver, heart, and brain.
• Are less likely to engage in sexual activity,
  have unprotected sex, or have sex with a
  stranger.
• Are less likely to be involved in deadly
  accidents.

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Health

• Teens who dont use tobacco
• Have more money to spend on shopping and school
  activities.
• Look and smell better than those who do use
  tobacco.
• Know that tobacco companies specifically target
  kids to use their products.
• Have more energy and will live a better quality
  of life than smokers.
• Visit the doctor less.

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Health

• Teens who choose not to use marijuana
• Are more satisfied with their lives.
• Land better jobs than users.
• Have better relationships with others.
• Are less likely to have mental problems in the
  future.
• Are more focused and attentive.

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Health

• Teens who avoid using cocaine, heroin, and meth
• Are able to focus on more important things
  instead of worrying about their next fix.
• Have healthy immune systems and do not get sick
  as often.
• Are more often in a better mood.
• Are less likely to contract HIV/AIDS and
  hepatitis.
• Have a smaller chance of dying from a heart
  attack or stroke.

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The result of drugging and driving
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Dont age before its time to.
Effects of methamphetamine use after 5 years.
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Smart teens make the right choice to

• communicate with their parents about drugs and
  know the consequences of their use.
• have adequate parental supervision.
• participate in extracurricular activities to
  avoid risky behavior.
• talk to their parents or another trusted adult
  about stress or other personal issues.
• BE DRUG FREE!

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Drug-free teens in Memphis City Schools

• Are goal oriented.
• Perform better in school.
• Are more likely to succeed.
• Have positive relationships with others.
• Are overall happier in their lives.

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Be in the Majority. Be Drug Free.
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References

• www.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts
• www.webmd.com
• www.detoxland.com/drug-facts
• Shelby County Health Department, Tobacco Risk
  Reduction Program