Drugs in Schools: Preventing Substance Abuse

In cooperative groups, middle schoolers contemplate the probability of 18 different situations occurring. After they make predictions, they compare them to the actual risk factors. This eye-opening exercise demonstrates that the odds of...

Teenagers hear many messages about drugs from advertisements, their peers, their teachers, and their parents. But who is lying? What is the truth? A thorough, thoughtful unit takes a purposeful look at drug education, drug culture, and...

The "On My Own Two Feet" School Handbook describes a carefully scaffolded, richly detailed substance abuse program designed for middle and high schools. Chapters look at approaches to prevention, suggestions for organizing and...

Are opioids the most abused drug after marijuana? How hard is it for young people to obtain painkillers without a prescription? Middle and high schoolers explore the growing epidemic of opioid addiction with a lesson that prompts them to...

The I-STOP law was designed to regulate the distribution and tracking of prescription drugs. After reading an article about its signing and implementation, middle and high schoolers work together to come up with their own ideas for an...

What happens to your body when you use drugs? What do you do if your friend wants you to start using? Learn about the signs of addiction and the ways to withstand peer pressure with two classroom activities. After storyboarding the...

This is not a lesson plan per se but there is some very good information. We, as teachers, are bound by law to report abuse. If you are comfortable, I think it's a good idea to let your classes know that you care and that this is a duty...

Students discuss why drug abuse risk is higher in social settings. In this health science lesson, students interpret real life statistics on teen drug use. They describe refusal and prevention strategies.

Drug interactions can be dangerous. Viewers of a short video learn about some well-known and some not-so-well-known interactions that can lead to serious consequences.

Marijuana affects the brain differently than inhalants, which have a different effect than opioids. Elementary and middle school classes read about these drugs as well as nicotine, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and steroids before...