speech on drug abuse for students

Speech on Drug Abuse in English in Simple and easy Words

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Speech on Drug Abuse: Drug abuse has become the most common thing these days and many youth are destroying their lives by getting addicted to drugs. It’s very important to sensitize our youth on the subject of drug abuse. They are ruining the lives of our youth and putting their future in a great darkness. The use of drugs is making their lives vulnerable and prone to destruction. Therefore, it becomes very important to raise awareness about it amongst our youth and prevent them from succumbing to it. The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is celebrated annually on June 26th it serves as a significant platform for raising awareness and addressing the critical issue of substance abuse. You can even prepare a speech on drug abuse and deliver it on various occasions and platforms.

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Long and Short Speeches on Drug Abuse in English

For your help, we have posted below some short speech on drug abuse as well as long speech on drug abuse, which will give you a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and help you create an impressive brief to impress upon your audience and bring a change in society.

Speech on Drug Abuse – Speech 1

Dear Students – Warm Greetings to all of you! I welcome everyone to the school seminar hall.

Today, we are here to discuss about the fatal consumption of drugs and how it is destroying the lives of our youth. But before the discussion begins, I would like to deliver a short speech on drug abuse and would like to enlighten our students on this sensitive subject matter.

Drugs, as we all know, are an illegal matter which some people drink, smoke, inject or eat for the mental as well as physical effects that it leaves. There are several students who consume drugs out of fun or for various other reasons. People who deal in the selling of drugs create a network and mainly target students in order to make them addicted to drugs. Initially, the drugs are sold to the students for free and gradually when they get addicted to it, they start buying and consuming it. In fact, the students also eventually become a part of their network and start dealing in it.

It is observed that students start consuming drugs out of stress or unfair expectations of their teachers as well as parents. Lack of emotional support and disorder in their families make them vulnerable and increase their dependency on drugs. They use it in order to calm down their state of mental agitation. Other than this, it is poverty that compels some students to become a part of the selling and dealing network of drugs and derive their pocket money. Therefore, it becomes like a vicious circle of the drug addicted students from which they seem to find no escape unless the society comes for their rescue.

Sadly, the students fail to realize that the consumption of drugs has a severe impact on their physical and mental health, such as they start experiencing mental disorder, their intelligence level decreases, experience deadly diseases and untimely death. When one completely succumbs to the temptation of drugs, it gets very difficult for him/her to recover from its impact except in the centers for drug rehabilitation where they gain a new life, but which involves a high cost. In fact, there are many cases too where even rehabilitation centers fail because of the worst condition of the patients.

I, therefore, request all the students to refrain themselves completely from the consumption of drugs before it destroys their health, future and takes away their lives. Don’t even try to touch or come close to them. Drugs can even destroy a complete generation. So think wise and act smart. Shape your future which seems bright and full of achievements. The drugs that doctor prescribes to his/her patients must only be taken in order to combat a specific disease otherwise the government must take strict measures to ban its illegal trade in the market and save our youth from destruction.

I want to conclude by saying that drug abuse should be an absolute ‘No’ for all and I sincerely hope that our students will never ever try to consume drugs and will completely stay away from its use. Remember that our country needs you as you are its future and harbinger of progress.

Also Read: Essay on Drug Abuse

Speech on Drug Abuse – Speech 2

Good Morning Friends – Welcome to the 77 th campaign for drug addiction ban.

It feels extremely great to see how the members of our organization are working hard in order to make every day count and reach out to the masses for spreading awareness about the drug addiction or drug abuse. Since day one and today it’s the 77 th campaign of our organization – we haven’t really ever thought that we will grow this big, i.e. currently we have more than 200 people working for us and have gained a mass appeal. The response so far has been really good and we have been able to transform the life of the people for good, who earlier have been living under the influence of drugs.

So today I would further like to appeal to the masses to refrain themselves from using drugs and live a healthy life. Drug addiction or drug abuse is described as an excessive dependency on a substance, which inevitably becomes the compulsive need of the person using it. This need becomes so compulsive that without that substance the person cannot live his life like a normal person does. And, when such a substance is stopped being available in the market then that person is believed to be suffering from substance withdrawal.

The addiction of drugs has become one of the serious social problems in many developing as well as developed countries and it undeniably proves to be the principal obstruction in the all-round development of the people, society, country and the world at a large. Our country is a progressing country and it is already afflicted with so many other grave problems, such as unemployment, poverty and illiteracy that the problem of Adolescence and Drug abuse makes the situation even worse here as it further makes our economy regressive by destroying the lives of its youth.

Even sadder is the fact that several drug addicts cannot afford to make a purchase of expensive drugs so much so that in the end they have to resort to such activities as theft in their homes. These people are not born thieves, but their addiction to drugs makes them heinous and propels them to commit crimes in order to feed their body with drugs.

People can become addicted to drugs because of various reasons, some of which are mentioned below:

1. In order to de-stress themselves

When a person is under the influence of drugs, he/she forgets everything and enters into a trance-like state. However, it is only later that people realize that the use of drugs is only aggravating the problem and not really helping them in getting rid of the stress.

2. Out of peer pressure

Many times, people start taking drugs because their friends are addicted to them. However, once they start taking it, it becomes really difficult for them to get rid of this habit.

3. Style Statement

Many teenagers these days think that the habit of drinking, smoking and even drug addiction is what helps them look cool and create a style statement in the front of others. However, it’s only when these people get trapped in its vicious circle that they realize the irreparable they have caused to their lives.

Teenagers and every person for that matter must understand that the habit of drug abuse not only greatly affects their body and mind, but also finishes their bright future. So we should strictly say ‘No’ to drugs and save our lives as well the lives of our loved ones by spreading awareness in our surroundings.

Also Read: Speech on Adult Education

Speech on Drug Abuse – Speech 3

Respected Principal, Vice Principal, Teachers and My Dear Fellow Students – Warm Welcome to all of you! Today, standing in the prayer hall I would like to take this opportunity to deliver a brief speech on Drug Abuse.

I request our principal and teachers to kindly allow me to speak on this subject as it is a high time to enlighten our youth about the dangerous habit of drug abuse. In the present times, there are many factors that push a man to resort to drug addiction and make his/her life miserable. The most glaring factors are rapid industrialization and urbanization, which have given birth to a new kind of behavior among the youth of today, i.e. individualism and permissiveness. People these days prefer nuclear families and in many cases both parents are working, as a consequence of which they become less forbearing in comparison to their previous generations. People are living their lives in isolation and avoid getting social because the stress in the modern times has become way too much to make them withdrawn figures in their personal lives.

In the end, such people become involved in the habit of drinking, smoking, drug addiction, etc. Besides, when a child doesn’t feel satisfied at home or when he/she is deprived of love, affection and care of his/her parents, a feeling of discontentment comes in and such children become prone to drug addiction and ruin their lives completely. What is more painful to see that if the drug addicted people are not allowed the use of drugs, then he/she suffers from bouts of depression, painful and uncontrollable convulsions as well as vomiting!

It is an obvious fact that the addiction of drugs is ruining the path of progress of many individuals and our nation as a whole so much so that proactive measures need to be taken in order to keep a check on this destructive habit of our youth. The most significant step in this direction would be about spreading awareness amongst the people on a national scale.

Our Indian government has in fact formulated various campaigns and even has been able to gain success in this direction. The individuals whose family and friends suffer from the addiction of drugs are requested to approach the rehabilitation institutions and camps in order to provide treatment to the addicts.

Drug abuse should not be tolerated and be completely banned as a taboo. However, it is not advised to torture the addict or treat him/her inhumanely for this habit because if you try and convince the person about its treatment then he/she may willingly choose to opt for it and get rid of this addiction by admitting himself/herself at the rehabilitation centers.

A person who has become the victim of drug abuse is forced by his/her bodily conditions to carry on with the addiction, but sooner they realize the bad impact of this habit. All that these people need is a helping hand and therefore we should provide encouragement as well as support to these people in making these addicts come back to their normal lives and lead a healthy life.

Speech on Drug Abuse – Speech 4

Hon’ble Principal, Vice Principal, Fellow Colleagues and My Dear Students – Warm Greetings to one and all!

Firstly, I would like to extend a note of thank you to our respected Principal and Vice Principal for gracing this speech ceremony with their presence and giving their approval too. And, to all the fellow teachers – as without your support this event wouldn’t have been possible. I would also like to congratulate our dear students for making the desired arrangement on a short notice.

The topic for today’s speech is Drug Abuse! I have chosen to speak on this topic because these days I observe many campaigns being run on Drug Abuse in order to teach the people about its ill effects. As a teacher, it also becomes my responsibility to help them spread the message wherever we can and most importantly beginning from our very own school.

Drug abuse is considered one of the banes of our so called civilized society. It has affected all the sections and regions of our society. People with the illicit use of drug are found everywhere, i.e. in urban and rural regions, among men and women, among rich and poor. But it is exceedingly practiced by our young girls and boys living in hostels in nearly all technical and educational institutions.

The grave situation of drug abuse is prevalent across the world and unfortunately our very country India is more strongly affected by it. Our country is a transit country because it is placed between the Golden Triangle consisting of Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, including Golden Crescent consisting of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran – the places where most of the drugs, chiefly heroin and opium are produced. Pakistan is undeniably the nucleus of the world when it comes to any unlawful activity and as far as the drug production is concerned – it is the hub. In fact, a big proportion of drugs go by India in order that it can be exported to other countries.

This happens through the network of drug mafia who further has connections with formidable smugglers as well as terrorists. In the process, unfortunately several young men as well as women become victims to this diabolic activity. Pakistan with the help of ISI is involving itself in a proxy war in the region of Kashmir against India through money earned with the help of drug mafia. Thus, terrorism and drugs share very strong connections.

This addiction to drug is so deadly that people fall prey to its use and become almost a slave. If a person doesn’t get its regular dose, then that person starts feeling a lack of it and becomes depressed with severe pain which even leads to a lack of sensation in arms and legs. Drugs are of various kinds, such as heroin, opium, charas, ganja, etc.

There are some injections too which lead to a state of severe drowsiness. In case, a drug-addict is not able to receive the required dose of drug when needed, then he/she would be ready to do anything for it even by resorting to unfair means, such as theft or may be hurting someone physically, etc.

I therefore request everyone to strictly say ‘No’ to drugs and get such people admitted to rehabilitation centers where their conditions can be improved before it gets horrible and proves fatal for that person.

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Speech on Drug Abuse Faq’s

What is the topic of drug abuse day.

Drug Abuse Day focuses on raising awareness about the harmful effects of drug misuse and addiction.

What is drug abuse in the English language?

Drug abuse in English refers to the harmful and improper use of drugs, often leading to health and social problems.

How can we say no to drugs?

We can say no to drugs by staying informed, making healthy choices, and seeking support from friends and family when faced with drug temptations.

How to write an essay about drugs?

To write an essay about drugs, start with an introduction, discuss the impacts, causes, and solutions, and conclude with your viewpoint on the topic.

What is drugs summary?

A drugs summary is a brief overview of key information about drugs, including their effects, risks, and uses.

What is drug abuse in a short introduction?

Drug abuse is when people misuse drugs, causing harm to themselves and society. It's a serious problem that needs attention.

What are a few lines on addiction?

Addiction is a strong, harmful craving for something, like drugs, that can be very difficult to control. It can lead to serious problems.

We can say no to drugs by being strong, confident, and making choices that keep us safe and healthy.

Addiction is a powerful need for something that can be harmful, like drugs or alcohol. It can affect a person's life in many negative ways.

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A drug prevention book written by a mother who lost her son to a drug overdose from the viewpoint of the family beagle, Sunny . It's a great learning tool for kids, parents, teachers, and others.

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Please click the following link Drug Prevention Program Request  to request more information on our Drug Prevention Education Programs and Services or call the office at 203-831-9700.

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Drug Prevention Education Speaker Connecting to Teens

Ginger reaches young people like few others can. Through her presentations, she implores listeners to follow the positive passions in their lives. A central theme of Ginger’s work is that young people should cultivate relationships with three to five trusted adults with whom they are able to share their problems and innermost thoughts. Her presentations frequently elicit responses-in person or via email and letters-from parents who are seeking help for a family member, or from young people wanting to share their problems as a result of hearing the Courage to Speak presentation. Some youngsters are in a serious crisis. The Courage to Speak is committed to responding immediately and provides referrals where needed.

Comments from Students After Hearing the Drug Prevention Education Presentation from Speaker, Ginger Katz

• “After hearing Ian’s story, I shall never do drugs.”
• “I will always remember this story. When somebody asks me to do drugs my auto response will be your story in my mind and my answer will definitely be no”
• “There are a lot of kids in high school who do drugs. They think it’s a joke. I wish everyone could hear you speak.”
• “I see now that drugs can affect all kinds of kids, not just ‘drop-outs.’ I can understand that if you stay silent to protect a friendship, you could end up losing the friend, like you lost Ian.”
• “After hearing you speak and looking at all the pictures of Ian, I actually had the feeling that I knew him and I was very upset. I came out of class with a new attitude towards drugs and alcohol.”
• “When she read from her journal, I had tears in my eyes. It was different to hear about a drug addiction from a parent’s viewpoint. It was overwhelming. I don’t think I will ever forget it.”
• “The three things I’ve learned are to never do drugs, choose my friends wisely and have at least one person I can tell anything to.”
• “My sister got into trouble again and my parents always make excuses for her. You made me see the ‘wall of silence.’ “
• “I just heard ur speech and i wanted to say u really touched me. i mean for the past couple weeks, i have been smoking cigeretts with my friends and, at parties, drinking a little and i didn’t realize it could lead to so much stronger drugs, so i just wanted to say thank u.”
• “The only thing I thought was bad about the presentation is that everybody said that my life seems like Ian’s, but I don’t think my life is. I do drugs, but I don’t feel I have a problem. But besides that, it was a good program. A sign of denial?”
• “Once you start, you can’t stop and the drug can make you do things you normally wouldn’t. Drugs can have a major impact on your brain and make you think about crazy things or not think at all.”
• “It made me realize how other people are affected by drugs, not just the drug user. I don’t want to use drugs because I wouldn’t want to hurt my mother.”
• “I cried during and after her talk. I hadn’t fully grasped the enormity of what drugs could do. I had thought about doing drugs, but now I never will. I don’t want to hurt myself or the ones I love.”
• “Ian looks like a normal person, not a drug addict. The saddest thing was that he died right when he had decided to get help.”

Drug Prevention Education Speaker Connecting to Parents

Speaking as a parent who has experienced the ultimate loss, Ginger inspires people to step forward, assess their situation, and address their problems. But her riveting presentation isn’t filled with sadness. Ginger’s words overflow with hope and promise that the courage to speak – about fears, drug dependence, or any troubling issue – presents an ideal opportunity for healing.

Through Ginger’s story, and the life-saving prevention information it contains, students and parents begin to recognize the telltale signs of alcohol and other drug use. She also describes the veils behind which those signs hide: anger, denial, fear, pain and deception.

Comments from Parents After Hearing the Drug Prevention Education Presentation from Speaker, Ginger Katz

• “You gave me insight to start my own gathering of information and outreach in my neighborhood. We need to help each other help our kids.”
• “On our way home from your presentation, my son told me he knew of kids in his eighth grade class who were taking drugs. On the way to your talk, he had emphatically said just the opposite. Thank-you for enabling him to confide in us.”
• “Listening to Ginger gave me the courage to make the hard decisions needed to help our son who is an alcohol and heroin addict receive the treatment he needed. Parents who love their children can ill afford not to invest their time to attend, learn and understand how they can help their most precious possession, their children.”
• “As a mother, I could not help but feel both your love for Ian and your pain. Thank-you for speaking the truth.”

Ian’s Story – The Heart of the Courage to Speak ®  Foundation

My son Ian died on September 10, 1996 in his sleep of an overdose. He was only twenty years old. After he died, one by one, his friends began to come to me. We were all in such pain. I sat and listened, torn between anger and agony, as slowly they began to talk about what had really been going on.

Anger doesn’t help. Ian’s friends and his family have to heal. We have to find the courage to speak before it is too late for so many other young people like my son who are in danger of becoming addicted to drugs. Ian was bright, handsome, athletic and popular. If this could happen to him, it could happen to anyone.

Comments from Students about the Presentation

• “I see now that drugs can affect all kinds of kids, not just ‘drop-outs.’ I can under stand that if you stay silent to protect a friendship, you could end up losing the friend, like you lost Ian.”

Ian James Eaccarino

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How to Talk to Your Students About Drugs

In the late 1990’s, the formerly popular DARE program was not able to prove its effectiveness in preventing drug use among children and teenagers, but this particular failure does not indicate that educators have no influence over their students when it comes to preventing drug use.

More recent research has shown that, instead of scare tactics, students react positively to honest and open discussions with teachers and other adults. While it’s important to keep your authority and professionalism, forming close relationships with students can provide them with an additional adult in their life whom they can talk to about drug issues without feeling judged or scolded.

Anti-drug messages can be worked into lesson plans across subject areas as well:

• Science classes can explore the effects of drugs on the brain and body.
• Language classes can make anti-drug pamphlets for younger kids and teens.
• Health classes can focus on the importance of keeping a strong body and mind.
• Social Studies classes can explore the uses of drugs in different times and cultures and their effects on history (for example: The Opium Wars, or the prevalence of marijuana and heroin use among American soldiers in Vietnam).

Audio & Visual Aids for Drug Use Preventoin

Below is a list of free, online drug education resources teachers can use and integrate into lesson plans.

“The Doubles” episode series was created specifically for older elementary and middle school students to learn about drugs and alcohol use while following the adventures of a group of young bandmates.

The “ Above the Influence ” site contains inspirational quotes, drug-fact quizzes and social media resources to get older kids and teens involved in the anti-drug movement.

The “ Sara Bellum ” blog was created to reach and educate teens about the effects of drug use.

“ Mind Over Matter ” lesson plans, created by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, explain the effects of specific drugs, such as opiates, hallucinogens, and cocaine.

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10 Conversation Starters To Spark Authentic Classroom Discussions About Drugs and Alcohol

It’s a difficult task, but an important one. Here are some powerful prompts to start the conversation.

I’m going to be honest with you. Talking to middle-school students about the risks of drugs and alcohol is not my favorite thing to do. It’s awkward. It’s challenging. I don’t know what they’re going to say. Frankly, it scares me a little. But here’s the thing. Not talking to my students about underage use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, and the many tough decisions they’re going to face as teenagers, scares me far more. Here’s why. The average age boys first try alcohol is 11. For girls, the age is 13. Research shows that teens who drink or use drugs regularly are 65 percent more likely to become addicted than those who hold off until age 21.

So, that’s why I talk to my students. I’m in. Even though it’s hard, even though they sometimes roll their eyes, I talk to them about drugs and alcohol because it matters, because it can help them make good choices, it can help to save lives, and because I believe teachers can make a difference. Genuine, ongoing conversations with adults who care—parents of course, but teachers too—can help teens make better decisions on the way to growing up.

Download these free conversation starter  cards I use with my eighth graders. Over the last couple of years, I’ve tried different approaches. Sometimes, I have kids pull a question out of a hat, and we have a class-wide discussion. Other times, I divide a class into groups and give each group a question to chat about. Then, each group reports back to the whole class on their discussion. Below are my most successful “conversation starters” about teen drug and alcohol use, and some tips on how to guide the discussions that follow.

1. Have you been in situations where there were opportunities for drug or alcohol use? Did you feel pressured? Why or why not?

Let students share a few stories. Then guide them to think about peer (or other) pressure. Would they judge someone who says “no” to alcohol and drugs negatively? They will likely say they respect others’ choices, yet they still fear being judged themselves. This dichotomy is a great place to focus the conversation. Ask: “What are your options if you feel pressured?” For example, students can practice what they are going to say so that they feel more comfortable. Suggest they avoid the “pressure zone” or situations that might be uncomfortable. Use the buddy system. Perhaps they can find a friend who shares their values, and they can back each other up.  

2. Why do you think some teens abuse drugs and alcohol? If you asked them, what reasons would they give for using? What other reasons might they have?

Some of the answers you can expect are: peer pressure, escapism, “because it’s fun,” curiosity, or rebellion. Push students to also consider reasons like self-medication, boredom, ignorance of the risks, fear of rejection, depression, recklessness. Ask: “What else can you do for fun or when you need an escape? Everybody needs that sometimes. What are some options besides drugs and alcohol?” (Hint: amusement parks, sports, trying something new like acting or skating.)

3. Imagine that it’s 25 years from now and you have a teenage son or daughter exactly the same age as you are now. What would you say to him or her about drinking and drugs?

You may receive a surprising range of answers to this question, but it will likely provoke an interesting discussion. Ask them to consider the choices about drugs and alcohol they would want a younger sibling or cousin to make. Are they different from the choices they make themselves or they intend to make themselves? Push your students to account for the difference. If they want the best for others, why not for themselves?

4. When you feel down, stressed, lonely or bored, what do you do to feel better? Sometimes people “medicate” with drugs or alcohol to avoid difficult feelings. What are some healthier options?

Your students should be able to come up with a list—everything from “Facetime a friend” to “go out for ice cream.” Afterwards, type up their list of suggestions to share as a handout at the next class .

5. It’s Friday night and you’ve been looking forward to hanging out with your friends all week. Your friend says he’ll give you a ride because he knows you’re stuck. You get there and it’s going great, but then you turn around and your ride is smoking a joint. What are your options? What would you do?

Your students will know that calling their parents is the accepted answer. If they don’t want to do that, what other options are there? Find a different ride, Uber, call a sibling or another adult they trust, walk home, spend the night. Talk to your students about the importance of thinking ahead and anticipating possible outcomes. What can they do to avoid these kinds of situations in the first place?

6. You are at a concert and someone offers you a pill to “enhance the experience.” If you were to take it, what are some of the possible consequences? If you chose not to take it, what would happen?

Encourage your class to list all the possible things that could happen after each choice. Appoint a student to record answers on the board. No doubt, one list will be far longer than the other. There are many negative consequences to taking a drug that they know nothing about. Talk to your students about impulse control and the teenage brain . The teen brain is primed to take risks This means that teens need to be extra aware as they make decisions.

7. Have you ever seen anyone using alcohol or drugs make a fool of themselves? What happened? How would you feel if it were you?

Every hand in the room will go up, and everyone will want to tell a story about the time their uncle fell off the porch into the baby pool. The tricky part here is reining it in, and helping them understand that it’s a lot less funny when the Snapchat video stars your own humiliation. Ask students: How would you feel if that was you? How can you avoid making decisions you regret the next day or perhaps even forever?

8. When do you think people are old enough to make their own decisions about drinking and drugs? Do grownups always make good decisions? If you were in charge of setting the legal age, what would it be?

Ask: Are there other reasons why it’s a good idea for teens to wait until they are 21 before they drink alcohol? What are they? For example, research shows that people who use drugs or alcohol regularly as teens are 68 percent more likely to become addicted than those who hold off use until age 21, after which the chances of addiction drop to 2%.

9. What can teens do to have a good time and to feel a rush of excitement other than doing drugs or drinking? In short, what else can teens be doing on a Saturday night?

Push your students to think beyond movies and concerts. How about indoor rock climbing, mountain biking, going to concerts, playing music, learning to cook, volunteering, filmmaking, cartooning, science experiments, political activism, fundraising, bodybuilding or camping? Encourage your students to see that they can be themselves, have great friends and a great time without resorting to drinking and drugs.

10. Name two things you would like to accomplish by the time you graduate high school. How could drugs and alcohol use get in the way of those goals?

For this question, ask five or so students to share goals, and then have the rest of the class list ways drugs and alcohol could interfere. If the goal is, for example, playing college football, marijuana use could affect physical and mental performance on the field, lower your grades or even get you thrown off the team. Encourage your students to see that the temporary fun of drinking and drugs can come with dangerous risks and unwanted consequences both short- and long-term.

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How to Talk to Teens About Drugs and Alcohol

• January 31, 2017

Hint: Skip the hysteria and use facts.

“Drugs and alcohol will damage your health.” Getting this important message across to students is critical to their success in school and life. But how can you get young people to hear this?

As National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week wraps up, we share some insights from Stacy Sterling, DrPH, MSW, MPH, a staff scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research who is part of the Kaiser Permanente Drug and Alcohol Research Team.

Sterling says it is critical to be direct and authentic with young people. “You have to present a compelling argument that is not condescending, that is genuine and that is real,” she says. “Use concrete information about what substances do to your brain, with evidence-based arguments and a more subtle approach than ‘This is your brain on drugs’.”

Sterling also stresses the importance of having the conversations where young people are — whether at home, in the doctor’s office or at school.

Talking to children early on is good, including finding teachable moments for elementary school-age children and even tweens. A clear message about drugs and alcohol use can set the tone for a child’s future behaviors.

Additional tactics to keep in mind:

• Do your research, and use facts to dispel myths.
• Be straightforward, not condescending.
• Avoid scare tactics.
• If possible, ask other young people to share their personal experiences with drugs and alcohol.
• Be interested in young people’s goals, and connect their goals to the choices they make about drugs and alcohol.

Sterling says it can be especially effective to discuss pros and cons, tying together behaviors and goals. Linking the choice to use drugs or alcohol with the possibility that using can sidetrack or sabotage their ability to achieve personal, athletic or academic goals can work well. For instance, how does a young person weigh smoking weed versus being on the track team?

“The exercise of mapping out the consequences of decisions has shown to be really effective for teens, connecting behaviors — harmful behaviors such as excessive drinking or marijuana use — to the young person’s goals,” said Dr. Sterling. “Get them to ask themselves questions that inform decision making. What do I get from drinking? What are the bad things?”

‘Shatter the myths’

Myth #1: You cannot form an addiction to marijuana.

Reality : Marijuana is addictive. About 1 in 11 people who use marijuana become addicted and the chance of becoming addicted is different for every person.

Myth #2: Smoking marijuana as a teen cannot lead to long-term effects.

Reality : Studies have shown that regular cannabis users show neuropsychological decline over time. Teens who smoke a lot could lose IQ points, and abusing drugs can throw your brain’s pleasure meter out of whack. Marijuana products of today are also much stronger than they were years ago.

Myth #3: Vicodin only relieves pain and is not as harmful as other drugs.

Reality : Prescription pain medications can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people die from overdoses of prescription pain relievers, such as Vicodin and OxyContin, than from heroin and cocaine combined.

Myth #4: Heavy drinking early in life will not lead to a lifetime of heavy drinking.

Reality : There is a real chance that heavy drinking at a young age can lead to addictive behaviors. About 40 percent of people who start drinking before the age of 15 end up becoming alcoholics.

Myth #5: Beer is not as harmful as liquor.

Reality : One beer is equal to one glass of wine, which is the same as one shot of liquor. Teens might believe that drinking beer is not as bad as drinking hard alcohol, but serving for serving, the amount of alcohol that affects the brain is the same.

A week to recognize the importance of talking to kids: National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week is a week-long observance each January connecting teens and experts to counteract myths about drugs and alcohol. You can join the conversation on social media and look for the hashtag #NDAFW .

The week includes thousands of community-based events throughout all 50 states and in 10 countries creating a safe place without judgment or lectures for teens to ask questions about drug and alcohol use.

This year, there is a new online resource offering classroom activities and year-round lessons on drugs and alcohol. Check it out at teachers.drugabuse.gov .

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Developing Relevant Drug Abuse Prevention Messages for Students

One of the greatest challenges as a prevention professional in higher education is developing messages and education that will resonate with students. Jargon gets in the way, communication channels are a guessing game (and seem to change by the day), and what to say to a Generation Z student is always difficult. Essentially, how will our message be relevant to our students?   The moral of our “relevancy” story is twofold: listening and letting go. By embracing these two things our “Live Your Best Life” video won the 2018 Red Ribbon Week Campus Video PSA Contest , sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. Winning entries are 30-60 seconds in length and focus on the dangers of alcohol and other drug misuse among college students. As the contest winner, the North Dakota State College of Science ATOD Prevention Team received $3,000 to support our campus’s drug abuse prevention efforts.

To listen, we had to go back to the basics – buying lunch for the students. Lunch lured a group of diverse students into a safe space where we conducted a brainstorming and discussion session – an informal focus group. During that lunch, all sorts of ideas came out: students rapping, the college president singing, and videos of fainting goats. Although their ideas were unconventional, authentically tapping into the minds/interests of our students provided valuable insight into what resonates with them.   Following that brainstorming session, the unthinkable seemed to emerge: screaming goats. Yes, goats…like the farm animal. To say that the professionals in the room were hesitant is a gross understatement, but this is where letting go comes in. The concept for the video (complete with live goat) emerged – and the students could not stop talking about it.   In the end, the finished video educated students on how to be their own G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) by making responsible choices related to alcohol and other drugs. The students involved took pride in the video’s creation and essentially did the marketing for us, sharing it repeatedly on social media.   Unfortunately, although the 2016 G.O.A.T. (Stop and Think) video did not win the 2017 Red Ribbon Week Campus Video PSA Contest, the concept of incorporating student-generated ideas proved to be a win. We once again held an informal focus group and students were able to generate another video idea (“Live Your Best Life”). Students were sharing, singing along, and talking about the video – and as prevention professionals, we knew if they were talking about it, they were thinking about it, which is a victory for a two-year college in the upper Midwest.   To capitalize even further on this original educational content, the team created catchy e-mails, infographics, table tents, a webpage that features ATOD-related videos ( NDSCS.edu/VideoBuzz ), and hosted other events that further educated students on the prevention messages originally shared in the video.   Will students’ ideas always work? No. However, by starting to listen and taking those off-the-wall ideas and incorporating educational aspects, they create “a-ha moments” for both professionals (learning how to reach our students) and for students (education and entertainment).   At NDSCS, this has become one of our go-to strategies to educate students. We favor it, because it is not only educational and fun for all involved, but also it embodies the voice of our students.   This campaign also created a positive unintended ripple effect within our college. The infographic used to highlight the video is now just one example of many eye-catching infographics used at NDSCS to educate students on a variety of topics that can affect their success.   Due to ongoing education and prevention efforts, NDSCS has experienced a decline in past 30-day student alcohol use, moving from 76.8% in 2008 to 61.5% in 2016, and overall is experiencing less alcohol and other drug-related negative consequences among students.   In the end, if a student approaches you and demonstrates enthusiasm about an idea, don’t count it out. Instead, determine how this creative concept can enhance an educational message. It could become an impactful campaign worth sharing and maybe it will be a $3,000 G.O.A.T. idea.    

Bethany Mauch has served as the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Specialist at the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) for the past nine years. During her tenure, she implemented innovative and evidence-based practices to lower high-risk drinking and other drug use; specifically, during this time, past 30-day alcohol use for students under 21 decreased from 76.8% to 61.5%. As part of a comprehensive ATOD prevention framework, Bethany guided NDSCS to adopt late-night alternative programming, which led to a significant increase in student participation with all co-curricular events. Additionally, she is active in assessing prevention efforts, implementation of evidence-based strategies, and presented at numerous higher education prevention conferences. She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from North Dakota State University and is an active volunteer on various community prevention boards in the tristate area.

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Conversation Starters: How to Talk about Addiction with Students of All Ages

Nurture a young person's interest in seeking trusted sources of health information by validating their questions about alcohol and drugs.

Data from our Student Attitudes and Behavior Survey shows that students who talk about substances with adults are less likely to drink alcohol and use drugs compared to other students. In fact, these conversations are one of the most effective prevention methods against the use of alcohol and other drugs, and parents and teachers can promote healthier lifestyles during these talks.

It can be challenging to hold a nuanced conversation that balances both our respect for a student’s maturity and our desire to guide them. In this article, we will provide a few suggestions for you to initiate conversations about alcohol and other drugs starting from a young age and continuing through their middle school and high school years.

Preventing Alcohol and Drug Use Starts in Elementary School

It's never too early to talk about health. Kids are naturally curious, and they have many questions about the world and how it works—and they trust you to guide them and answer those questions.

You can nurture a young person's interest in seeking trusted sources of health information by validating their questions about alcohol and other drugs. Start by saying, "That's a really great question" and "Let's talk about it" before beginning your response.

When you affirm a student for asking their question and then wholeheartedly agree to discuss it with them, they'll feel rewarded for speaking up. They'll get the message, too, that talking about alcohol and other drugs is not taboo. And in the event that they don't understand a part of your response, a student praised for initially asking a question is more likely to seek the clarification they need. 

Beginning the Conversation about Substance Use

You may be wondering how to have conversations about alcohol and other drugs with elementary students, or how prevention could be effective at such a tender age. But there are a wide variety of healthy ways to communicate. Try beginning with these age-appropriate themes.

Start by Defining Health

As young people grow, they would benefit by understanding what health is, why it's valuable and how to make healthy decisions. Helpful conversation starters on this topic include asking children:

• What does it mean to be healthy?
• What does it feel like to be healthy?
• What things do you do to stay healthy every day?

We can teach students that a healthy life is naturally rewarding, and health is built through daily habits and decisions. We can show them how some habits, like brushing their teeth and napping, will keep them healthy and happy. And we can talk about a healthy diet that nourishes the body, which will help them to contextualize alcohol and other drugs. All these conversations will help them to understand what health looks like and how they have control over their bodies and minds.

Avoid Moralizing Language

Try identifying students’ healthy actions during the day by acknowledging their choices with health-based language like "Wow, what a healthy choice you made today by:  

• ...eating those carrots."
• ...washing your hands."
• ...taking a break to calm down."
• ...cheering up your friend."

Whenever you can, avoid moralizing language about a child's "good" or "bad" choices. If a child makes an unhealthy choice, you can ask "What is a healthier choice for right now?" and then guide them toward the alternative.

By sticking with health-based language, you'll equip young people to see alcohol and other drug use from a health perspective.

Promote Healthier Highs

Kids already enjoy play, adventure and comfort. We try to remind kids that substance-free pleasures are healthy highs that can naturally reward them. And when kids enjoy healthy highs, they’re less likely to resort to alcohol or drug use.

Help your students create an ever-evolving healthy highs list. Ask kids what makes them giggle, relax or feel on top of the world. Their choices could include many different items like:

• Spending time with pets or in nature
• Eating their favorite foods
• Playing games or sports with friends
• Giving and receiving hugs from family
• Immersing themselves in stories through reading or movies
• Listening to, playing or dancing to music.

Help your students get really specific about their own healthy highs. Post their lists somewhere visible. Then the next time a child is having a difficult day, they can refer to their list to give themselves a natural boost. Young kids will then learn a safe way to identify their emotions and change how they feel.

Point Out Healthy Adults

Preventing future alcohol and drug use requires that young children know how to seek out and establish healthy relationships with trusted adults. Connections with caretakers, educators, coaches, family friends, counselors and other adults can be protective for children.

Ask children which adults they look up to and trust. Help them understand the value of trusting an adult who can support them. Just as important, help students grow their own circle of trusted adults by brainstorming who else could join their healthy adult team. If possible, help them add a few trusted adults who you know have healthy relationships to alcohol and other drugs. The more trusted adults in a child's life, the more opportunities they will have to benefit from child-adult prevention conversations—and the better protected they will be against risk factors.

Having a Lifelong Conversation about Health

To protect children against future alcohol abuse or other drug abuse,* we need to give them not only the language to define and understand health, but also to equip them with the tools to achieve it. These early conversations about alcohol and other drugs will empower kids and help them to create healthy, lifelong patterns.

Effective prevention discussions start early and last a lifetime. We encourage you to converse with your elementary students and teach them about alcohol and other drugs from a health perspective. A smoking prevention program can help students engage in conversations and critical thinking. As a trusted, willing adult, you can be an invaluable protective factor against addiction.

Continuing the Conversation about Substance Abuse with Middle Schoolers

Middle schoolers are freedom- and identity-seeking. They require your attention and guidance, but they want to have a say about when and how they receive it. At this age, middle school students also start to look to friends and social media for advice. As heavy media consumers, they report exaggerated beliefs about substance use based on exposure to media and misinformation from peers. It is important to explore with students the healthy reality that 78 percent of middle schoolers have never had a whole drink of alcohol, and even fewer have used marijuana or other drugs. 

Beyond correcting false perceptions, you may wonder how to start prevention conversations with middle school students, especially when they'd like those conversations to be on their own terms. Here are a few methods we like to use.

Share the Facts with Students

Tweens value information. Be honest with them about important alcohol and other drug facts to empower them to make their own healthy decisions. Consider sharing the following information:

Addiction is a disease. Like heart disease or diabetes, addiction is a chronic health condition that runs in families. Children with a family history of addiction are more likely to develop a substance use disorder, but knowing about one's family history can be a protective factor against early and risky use. 

Any use equals risk. Alcohol or other drugs can be addictive and pose serious health risks, especially for still-developing teens. The "worst" drug for someone is the one that causes them the gravest problems, and that substance can be a legal drug, like alcohol, or even a medicine used in improper ways. 

Substance use changes the teen brain. Use during the developing years can drastically change connections in the brain, vastly increasing the risk of addiction or lifelong health problems. Adolescent brains are more dopamine sensitive, making substance use more appealing to them despite its many negative consequences. Nearly all people with the disease of addiction used alcohol or other drugs before their brains developed into adulthood.  

Most tweens do not use. The most common choice among middle school students is non-use. In fact, 84 percent of tweens and teens surveyed all around the world by FCD Prevention Works tell us it is easy to make friends at their schools without using alcohol or other drugs.

Teach Them about Boundaries

Help teens learn how to assert their own decisions with their closest friends, their first crush or the most popular kids in school. Middle schoolers are not likely introduced to alcohol or other drugs by a stranger, but rather by someone they know and admire.

Don't be afraid to ask your students:

• "What would you say to a friend who offered you alcohol or any other substance?"
• "If someone you care about doesn't respect your opinion or choice, what can you do?"
• "What other situations are you worried about encountering?"

Help your students formulate a response if a situation involving substance use arises. While a simple no may be all they need, middle schoolers will benefit from your support in brainstorming a variety of healthy ways to respond in a diversity of sticky situations.

Instead of always being the teacher, invite students to teach you. You'll learn a lot—what health means to them, what they find risky and how their perspectives evolve. From there, you can continue health-based conversations according to what is on your students' minds and what prevention topics they are the most interested in hearing about.

Use open-ended, thought-provoking questions such as:

• What are your beliefs about the drinking age where we are? In other places?
• How do you and your friends define healthy and unhealthy lifestyles?
• What do you know about alcohol, nicotine or marijuana?
• What percentage of teens do you believe use alcohol, nicotine, or marijuana?
• Why do you think some people use alcohol or nicotine?

Encourage Them to Take Responsibility for Their Health

Middle schoolers who want more freedom can be coached to achieve it by developing healthy habits. Many healthy lifestyle choices are protective factors against teen substance misuse. Discuss the following topics with your middle schoolers:  

• Their nutrition choices, their meal plans and how they feel after eating well
• How to use technology in healthy ways, and when to limit the use of media
• How to incorporate substance-free highs into their weekly schedules
• Their wind-down routines for better sleep
• Emotional identification and regulation, and how to healthfully handle stress or other negative feelings
• Their routines for staying active and respecting their bodies and health
• What they are putting into and getting out of their relationships with healthy peers

Prevention is lifelong. We encourage you to start and continue these health conversations with your middle school students to help them learn about alcohol and other drugs from a health perspective.  

Continuing the Conversation into High School

High school students have opinions on health matters and can play a significant role in their own health outcomes. In fact, we give teens a great deal of responsibility. Across the world, high school students may have legal access to alcohol and other drugs, and this accessibility—coupled with the stresses of young adulthood—can create additional risk factors. Adults can help to protect teens against these risks by staying involved: check in with teens regularly and support them through frequent, relevant conversations and strong, trusting relationships.

How can you have effective, open and helpful prevention conversations with high school students? Though there's no one-size-fits-all approach to successful dialogue, these principles and examples can help.

Keep the Conversation Current and Casual

Prevention is most effective when it is ongoing. Rather than offering one-time lectures, have frequent two-way conversations about alcohol and other drugs. Start with topics about which kids are experts, like pop culture or peers, and then talk health from there.

• "I heard that song you like by Future when I was driving home. What do you think of the line, 'Percocets, Molly, Percocets'?" 
• "I hear you saying your classmates talk about vaping marijuana as though it's a safe behavior. What do you think they may be missing, in terms of the health risks?"
• "Did you know surveys suggest that less than half of all students are binge drinking in college, and quite a few don't drink at all? How would the movie you're watching look different if it painted a more realistic picture?"

Teach Them to Think Critically

High school students are on the cusp of using future-oriented thinking to curb risky impulses and make their own healthiest decisions. Conversations with caring adults can help teens refine their budding critical-thinking skills in ways that will keep them healthy and safe. You can supportively guide high school students through challenging, health-based scenarios. Make each example realistic, providing options that fit their lives and alternatives for them to consider. 

• "I know it can be hard to say no to a friend or someone close to you, but it's totally possible. What's your go-to response if someone suggests you use with them? How would it work out if you said that, for instance, you need to wake up early the next day?"
• "When I was in high school, I sometimes drank in an effort to fit in. I felt this internal pressure to drink, even when many people my age were making the healthy choice not to do so. I regret putting my young brain and body at a lot of health risk. What could I have done differently, and what could you do now?" 
• "I heard some of our senior students excitedly talking about everybody drinking in college. What's your plan for making healthy decisions next year in an environment where people believe that everyone is using when in reality they aren’t?"

Encourage and Model Maturity

Model and praise pro-social skills like help-seeking, emotional regulation and open communication. The more you encourage and display healthy behaviors within prevention conversations, the more likely you are to receive healthy communication back from a teen who views you as a trusted adult.

• "I can see that this conversation is stirring up a lot of emotion in both of us. Why don't we continue it some other time? I'm sorry this is upsetting you. That wasn't my intention."
• "It sounds like you think vaping helps you to relax. I'm sorry you're stressed. That must be hard, and I appreciate how honest you're being with me."
• "When I was in high school, I didn't know who to go to with my questions about alcohol and other drugs. I wish I had realized the school counselor and other adults were there to help me, not to get me into trouble. I'm proud of you for asking the questions you have."

Be mindful of lecturing, which can put teens on the defensive, and instead find creative ways to spark conversation and engage older kids in critical thinking. Your consistent efforts will have a big impact on how students think about and act around substances during their time in high school and beyond. 

* Editor's note: We prefer to use language that destigmatizes the disease of addiction. We don't ordinarily use terms like  alcohol abuse ,  drug abuse  or  substance abuse  because they imply that people with substance or alcohol use disorders are "abusers," rather than people with a terrible disease. However, we have decided to keep the terms  substance abuse ,  drug abuse  and  alcohol abuse  in this article to reach the people who are using those terms to search for help with addiction.

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George Bush

Address to students on drug abuse.

You know, somehow the fall always feels like a time to start over, a time full of possibility, and everyone gets a new chance. Now, I know there are Americans of every age watching. And to those at home or at work, I ask you to talk with your families and coworkers about drug abuse. But Presidents don't often get the chance to talk directly to students. And so today, for each of you sitting in a classroom or assembly hall, this message goes straight to you.

When I was thinking about what I wanted to say to you today about drugs, I tried to put myself in your place, to look at it from your perspective. But, you know, the harder I tried, the harder it got. It may seem to you that your parents and your teachers grew up in simpler times, but most of them lived through the civil rights struggles. Some of your fathers fought in Vietnam. And for many of you, your parents and teachers were among the first to face drugs. If you care enough to talk to them, you might be surprised at how much they do understand.

I used to play baseball. Knew I'd never make the big leagues, but I made a lot of friends -- friends I learned to count on, both on and off the field. And we trusted each other to come through, no matter how tough it got. And I learned from that. I learned that the kind of people you make your friends can either give you strength, or take it away. I'm not sure why it is, but some people just make you find the best in yourself. They can help you become a better person, help you discover more of who you are. There are others who may seem like friends, but they're not -- and they prove it every time they offer you drugs.

Every day, with a thousand small decisions, you're shaping your future. It's a future that ought to be bright with potential. And most of you are doing the right thing, but for those who let drugs make their decisions for them, you can almost hear the doors slamming shut. It isn't worth it. We know that now. Attitudes that once encouraged or excused drug use have changed. Among high school seniors cocaine use has dropped by about a fifth, and overall drug use is at the lowest levels in 10 years.

But even if you don't use drugs, you ought to be angry about them because you're being cheated by those who do. Add it all up: Drug and alcohol abuse costs this country billions of dollars a year, and I don't know how to quantify the human suffering drugs cause, but I do know we're all paying for it. We're all feeling it -- every day. Every time someone does drugs, or sells drugs, or even just looks the other way, they're supporting an industry that costs more than money -- it costs lives.

Each of you has a decision to make and dozens of chances to make it: at a party, on the street, in the school parking lot. And parents, teachers, coaches, politicians, Presidents -- no one else can make that decision for you. But if you talk to someone you trust, they may remind you of what's at stake. Yes, it's your decision. I can't tell you how to make it, but I will tell you what it means. You all watch TV. You see the news -- the crime, the devastation.

Every dollar that goes to drugs fuels the killing. As long as there are Americans willing to buy drugs, there will be people willing to sell drugs, and people willing to kill as a cost of doing business. There's a connection between the suppliers and even occasional or weekend users that can never be forgotten. Casual drug use is responsible for the casualties of the drug war. From the city streets of America to the street bombings of Colombia, even dabblers in drugs bear responsibility for the blood being spilled. And unlike those of you in school this fall, those killed by the drug trade never do get a second chance. Drugs are rightly called an equal opportunity destroyer. They have no conscience. They don't care where the money comes from. They just murder people. Young and old, good and bad, innocent and guilty -- it doesn't matter. For too many, drugs mean death.

I keep this badge -- I keep this badge in my desk to remind me of that. It was worn by a young rookie cop named Eddie Byrne. Twenty-two years old, not much older than some of you. He was out trying to stop the drug trade, protecting a witness so that a dealer could be brought to justice. Eddie Byrne had three brothers, a girlfriend he'd known for 4 years. He loved fishing and football, was a running back at Plainedge High School in New York. And he had a lot of friends in his neighborhood. And Eddie Byrne had dreams. But in the early hours of a cold February morning, sitting in a police cruiser, Eddie was blown away at pointblank range, killed on the orders of a drug kingpin -- cold and calculated.

I've heard some say if you do drugs now and then, why, you're not hurting anybody. It's no big deal. Well, the next time you think about using drugs, I want you to think of Eddie Byrne, and I want you to think about the family that lost him. To me this badge is a constant reminder that Eddie Byrne's life was not given in vain. This is a promise: The killing must and will stop. Where you're sitting right now, where you're sitting there in school -- I know you've got your dreams, everyone does. But out on the streets, a nightmare for America is happening every day, every night.

Somewhere a teenage girl who ought to be in school is giving birth to a baby already addicted to cocaine. And that baby is coming into this world shaking and twitching from withdrawal, so sensitive to the touch that it can't be held or fed properly. How can drugs cause so much pain? How can they lead brothers to kill brothers and mothers to abandon children? And behind all of the senseless violence, the needless tragedy, what haunts me is the question: Why?

I have one answer. Drugs are still a problem because too many of us are still looking the other way. And that's why I wanted to talk to you today. I'm asking you not to look the other way. Maybe you're in trouble, or on the edge of trouble. Maybe you know someone who is. Maybe you've got younger brothers or sisters -- you know they're looking up to you. Don't risk your life, or theirs. And if you're struggling with the kind of problem that can truly be the toughest, if you have parents who have problems with drugs or alcohol, find someone you can trust. Talk to them about it. You know -- all of you in a classroom know -- who's got a problem. Today I'm not just asking you to get help. I'm asking you to find someone who needs you, and offer to help. I'll say it again: If you're not in trouble, help someone who is.

We all want to succeed. And I'll let you in on a secret: We all can succeed. If you don't use drugs, you can be anything you want to be. Maybe you've heard Michael Jordan say, "You've got at least three-quarters of your life to go. That's three more lifetimes to you. So don't blow it." Saying no won't make you a nerd. It won't make you a loser. In fact, it will make you more friends than drugs ever will -- real friends.

But if that's not enough reason, there's another side: Using illegal drugs is against the law. And if you break the law, you pay the price. Because the rules have changed. If you do drugs you will be caught, and when you're caught you will be punished. You might lose your driver's license -- some States have started revoking users' driving privileges. Or you might lose the college loan you wanted -- because we're not helping those who break the law. These are privileges, not rights. And if you risk doing drugs, you risk everything, even your freedom. Because you will be punished.

Now, I can imagine a few whispers out there: Maybe you think we'll never get drugs under control, that it's too easy for the dealers to get back on the street. Well, those days are over, too. The revolving door just jammed. Some think there won't be room for them in jail. We'll make room. We're almost doubling prison space. Some think there aren't enough prosecutors. We'll hire them, with the largest increase in Federal prosecutors in history. The day of the dealer is drawing to a close.

No matter who you are or how strong you are, drugs take control of your life. Though without drugs, you're in control. You can determine your future, and that means staying in school. If you're thinking about dropping out, think it through. Maybe you know somebody who wants to quit school. Talk to them about it. And if you have friends who have already dropped out, talk to them, too. Find a way to bring them back.

Today, I've asked you to think about the terrible cost drugs are making us all pay every day. But even more important, I'm asking you to think about what you can do to make a difference for someone else. Last winter, after I was sworn in as President, I said that from now on in America, any definition of a successful life must include serving others, helping others. And I hope you all believe that.

There's a story about a young boy and an old man who were walking along a beach. And as they walked, the boy picked up each starfish he passed and threw it into the sea. The old man asked him why.

"If I left them here," the boy said, "they would dry up in the sun and die. I'm saving their lives." "But the beach goes on for miles and there are millions of starfish," the old man said. "How can what you're doing make any difference at all?" And the boy looked at the starfish in his hand, threw it out into the ocean and answered, "It makes a difference to this one."

You're here to make a difference, for yourself and those around you. So learn to count on each other. Take care of each other. Give someone else another chance. And make the days mean something. Have a good year, and God bless you.

Note: The President spoke at 12:15 p.m. from the Library at the White House. His address was broadcast live on nationwide television. In his remarks, he referred to professional basketball player Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls.

George Bush, Address to Students on Drug Abuse Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/263964

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Youth Voices on Substance Abuse: A Guide to Empowerment and Action

18 August 2017 - The Youth Voices on Substance Abuse: A Guide to Empowerment and Action program engaged over one hundred upstate New York high school students in studies of key human rights documents, like the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals, followed by readings and classroom discussions exploring the causes and results of potentially addictive substance use.

Working with their teachers, with informed health and policy experts, and with resources and guidance by project organizer Gertrude Noden, from Words Into Deeds and Global Education Motivators , participants developed fact-based perspectives, then designed outreach projects to raise awareness among their peers and also provide direct support for local service organizations.

On April 20, 2017, eighteen of these students presented their perspectives on the opioid pandemic and recommended approaches to dealing with this health crisis at a briefing held under the auspices of the UN Department of Public Information, NGO Relations Section. Students were joined by Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick, whose Ithaca Plan: A Public Health and Safety Approach to Drugs and Drug Policy advocates expanded supportive and recovery services, and Michelle McElroy from Southern Tier Aids Program , which supports regional counseling and needle exchange programs. Also presenting were Yu Ping Chan from the UN Office of Drugs and Crime, who provided a global perspective, and Jeff Brez, Chief, NGO Relations, Advocacy and Special Events.

At the briefing, several students shared very personal accounts of the effects of drugs on families. Students emphasized that scare tactics and just say no approaches are ineffective. Educators need to provide factual information about the range and effects – both positive and negative – of potentially addictive substances, beginning during elementary years and reinforced frequently. This allows youth to make decisions based on authentic information rather than misinformation from peers and others.

In their assessment of the Youth Voices program , students shared these comments:

Being at the UN is one of the best things I have ever had the opportunity to do. It was empowering, and it made me feel important, like I could make a difference.

Through this process my biases have been shattered and my unconscious stereotypes irrevocably changed for the better.

Everyone is so afraid to talk about addiction that we end up hiding the truth about it from children. We are not helping anyone by keeping them in the dark.

I learned the importance of fighting for human rights in my town and globally.

This project taught me what it is to be a global citizen and how to take action to help your community.

One audience member shared this reflection: The poise and grace with which they held themselves in front of a worldwide audience was amazing to witness. If these students are representative of our future leadership, we are in good hands!

Following the conference, students continued their outreach through interviews with reporters from print and radio media. The program culminated in a community celebration held at a local theater in Ithaca, NY. In addition to student presentations and posters, the event featured artists whose performances were based on Human Rights advocacy and experiences with substance abuse.

About the author

Gertrude Noden is the founder of Words Into Deeds.

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