Making Decisions About Drugs LESSON 2 – 14 AND 15

Objectives TSW apply decision – making skills to situations involving drug use.

Health Terms Decision making Decision point Outcome

Intro Transition In your student journal, write about a time you had to make a decision about something important. What did you think about before you made your decision? What possible choices did you consider? What steps did you go through as you made your choices? Motivate People make many decisions every day. Some are simple, such as what to wear that day. Others are more complex. Even decisions that seem simple at first can have important consequences over time. For example, choosing what to eat for one meal can be a simple decision. But, over time, the choices you make about what food to eat can have an effect on you health. Do you think decisions around drug use are simple or complex? Why? Today, you’re going to learn more about a process for making healthy decisions and think about how it can help you avoid the negative consequences of using drugs.

Teaching Steps Read You’re going to read about a situation in which two teens make some bad decisions about using club drugs. One problem with club drugs and other illegal drugs is that some teens don’t recognize how dangerous they can be. Get your blue workbook and turn to page 36. As you listen to the story, underline the effects of the drugs and the negative consequences that resulted, and circle any decision points that led to unhealthy or dangerous outcomes.

Teaching Steps Ask and Discuss What were some of the effects of the drugs in the story? What were outcomes of the consequences of using the drugs? What were the decision points that led to unhealthy or dangerous outcomes? Who was responsible for the negative consequences that happened in the is story?

- Decision points – chance for someone to take responsibility, leads to safer outcomes - Good decision making skills – recognizing risks, knowing and respecting your values and considering your options Teaching Steps

Explain Key to good decisions making skill – strong (decisions you believe in) and safe (help you avoid negative consequences from tobacco, alcohol and drugs) Ask and Discuss When might you need to make a decision about what to do to avoid using tobacco, alcohol or other drugs?

Teaching Steps

Summarize Pressure – forces people to make quick decisions (make good choices) Being around somebody use under the influence can cause negative consequences to you (accidents, DWI, MIP, jail time, probation, etc)

Teaching Steps Model Let’s go through these decision-making steps for a sample situation involving tobacco. Situation: You’re hanging out talking with 2 new friends after school when one of them takes out and lights up a cigarette. He/she takes a puff and passes it to the other friend, who also smokes it. Then that friend offers it to you.

Teaching Steps Summarize Real-life situations – usually you have a few seconds to make decisions Why are we doing this? – To know your stance about alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and to be committed to that stance Using this steps allows you to make the best decision for you…

Teaching Steps Complete Get your blue workbook out and turn to page 37 Now you and a partner will practice the decision- making steps. For this situation, I want you to go through all the decision-making questions on you own before we discuss them.

Teaching Steps Summarize As you can see, there are often different options that could work. The most important thing is to consider all the factors affecting your decision, and all the possible consequences of each option, so you can make the choice that’s healthiest and safest for you.

Assessment and Closure Complete Logon to your MyBigCampus – YOU HAVE A NEW ASSIGMENT (A SAFER DECISION) You’re going to have a chance to use what you’ve learned about making healthy decisions to help one of the characters in the story of Sam and Erica’ Party make a better decision that helps the story turn out safer for everyone. Choose one of the characters and decision points from the story and go through the decision-making process around that point. Be sure to clearly explain how a different decision would have led to a safer ending. Close What are the steps of the decision-making process?