Illegal Drugs
Background Information & Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

It is likely that many children have heard or read about drugs in the news or at school. Some may have seen drugs in their communities. It is important for children to understand the risks and dangers of substance abuse and the importance of remaining healthy and drug-free. This movie will explore illegal drugs and discuss ways to avoid them. Before beginning this topic, you may want to review the Medicine movie so children can better understand drugs and how they can be helpful or harmful.

Review with children that a drug is a substance that changes the way the body works. Drugs can be administered in different ways, through pills, syrup, drops, sprays, and injections. Explain that we take certain drugs when we are sick or hurt to make us feel better. Medicine is a drug that is considered helpful and safe. In most countries, medicines go through extensive research, clinical trials, and testing before the public can use them. Discuss different types of medicine children have used and why they were helpful. Explain that medicines are legal drugs and they are to be used as directed or recommended by a doctor.

Explain that some substances are only for adults. For example, in the United States, the legal drinking age is 21 years old. This means that it is illegal for people under that age to buy or use alcohol. Help children understand that alcohol can damage kids' growing bodies. The law exists for a reason and should be followed. Review that when something is illegal, it is against the law. Some drugs are illegal for anyone to use—regardless of age—because they are dangerous and pose serious health risks.

Some children may have heard about the dangers of illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, crack, heroin, or methamphetamines. Explain that drugs change the way people feel and act by affecting their brains. Stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamines make people feel hyper, increasing the heart rate. After the effects wear off, people can feel sick and tired. Depressants, such as alcohol, have the opposite effect. They slow down the heart rate, leaving the person sleepy, tired, and even sad. Narcotics, such as heroin, dull the body's senses, leaving the person tired and listless. In some cases, narcotic abuse can lead to comas and cardiac arrest. Hallucinogens, such as LSD, affect the brain so the user sees or believes things that are not real, feels confused, or has strange thoughts.

Some substances are legal, but used in illegal ways. Paints and glues are perfectly legal, but they can be illegally used as inhalants to achieve a high. This can lead the user to feel dizzy and nauseous. Steroids are sometimes prescribed by doctors to treat diseases and conditions, but they can be illegally used in order to build muscle mass. The anabolic steroids used illegally to build muscles are very different fro the corticosteroids doctors prescribe for conditions like asthma. Steroid use can damage the entire body and affect moods.

Help children understand that people who use drugs might do things they wouldn't normally do and engage in dangerous behavior. They may say things they don't really mean and make poor decisions. In short, people on drugs don't act like themselves. Explain to children that when we say substances are abused, we mean they are misused or used too much. Abusing illegal substances can damage the heart, lungs, and other vital organs. Substance abuse can even lead to brain damage. Furthermore, drugs can be addictive, which means that a person's body and mind need more and more just to feel O.K. Addiction can damage a person's entire body and also cause problems in personal relationships. Discuss how children might feel if a loved one was addicted to an illegal substance.

If children see someone using drugs at school, they should tell a teacher or aide right away. Everyone at school wants to learn in a safe place. If children see people abusing, selling, or promoting drugs in their community, they should tell a trusted adult. Encourage children to avoid areas that are unsafe or places where illegal drug use might take place.

There are several reasons why someone might try illegal drugs. Some may just want to see what it's like or fit in with a group of friends. Encourage children to remain healthy and drug-free and understand that abusing substances isn't cool at all. Drugs can be extremely dangerous. Discuss what to do if children encounter drugs. Model different ways of "just saying no" and finding ways to stick by their beliefs, make good choices, and stay healthy.

See more lesson plans and resources: BrainPOP Educators.

Illegal Drugs Teacher Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Discuss peer pressure in a whole class discussion. Has anyone ever been encouraged to do something they didn't want to do? What was their response? How did they feel? What happened? Have students work in small groups to write and produce a movie, skit, song, or other performance that deals with peer pressure. Encourage groups to be creative—they can write about an experience they have gone through or about something they have seen happen at school or in their communities. Then have groups perform or share their work with the whole class.

Campaign

Have your class start a poster campaign to promote a drug-free environment and lifestyle! The campaign may have a specific focus, such as calling students to take a drug prevention pledge. Encourage the class to come up with the pledge together or write their own slogans for their posters. Provide time and materials for them to create their posters and share them with the class. Then, if possible, have students hang their posters all around campus, or even in their communities.

Illegal Drugs Family Activities

© 1999-2012 BrainPOP. All rights reserved.

Health Goals

Healthy children make healthy choices! Work together to create goals for health, such as exercising three times a week, eating 1-2 cups of vegetables a day, or just saying "no" to drugs. Write the goals down and then set up activities that you can do together to reach the goals. You may want to keep a collaborative journal about your activities and changes in the way you feel and grow.

Spin Cycle

Spin your child around five or more times. Then challenge him or her: can you write your name and phone number? Was it hard or easy? Why? Then have your child spin again and have him or her do a simple activity, like catch a ball or tie a shoe. Explain that drugs affect the brain and body in a similar way—they confuse your thought processes and make it hard to think or even see clearly. Discuss why everyone should avoid abusing drugs.