Rock In Prevention has been teaching young people how to make safe and responsible choices since 1990. Rock In Prevention offers bullying prevention programs as well as character education and substance abuse avoidance initiatives, all provided in an engaging format and correlated with relevant curriculum.
Turning down an offer of drugs can be extremely difficult for an adolescent, whose susceptibility to peer pressure can make it extremely difficult to say no when everyone else is saying yes. Teenagers do benefit from learning about the damage that drugs can do, both to one's health and appearance as well as to one's opportunities in life. Experts suggest that adults present this information respectfully, while listening to teens' thoughts on the matter and responding to what they feel are challenges in not doing drugs.
Parents and adults can also offer teens responses that they can use when the time comes to turn down drugs. It is important that a teen knows what to say and what do do before they are confronted with a drug using situation. One key response or resistance skill for a teen is, "that might be ok for you, but its not for me, no thanks." This response does not judge the other person or cause debate, it just lets the person offering the drugs that the young person does not use drugs.
Other tools include offering to be the designated driver, having something non-alcoholic already in hand to eat or drink, or occupying oneself with a social activity like dancing, conservation, taking pictures.
Additionally, many teens find that it is effective and less intimidating to claim that their parents will check whether they have been drinking or doing drugs, and that they will get in significant trouble if found out. A similar strategy is for the teen to remind his or her peers of an obligation, such as a big sports game, exam, job, or other activity that drugs or alcohol can put at risk. This can make the decision to say no seem less personal, both for the teen in question and for his or her peers.
Turning down an offer of drugs can be extremely difficult for an adolescent, whose susceptibility to peer pressure can make it extremely difficult to say no when everyone else is saying yes. Teenagers do benefit from learning about the damage that drugs can do, both to one's health and appearance as well as to one's opportunities in life. Experts suggest that adults present this information respectfully, while listening to teens' thoughts on the matter and responding to what they feel are challenges in not doing drugs.
Parents and adults can also offer teens responses that they can use when the time comes to turn down drugs. It is important that a teen knows what to say and what do do before they are confronted with a drug using situation. One key response or resistance skill for a teen is, "that might be ok for you, but its not for me, no thanks." This response does not judge the other person or cause debate, it just lets the person offering the drugs that the young person does not use drugs.
Other tools include offering to be the designated driver, having something non-alcoholic already in hand to eat or drink, or occupying oneself with a social activity like dancing, conservation, taking pictures.
Additionally, many teens find that it is effective and less intimidating to claim that their parents will check whether they have been drinking or doing drugs, and that they will get in significant trouble if found out. A similar strategy is for the teen to remind his or her peers of an obligation, such as a big sports game, exam, job, or other activity that drugs or alcohol can put at risk. This can make the decision to say no seem less personal, both for the teen in question and for his or her peers.
