Question: Lindsey,
What do you do and say when your so-called friends try to pressure you into taking drugs?
Ralph

Answer: Hi Ralph, I try to keep friends who share the same opinion on drugs as I do, but having a friend who experiments with drugs is sometimes inevitable. If one of my friends tried to pressure me into taking drugs, I would simply say no thank you and walk away or leave the party, or place they were at. Sometimes, however, this is not enough. If they continued pressuring me to take drugs, I would explain to them why I don’t want to do it, which is because drugs are damaging to your body and brain. Also, I would explain to them the negative effects of drugs and what could happen to them legally and medically if they continued using them. There is a lot of information on this website (www.justthinktwice.com) about the consequences of using drugs and how drugs affect your mind and body. Click on It Can't Happen To Me, to find out about consequences, and click on the Drug Facts to find out about how drugs affect your mind and body. I hope you take a look at this site to get some good information about the negative effects of drugs. Thank you for staying drug free and coming to us with your question!
Lindsey:)

Question: What is marijuana made of?

Answer: Hi, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana comes from cannabis plant. It contains leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds. The main ingredient in marijuana is known as THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the ingredient that produces the psychoactive (affecting the mind or behavior) effects of cannabis.
Lindsey

Question: Hi! Recently, I found out my biological father was a drug-and-alcohol-addict. He abused and cheated on my Mom and his past four girlfriends. I've also very recently told my Mom I wanted no further contact with him. Not just for my safety, but for the sake of my self esteem /confidence. You see, he used to sexually harass me and he lied to me regularly. I haven't seen him for about a year. Do you blame me for not wanting further contacts with him?
.~Nicole~.

Answer: Hi Nicole. Of course I don’t blame you for not wanting contact with him. It seems like the situation is not very safe for you, and your safety is the most important issue here. You are not responsible for your father’s actions, and I think you made the right decision. Unfortunately, you are not the only teenager in this situation. Many people fall into drug and alcohol addiction, which can lead to actions like your fathers'. Just remember this and know that you are worth respecting your body, mind, and the people you love by not abusing drugs and alcohol. If you need any other help, I encourage you to talk to someone in your community you can trust. A teacher or a school counselor may be able to help or point you in the right direction.
Lindsey

Question: Hi my name is Shawn. I would never even think twice about using or hanging with people that do use Marijuana, but why would it be illegal when people are aloud to buy a whole store of alcohol and drink till death, or going and killing other people in car accidents? When you can Smoke Marijuana ALL DAY LONG??? It is also a plant just like tobacco?? PLEASE ANSWER BEFORE MAY 5th
Sincerely,
Shawn

Answer: Hi Shawn. Wow, this is a really tough question. That's a very controversial issue in the United States right now. Yes, alcohol is legal and it can have dangerous effects such as liver poisoning and cause drunk driving accidents. The fact of the matter is, it is legal to drink alcohol at 21. Because it is legal, it puts the responsibility on those who drink alcohol to make the right choices. Marijuana on the other hand, is illegal. I don't think it should even be a question whether or not to legalize marijuana. The fact that alcohol is dangerous but still legal is not and should not be used as an argument to legalize another dangerous substance. Yes, marijuana is a plant, but that does not mean it is harmless. Many dangerous drugs are made up of substances extracted from plants. For example, opium is extracted from poppies. Marijuana specifically, can cause lung damage including emphysema, lung disease, and bronchial asthma. Some of the effects of long-term use include anti-motivational syndrome, and damage to the reproductive system. Thank you for this question and for staying drug-free!
Lindsey :)

Question: My dad does drugs, and I want him to stop what should I do?

Answer: Hi Simone. Your love for your dad definitely shows, and I'm glad to help you with this situation. One thing that is really important is to let your dad know that his drug use is affecting you and even hurting you. Tell him you love him and want him to be around for everything in your life, like your high school graduation, and your wedding. The Just Think Twice website is a very good site to show him about the effects of drugs and what they will do to his body if he keeps using them. I don't know the extent of the situation, but you might want to ask someone at school, maybe a counselor or a teacher, for advice on places in your community where your dad can get help. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Lindsey

Question: Hi, my name is Patrick. I was wondering what it takes to be able to become part of the DARE Youth Advisory Committee. I was wondering if I could possibly join and help other teens. I found the "Teens Ask Teens" link while helping my little brother with his DARE essay. I thought that it would be nice to help other teens with problems they may be having. Please respond with any information that you could. Thank you,
Patrick

Answer: Hey Patrick. It's great that you want to help out in your community with DARE. The Youth Advisory Board has one advisor from every state who can serve anywhere from one to four years on the board while in high school. These advisors attend an annual Youth Advisory Board conference in Quantico, Virginia, where we learn about new drug issues, how to interact with the media, and how to speak to people in public. We also make friends that we stay in touch with. It's a good support system if you ever need advice on how to treat a situation involving drugs. In California, we have a CA DARE Officers Association that the CA Youth Advisor serves on as well. Not every state has one, but I'm sure you can find that on the DARE website. The selection process is different for every state, but if you want to get involved, you should talk to your local DARE Officer. There's also more information at http://www.dare.org/youthadvisoryboardmission.asp. I would also recommend contacting Jill Roberts at jill.roberts@dare.org. She's the National Director for the Youth Advisory Board. Good luck!
Lindsey

Question: Hi, my name is Moriah Brent. I am in 5th grade, and we are doing are DARE essay. It is due April 1st, and I know you don't do this kind of thing for younger kids, but could you tell me what smoking marijuana can do to your body, or what different kinds of peer pressure can do? You just seemed like the best to ask out of all of the girls. Thank you!

Answer: Hi Moriah! Thanks for the question and thank you for supporting the D.A.R.E Program. Marijuana causes some of the same health problems that smoking tobacco does. Marijuana smokers can get bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma, all of which are diseases of the lungs. If someone smokes marijuana for a long time, they can get lung damage and damage to their reproductive system. Also, marijuana use is associated with anti-motivational syndrome, which is when someone can't motivate themselves to do anything, so they just sit around all the time.
There are a lot of different types of peer pressure as well. Sometimes teens have a bad life at home and want to escape their home life so they use drugs as an escape. Other times, people who already use drugs pressure teens into using them by saying that they're not 'cool' if they don't do it, or they say that everyone is doing it. Unfortunately, teens are influenced by what they see on television and listen to on the radio as well. We hear all the time about celebrities drinking, partying, and doing drugs, so teens think it's okay to do this. They do not realize what drugs can do to a person until they are too far into them. If you need more information, this website is full of information on what other drugs do to your body. I hope you are enjoying your D.A.R.E. Program. Good luck on your essay and thanks for staying drug-free. Your life will be full of great experiences and opportunities because of it!
Lindsey :)

Question: Do you like D.A.R.E.?

Answer: Hi! Yes, I like D.A.R.E. because it has really impacted my life by teaching me to make the right choices about drugs. Being a part of this program has also given me many skills for my future. I've been involved in D.A.R.E. since fifth grade. When I got involved on the Youth Advisory Board a couple years ago, I got to meet a lot of other teens from all over the United States. I really enjoy the friendships I have made and also the support group that I now have if I ever feel pressured to participate in using drugs. Also, as a representative on the Board, I've gotten to speak to a lot of students about drug awareness and my decision to stay drug-free. These experiences have made me more confident in myself and have given me the ability to speak in front of a lot of people. In school, I'm on both the diving and golf teams, and I get good grades that give me many options for my future. If I had used drugs, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish the things I have. I also participate in clubs like Scientifically Speaking and the Harry Potter club. These are two of my passions, and I love participating in the activities that go along with the program. So yes, I like D.A.R.E., especially the message it sends to kids to make the right choices in life. I encourage you to get involved in D.A.R.E. in your local community, and I promise you it will be rewarding in many ways.
Lindsey

Question: Hey, my name is Katie. Well, my boyfriend smokes marijuana and I told him I didn't care, but now he does it a lot and it's really starting to bug me. I don't know what to do because if I tell him to stop, he'll just do it behind my back. I won't break up with him for that because I love him too much. Please don't tell me what everyone else says, "If he loves you, he'll stop for you" because I know he does love me, we just have different views on this sort of thing. But I really just don't know what to do. Help.

Answer: Hi Katie. I understand where you're coming from, and it takes a lot to ask for advice. I'm glad you came to us for advice. I think you should talk to him about his use of marijuana. Just confront him about it and explain why you feel the way you feel. I can see how much you care for him. Let him know that are doing this because you care about him so much. I don't know your personal reason for staying drug free, but for me, it's my pride in my body and my mind. I don't want to damage my body by putting chemicals into my system, which is what you do when you smoke or use illegal drugs. Explain to him the negative impact marijuana can have on a person. There is more information on this website about marijuana, but here are some facts that might be helpful. Marijuana can cause diseases such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. It is also associated with anti-motivational syndrome and lung damage. Using marijuana can also permanently damage the reproductive system, which can cause birth defects in children.
Although you may be afraid that by talking to him you will be ending your relationship, but, if you don't talk to him, he might get so far into drugs that he can't get back out and he becomes a different person. If he does not listen to you, then you can talk to a school counselor, or even his parents about helping him as well. Again, thank you for coming to us for advice. It takes a lot to do that -- especially when it's someone you love and don't want to lose. Good luck and always be proud of your decision to respect yourself and your body by staying drug-free!
Lindsey

Question: Have you ever had a close friend pressure you to do drugs?

Answer: No, none of my close friends have ever pressured me to do drugs, but I have been asked why I am drug-free. When they ask me, I just ask why they do drugs and why they would allow toxic substances to damage their body. I respect my body too much to damage it by using drugs. You should too. Probably the most important thing you can do to keep yourself healthy is not to do drugs.
If you have a close friend that pressures you to do drugs, maybe you should evaluate your friendship. If they are a good friend, they would not pressure you to do anything that you don't want to do -- especially to take drugs. I do not have to deal with a lot of pressure to do drugs because I make sure I surround myself with people who share the same drug-free philosophy as me.

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