Parents, community members, teachers, and students express concern about the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other substances by young people.  The school setting is an excellent place to educate young people about this problem.  However, although various types and forms of drug education have been going on in the schools for quite some time, a drug problem still exists.  Many of the early drug education efforts seem to have not been effective.
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<center>[Source](https://static.politico.com/ad/c3/835923aa4cfe9ec5ef7af94d6c67/170803-drugs-getty-1160.jpg)</center>
It's often easy to confuse *drug education* with *substance abuse prevention programs*.  [Drug education](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_education) is a broad concept that includes substance abuse prevention.  For example, drug education should include the proper and safe use of prescription and over-the-counter medications, whereas [substance abuse prevention](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substance_abuse_prevention) is broadly aimed at influencing people to abstain from illicit drug use.

*Prevention work* ideally focuses on as many of the factors that influence drug use, misuse, and abuse as possible.  Some of those factors can be addressed in the school setting.  In the past, prevention work focused on risk factors associated with illicit drug use, misuse and abuse.  This is still the case, but it is also important to recognize the existence of protective factors and that, by focusing on these factors, prevention can be served.

A teacher should not consider him- or herself the first and last line of defense against substance abuse.  All members of the family, community, schools, businesses, and media must be involved in order to achieve success.  This recognition can be a relief to many teachers who wrongly believe they are the only ones doing anything to reduce the problem of drug abuse.  However, that is not to suggest that teachers should stand idly by and expect others to pick up the ball; all involved must participate.  

Early education is a means of helping children develop the confidence and security to withstand the need to escape into drugs or succumb to peer pressure.  It is important to remember that information about specific drugs is often not developmentally appropriate for elementary age students.  Rather, drug education must be a diverse strategy that includes classroom activities focused on developing personal and social skills as well as other developmentally appropriate activities and learning experiences.  In addition, drug education and prevention must involve the family, the community, particularly the media.  

### One form of effective drug education by teachers is being a responsible and caring role model.  

Drugs are likely here to stay.  They are part of cultural, religious and social rituals and activities.  The medical profession uses it to treat various diseases.  The challenge for educators is to pave the way for students to know when not to use drugs and, when they do, to use them in ways that will complement their lives and health.
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<center>[Source](https://www.proprofs.com/api/ckeditor_images/text_drug_edu_changes_lives_basicshadow.png)</center>
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# An oral activity for Grade 4-6:

1. Ask the students what soda pop, aspirin, antiperspirant, coffee and wine have in common.

2. Write the responses on the board or where they can see it.

3. Discuss with the students why they chose to answer the way they did.

4. Define and discuss *misuse*.  Ask the student to provide some examples.  If no one wants to participate, initiate the discussion with an example.

5. Using letters, divide the students into groups of four.  Each group is responsible for one role play situation.  Randomly pass out one role play situation to each group.  Give the students 5-7 minutes to prepare an informal presentation.

#### The teacher will demonstrate a variety of role play ideas.  This demonstration will include vocabulary review and presentation expectations.
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[School guide](https://www.unodc.org/pdf/youthnet/handbook_school_english.pdf)
[Prevention guide](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK424850/)
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