Learning About Drugs From the Inside
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Sharlett, pictured here, recently completed an internship at NIDA, where she learned the facts about drug abuse and addiction from NIDA scientists and then helped spread the word to others.
My name is Sharlett, and I’m from Washington State. Recently, I completed an internship for NIDA in Washington, DC. I worked behind the scenes with the communications experts, which means I was involved with organizing and publicizing different cool events and publications that NIDA offers you.
One of my most interesting projects was helping to spread the word about National Drug Facts Week, which occurred last November. One of my biggest tasks was to promote the “National Drug IQ Challenge en Español”—to encourage teens, their parents, and friends to take the quiz and test their knowledge about drug abuse and addiction. This was the first year the Challenge was offered in Spanish, and everyone has been really excited about it.
I am thrilled I got to be a part of such a great organization. I was offered the chance to work for NIDA in late July, and I knew right away it was an awesome opportunity. Every day, I got to use what I learned in college to promote drug awareness and help teens stay safe. I think it is crucial to make facts about drugs easily available to teens to counteract all the myths that are floating around.
Before coming to NIDA, my knowledge about drugs and drug abuse was very limited. I knew that drugs harm the body and that they can lead to illness or even death. I knew that one of my favorite comedians, Chris Farley, died from a drug overdose in 1997. I began to form perceptions and beliefs about drug abuse, but my “drug IQ” was very basic. After working at NIDA for just a few weeks, I learned some surprising new facts like:
Drug addiction is a disease. Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain—they change its structure and how it works.
Marijuana can be addictive. The changes from using marijuana or any drug are different for each person. For marijuana, about 1 in 11 people who use it become addicted, and that rate goes up if you start young and if you smoke a lot. To learn the facts about marijuana, check out the booklet, Marijuana: Facts for Teens.
Not all drugs are illegal. Tobacco and alcohol are both addictive drugs and can cause serious health problems. Similarly, prescription drugs, which are meant to help people with health problems, can become addictive and are being abused at high rates among all age groups, including teens.
If more people knew the facts, they could better understand drugs and their consequences. I know I do. The next National Drug Facts Week starts January 28, 2013. I’ll be watching the National Drug Facts Week Web site to see what new and interesting things NIDA has to offer.
With Science and Songs, Students Celebrate National Drug Facts Week
The second annual National Drug Facts Week was in full swing on November 2 at the House of Sweden at a hallmark event for NIDA’s 2011 health observance in Washington, DC.
More than 100 high school students from 7 schools in the District of Columbia and Baltimore, MD, attended the “Drug Facts Rally” headlined by NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D., and Grammy-nominated R&B recording artist Mario Barrett. Other students participated in the event via Skype from the Baltimore Mayor’s office.
Ask Anything
Attendees had the unique opportunity to interact directly with Dr. Volkow, asking their most pressing questions about drugs and addiction during an energetic Q&A session. Dr. Volkow also answered two questions submitted from students in Sweden. (To read other questions from high school students and the answers direct from NIDA scientists, read NIDA’s 2011 Drug Facts Chat Day transcript.)
After speaking with NIDA’s Director, the students broke into small group sessions to show off their knowledge in a Jeopardy-style trivia game with peer health educators from the George Washington University Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Education.
Using Music To Send a Message
One of the day’s most memorable moments came when Mario Barrett took the stage. He surprised an attendee who had been invited to sing a few lines from one of his songs by joining her in the second verse.
Originally from Baltimore, MD, Mario grew up with a mother who was addicted to drugs. He was exposed to violence, gangs, and drugs on a daily basis. Eventually, he rose to the top of the R&B charts with songs like “Just a Friend 2002” and “Let Me Love You.”
With a goal of giving back, he uses his Mario Do Right Foundation to mentor and support the children of substance abusing parents. He strives to create a support system that he didn’t have for much of his childhood.
T-Shirt Contest Winners
Miss DC International, Dr. Allison Hill, a certified pharmacist, attended the event to help announce the winners of a t-shirt contest sponsored by international fashion retailer H&M and the Mentor Foundation USA. The contest challenged District of Columbia high school students to design a slogan to express what motivates them to stay drug free now and in the future.
The following students, all from the César Chávez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy–Parkside, won the competition:
1st place: Damani Johnson
2nd Place: Temple Reed
3rd Place: Tina Starr
Each attendee received a t-shirt featuring Damani Johnson’s winning slogan, which read:
Front: I’M > DRUGS
Back: I’M GREATER THAN DRUGS
BREATHE IN COMMON SENSE,
EXHALE IGNORANCE
STAY POSITIVE, TEST NEGATIVE
STAY DRUG FREE
Besides the t-shirt and loads of facts about drug abuse and healthy choices, attendees also had the opportunity to take away photos of the event. Students also could visit a video booth to give a shoutout about why they are drug free and what they learned during the day to shatter the myths about drug abuse.
Now we want to hear from you as well. Hit the comments below and tell us your personal slogan against drug abuse or give us a shoutout about why you’re drug free.
Embassy of Sweden Event Partners
Using the Internet To Learn the Science About Drugs
The Internet is teeming with blogs about everything from food to shopping to high-tech gadgets. Anyone and everyone can start a blog, and while many bloggers try their hardest to get the facts right, mistakes do happen. When considering a post about a new fashion trend, that may seem harmless; but what about blogs that include information about prescription drug abuse or the effects of inhalants? In that case, wrong information can be dangerous—even deadly.
NIDA works hard to give teens accurate and reliable information on the Internet and encourages teens to ask questions about drugs and drug abuse. NIDA even sponsors a major Internet-based event every year called Drug Facts Chat Day where high school students from around the country can ask questions directly to NIDA experts.
Also, you can always ask questions here, in the SBB comments. Recently, SBB received a bunch of interesting new comments on last year’s post about NIDA’s National Drug Facts Week, “Get the Download on Drugs: Help Us Shatter the Myths.” Apparently, a teacher assigned students to read this blog post to help them answer particular questions.
Here are some sample comments (we didn’t edit these at all):
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@baloghperiod3:
Question 5 – The best way to get the message out to teens is on TV because not all teens have a computer or an account, but most teens have a TV and watch it all the time at home. You can have a TV show where the they dedicate an episode to not doing stuff like, smoking and drinking!!
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@muellerperiod5:
Question 4- If an athlete uses steroids to improve they’re performance, I do think that is cheating. Because, they would be stronger than everyone else, it just wouldn’t be fair, that person could hurt others, and they would make the people who aren’t on steroids feel bad because they wouldn’t be doing as well as the person who is. Using steroids, or any other type of drug, comes with consequences. I think that the athlete who is using steroids should be kicked off the team as their consequence. I bet someone who doesn’t use steroids would do even better than the person who is.
Question 5 – I think Social Networks would be the best way to get the message out to teens. I think that because, most kids are on Facebook and Myspace and Twitter or just on the computer. Most teens wouldn’t pay attention to adults when they say drugs are bad, but since it’s on Facebook or Twitter, they would be more likely to pay attention.
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SBB is proud to provide this science-based blog (and resource!) for teens.
So, how can you tell if the Web sites you visit offer reliable information?
To answer the questions, you can either write your response in the “Leave a Reply” box below, or send us a message. We read all of your comments and feedback.
Ask the Experts: Today Is Drug Facts Chat Day
Today is NIDA’s fifth annual Drug Facts Chat Day. Students and teachers in classrooms across the United States have the unique opportunity to submit questions to the Nation’s top experts in the field of drug abuse and addiction. As part of this second annual National Drug Facts Week, today’s chat will help shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse.
NIDA’s experts will answer as many questions as they can. During the 2010 Chat Day, they answered more than 1,500 questions—including questions about the consequences of drug use, prescription drug abuse, and specific drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and inhalants.
Anyone can watch the 2011 live chat beginning today at 8 a.m. EST. However, only schools that have completed advanced registration and received an access code may submit questions.
If your school isn’t registered and you want to ask a question anonymously, ask it below in the comments (just make sure to create a username that doesn’t identify you), and we may select it for future blog posts for SBB’s “Real Teens Ask” category.
What’s the Buzz About National Drug Facts Week?
This year, hundreds of events are going on across the country to shatter the myths about drug abuse and addiction during the second annual National Drug Facts Week (NDFW), which is October 31 to November 6, 2011.
Below are some highlights of just a few cool events planned around the United States. Meanwhile, see what might be happening near you.
In Scottsdale, Arizona, an organization called INSPIREHealth.org is holding a run event in a baseball field called “Run Drugs Out of Town.” The run, which includes players from the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, is for kids of all ages, (so far, participants range in age from 19 months to 80 years).
In Golden, Colorado, the Parent-Teacher Association is sponsoring a poster contest and a raffle giving away an iTunes gift card and iPod. Students who take the National Drug IQ Challenge and submit their test will get a ticket to be entered to win.
On Halloween in Dover, Delaware, the community is sponsoring a teen-created video campaign, with video stories about how drugs have influenced the community. Teens are asked how social media could have caused an increase in drug use, and whether teen violence is escalating as a result of increased exposure to drugs. The purpose of the campaign is to involve teens in efforts to raise awareness and in social programs to promote prevention.
Dearborn, Michigan, is hosting a virtual international conference, planned and hosted by the state student advisory board of 13 high school student leaders who train peers in youth-led prevention. The conference is expected to draw 300 attendees from 50 Michigan high schools.
Kearsage Regional High School in North Sutton, New Hampshire, is sponsoring a week-long poster contest, incorporating information from the National Drug IQ Challenge. Schoolwide participation in the challenge will be followed by discussions that a school advisor will help facilitate. Winners are entered in a raffle to win cool prizes.
In Raleigh, North Carolina, Sanderson High Schools has invited a neurologist from Duke University and representatives from Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to share stories. Scheduled classroom visits include a talk from a person in recovery from drug addiction who used to be homeless.
Myra’s Place in Collingdale, Pennsylvania, has invited a “mad scientist” to present drug facts before a free concert with free food and drink and a moon bounce, in collaboration with the Bridgeway Recovery School and the Lighthouse Network.
The Bay Area Council on Drugs and Alcohol and the University of Texas Center for Addiction Research will hold events in several schools in Galveston, Texas, throughout NDFW. The event will be adapted for each school, but will include sidewalk chalk art contests and electronic media-style poster contests.
In Laramie, Wyoming, the WyoCARE/Wyoming Indian High School on the Wind River Indian Reservation plans to include drug facts as part of their drug and tobacco education curriculum, and “shout out” drug facts during morning announcements every day. After taking the National Drug IQ Challenge, winners will receive University of Wyoming clothes and accessories.
That’s just a taste of the buzz that’s building around NDFW. If you don’t see an event going on near you, think about creating one next year. And tell us: How would you give your friends and classmates a heads-up about drugs and addiction?
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National Institute on Drug Abuse | National Institutes of Health | U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
