Book2MyKids "Content of the Week"

This week's content comes from the Chapter on "Drugs & Alcohol" 

Drugs are illegal - so don't do them! You could end up in jail or have a criminal record, even for pot. There are many negative effects of drugs. Some are outlined below.
Pot kills brain cells, slows your reflexes, is bad for your lungs, affects your memory and learning, increases your blood pressure and impairs the body's immune system. It can also produce anxiety, fear, distrust and panic.

Ecstasy, a street name given for the chemical MDMA, is a synthetic, psychoactive , neurotoxic drug with many negative effects. These effects include: confusion, sleep problems, anxiety, blurred vision, acne like rash, brain damage, depression, addiction, paranoia, nausea, chills and sweating, liver damage and aggression. This drug is becoming increasingly popular and some may try to tell you it will not harm you - don't believe it! If you don't believe me, read about it for yourself.

Cocaine is addictive, bad for your heart and can even cause heart failure. It can cause strokes, seizures, depression, and anxiety disorders. Other effects include: sleeplessness, sexual dysfunction, diminished sense of smell, nausea, headaches, and can even create a hole in the cartilage between your nostrils. All around a REALLY dangerous drug. Stay away!

Crack is a smokable, rapidly reacting form of cocaine base, which is processed from cocaine. Extremely dangerous and immediately addicting. Try it once and you could be addicted for life. Stay away!

Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) is another immediately additive drug. Regardless of the ingestion method (smoke, snort), users become addicted quickly, and use it with increasing frequency and in increasing doses - always trying to chase the previous high. Stay clear from this drug!

Heroin. Forget it! One dose and you could be done for life. Extremely addictive, body becomes dependant upon it and eventually your body goes into a downward spiral where it needs the heroin just to function. Withdrawals are something you would never want to experience. Once you see someone go through a heroin withdrawal you would never consider the drug.
There are other drugs as well, but I think you get the picture by now. Drugs can absolutely ruin your life. They ruin millions of people's lives every day. There is also an extreme danger of violence associated with drugs and people who deal them. Drugs are often linked to gangs and gang violence.

Alcohol. Although alcohol is legal if you are over 21, there are plenty of dangers associated with alcohol as well. The biggest concern by far is drinking and driving - don't do it!

Once you are 21, you will be able allowed to drink. If you are out at a restaurant or bar you should not have more than one or two drinks (depending on your size). After that you are probably over the legal limit (0.08) to drive a car. For a boat the legal limit is half that (0.04)!

Like anything else, don't let alcohol take over your life. If you choose to drink, do so in moderation. Don't drink every day, don't drink too much, and don't ever get to the point where you REALLY look forward to having a drink each day. Once you get to that point, you are starting to become addicted. Make sure you are in control of your desires. Don't let your desires control you.

Don't drink when you are depressed, because alcohol is a depressant. Alcohol will not solve any problems in your life, so don't rely on it to do so. Know you limitations with drinking. Know how you act and how your personality changes when you drink. Drinking will make you lose some of your inhibitions, but don't do things you will regret the next day when you are drinking!
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