Presentation given to secondary students in an Inuit school

1. Drugs, alcohol
and tobacco
By Nursing Students
Valérie Valiquette
Kim Fenner
Stéphanie McKeown

2. Drugs
What drugs do you know ?

3. Marijuana
(pot, weed, grass, cannabis, hash)
 Over 400 chemicals in smoke, some causing
cancer.
 Can make you psychologically and physically
addicted.
 It can affect motor skills, limit inhibitions and
interfere with concentration and learning.
 Short-term use: Drowsiness, paranoia, anxiety or
panic. Increase appetite, short term memory
problems and hallucinations.
 Long-term use: Reduce motivation and
concentration. Problems at school. Respiratory
problems.

4. Cocaine
(Coke, Freeze, Stardust, Powder)
 This drug is not regulated, so you never know
what you’re snorting.
 May cause permanent damage to heart,
lungs and brain and sinuses.
 Increased heart rate and blood pressure,
anxiety, breathing difficulties and
hallucinations.
 Injecting cocaine can exposed the user to
HIV, hepatitis C and many infections.
 There is NO antidote that can reverse
cocaine’s effects – An overdose can be fatal.

5. Cocaine’s effects on brain

6. How to say no
It is not always easy to tell your friends you don’t
want to drink or use drugs. You know you have the
right not to feel like it, but you also don’t want to feel
rejected or be left out.
ROLE PLAYS

7. Situation #1
Your friends have gotten together for your
birthday. They raise a glass in your honor
and pass around a joint. But that is not really
how you wanted to celebrate your
birthday.
What would you say in this situation ?

8. Strategies
Suggest something else:
- Watch a movie
- Go outside
- Play a game
- Listen to some music

9. Alcohol
1. In what kind of occasions does a person
drinks alcohol ?
2. Do you know some effects of alcohol ?
3. Did you ever drink alcohol ?

10. Excessive Drinking
(At a party with your friends)
Consequences
 Physical : Nausea, vomiting and fainting.
 Risky sexual behavior:
- Unprotected sex
- Unplanned pregnancy
- Increased risk of Sexually Transmitted Disease
 Violence:
- Alcohol facilitates the expression of violence
- Could be assailants or victims

11. Excessive Drinking
(Long-term use)
When adolescents gets drunk, even just once, they
are at risk for serious physical dysfunction.
 Gastrointestinal bleeding
 Cardiac arrhythmia
 Stroke (Cerebrovascular accident)
Your brain is still developing so you’re more at risk for brain
damage.
 Respiratory depression that can lead to coma and
death

12. Organs affected by excessive
drinking:
-Brain
-Eyes
-Throat
-Lungs
-Heart
-Stomach
-Liver
-Muscles
-Intestin
-Male genitals
-Women genitals
-Bones

13. Situation #2
It's party time! Everyone is gathered to
celebrate the school basketball team's big
victory. Lots of students are “getting
wasted” and insist that you join them. But
that’s not how you want to celebrate.
What would you do ?

14. Strategies
Refuse to drink or take drugs, and show that
you can have fun without them.
"Don't worry about me. I'm having a blast!"

15. Alcohol during pregnancy
 Fetal alcohol syndrome
- Abnormal facial features
- Brain damage (intellectual impairment)
- Growth retardation
 More at risk for:
- Miscarriage
- Premature birth
- Stillbirth (death of the baby before he’s born)
 Pregnant woman should NOT drink alcohol
** The effects of alcohol exposure on the fetus
last a lifetime **

16. Tobacco
What do you think a cigarette contains ?

17. How to make a cigarette?

18. Consequences of smoking
 Addiction
 Lung cancer
 Mouth & Throat cancer
 Heart attack
 High blood pressure
 More at risk of respiratory infections
 Trouble sleeping
Women: more at risk for miscarriage
Men: more at risk for erectile dysfunction

19. Tips to help you quit smoking
 Quitting is a process and may take many tries.
 You should start by decreasing the amount of
cigarette you smoke per day.
 Give yourself realistic goals every week.
 Chew gum when you crave for cigarette.
 Do exercise, walk outside, everything that can
change your mind instead of smoking.
 Change your lifestyle.
 Go to the clinic, they can help you in your
process.

20. Quiz
Drugs:
- Name two consequences of taking
marijuana.
- What drug has no antidote to reverse its
effects and can be fatal?

21. Quiz
Alcohol:
- True or False:
1- When I drink alcohol, I’m more at risk for
having STD.
2- A pregnant women can take alcohol
and it’s not dangerous for the baby.
3- Alcohol can cause brain
damage, especially to teenagers.

22. Quiz
Tobacco:
- Name 2 things that are in a cigarette.
- Name 2 tips to help you quit smoking.

23. Have a great day !