Health Unit - Drugs

[lotusdebi]

Could you recommend some factual books, websites, etc. appropriate for an 8 year old about drugs (illegal and prescription), alcohol, and cigarettes? I'm trying to plan a health unit, but I don't want resources that are full of lies and propaganda. Thank you!

[spruce]

We have one book called "Buzzed" that is very factual about what different things DO, and WHY people use them, as well as their dangers...not so much soupy "Just Say No" stuff. It's a nice one-book resource to have around.



P

[lotusdebi]

Thank you! It looks great!

[Amatullah0]

Originally Posted by spruce

We have one book called "Buzzed" that is very factual about what different things DO, and WHY people use them, as well as their dangers...not so much soupy "Just Say No" stuff. It's a nice one-book resource to have around.



P

Thats a really awesome looking book!
I don't recall ever learning about drugs in health class(if they did, I didn't pay attention, because I was already set against using drugs, I would have just rolled my eyes at the "just say no" knowing that nobody was listening, and most kids in the class would end up saying "yes" anyway) I did learn about drugs in AP psychology though, and it was awesome. We discussed how the drugs are metabolized, whether or not they can cross the blood brain barrier, and their mode of action once they make it through the BBB. It was so cool, and so interesting! I would constantly be talking about it, I once drew a nephron on a napkin at lunch in school, I'm weird...

[moss]

Bumping this thread to ask if there's anything else? any videos maybe? or books that are at a kid's reading level?

We were talking about Coke (as in the cola) the other day, and it came up that it used to contain cocaine. Ds (also age 8) had never heard of cocaine (or any other illegal drugs for that matter). That was a fun discussion! LOL but it also made me realize that it's time to have these conversations with him.

[tammyw]

At what age do you think it appropriate to talk about drugs then? We've already been having the cigarettes discussion for years (my kids are 4 and 7) because we see it all around us, and both my DH and I grew up in smoking families.

[lotusdebi]

We've talked about cigarettes for a while, too, since my DH and lots of our friends smoke. We've also talked about alcohol, since the kids don't get to order beer or wine when we go out. It only occurred to me to start teaching about other drugs because my 7 year old brought them up. My guess is that he heard about drugs on tv - maybe a PSA or in a cartoon, though it's possible that one of his friends brought up the subject. In any case, he should know what's meant when he hears "drugs," so I decided I might as well make it a homeschool Health unit. I honestly didn't expect to have to teach him about drugs until he was 10.

[phathui5]

Other than smoking and drinking, we haven't covered any other "drugs" with the kids. My oldest ds is nine. When I was in school, I remember we had the "DARE" unit in 6th or 7th grade.

[mom2ponygirl]

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/conte...ugs/mouse.html
Fun little animations showing the effects on the brain of different drugs. Felt a little bad for the cartoon mice though....

[lotusdebi]

Originally Posted by mom2ponygirl

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/conte...ugs/mouse.html
Fun little animations showing the effects on the brain of different drugs. Felt a little bad for the cartoon mice though....

Awesome! Thank you!

[WhaleinGaloshes]

I'm a huge fan of this org:

http://www.safety1st.org/

And their pamphlet for teens and their parents:

http://www.safety1st.org/images/stor...afetyfirst.pdf

For an 8yo, you can modify it as needed.

[lotusdebi]

Thank you very much!