Standard of Learning

3.3   The student will identify the effects of drug, alcohol, tobacco and other harmful substances on personal health. Key concepts/skills include:

1. improper use of medicines;
2. the use of refusal skills to counter negative influences;
3. the effects of nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs on body systems;
4. the use of common household items as inhalants;
5. the effects of mind-altering drugs on behavior.

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Understanding the Standard

The student will understand the dangers of using common household items as inhalants.

Essential Knowledge and Skills

The student will:

• define an inhalant. (a chemical that is breathed in)
• describe how inhalants harm your health:
  • kill brain cells;
  • hurt your memory and you cannot learn things so your grades and future will suffer;
  • harm your heart, lungs, and nervous system;
  • you may lose control of your muscles or have trouble breathing;
  • you may have nose bleeds, sores around your mouth, or severe headaches;
  • you may see things that are not real;
  • you may lose interest in friends, school, sports, and your family relationships; and
  • you may find that some brain and lung damage that inhalants cause cannot be undone.

Sample Lessons

Brain Power!
Grades: 2-3
Students learn about the brain, what the brain can do, and the effects of drugs on the brain. Includes 6 modules. Program is based on National Science Education Standards. Includes video, written materials for students, parent newsletter, and teacher’s guide.
Sponsor: National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health
Contact: http://www.nida.nih.gov/parent-teacher.html
Cost: Free

Protecting You/Protecting Me
Grades 1-5
Model 5-year alcohol use prevention curriculum designed to reduce alcohol-related injury and death. Includes student’s intentions not to drive with an impaired driver; focuses on risks of using alcohol; and includes parental involvement.
Sponsor: Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Contact: http://www.pypm.org
Cost 

Additional Instructional Resources

• Al-Anon/Alateen - http://www.al-anon.org
• Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids - http://www.alcoholcostcalculator.org/kids
• American Council for Drug Education - http://www.acde.org
• TheAnti-Drug.Com - http://www.theantidrug.com
• Center for Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws - http://www.udetc.org
• The Cool Spot - http://www.thecoolspot.gov
• DEA State Fact Sheets - http://www.dea.gov/pubs/state_factsheets.html
• Drug and Violence Prevention - http://dave.esc4.net
• Federal Drug Data Sources - http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/sources.html
• Global Youth Network - http://www.unodc.org/youthnet
• http://www.healthteacher.com
• Inhalant Abuse - http://www.inhalant.org
• Inhalants - http://www.coolnurse.com/inhalants.htm
• Kids Health - http://www.kidshealth.org
• Monitoring the Future - http://www.monitoringthefuture.org
• Mothers Against Drunk Driving - http://www.maddva.org or http://www.madd.org
• National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information - http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov
• National Inhalant Prevention Coalition - http://www.inhalants.org
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - http://www.niaaa.nih.gov
• National Institute on Drug Abuse - http://www.nida.nih.gov or http://www.drugabuse.gov
• National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign - http://www.mediacampaign.org
• Parenting is Prevention - http://www.parentingisprevention.org
• Partners for Substance Abuse Prevention - http://www.samhsa.gov/preventionpartners
• Partnership for a Drug-Free America - http://www.drugfreeamerica.org
• Reality Check - http://www.health.org/reality
• Safety – http://www.pbs.org/teachersource/health.htm(health & fitness 3-5)
• SAMSA Model [Drug Prevention] Programs - http://modelprograms.samhsa.gov
• Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) - http://www.saddonline.com
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - http://www.samhsa.gov
• U.S. Department of Education, Safe & Drug-Free Schools Program - http://www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Criminal Justice Reference Service - http://www.ncjrs.org
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention - http://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.org
• Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Education Section - http://www.abc.state.va.us
• Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (Office of Substance Abuse) - http://www.dmhmrsas.virginia.gov
• Virginia Department of State Police - http://www.vsp.state.va.us
• Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation - http://www.vtsf.org

Assessment Ideas

The student will:

• identify the harmful effects of inhalants.
• explain why one should remain drug free.

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