Day Nine:  We won the door decorating prize!!  The girls are so excited!!

Today we looked at the "Faces of Meth" and saw pictures of people that have become addicted and how quickly it causes serious physical changes.  Once again, the girls just couldn't understand how people would want to do these drugs knowing what it might do to them.  This afforded me an opportunity to have conversation concerning how these Meth users didn't start with a "hard" drug like Meth, they probably all started in middle school or high school with the first beer or cigarette- the "gateway" drugs.

I was able to say to them that as they get older that they would find more temptation for drugs as they gained more and more independence from their parents and that "when" they might first be offered a drug, statistics say that it will be by a friend.  I encouraged them to take to heart and to remember the facts that they have been learning about the dangers of drug use.

I am so fortunate to be able to be in a school such as Trinity where I was able to pray this for them from Jeremiah 31: 33.  "Father, may you put your truth in their minds and write it on their hearts so that they may make wise decisions as they grow older.  May you be their God and they be your people."  May our God shelter and protect them from the harms of drug use!

Day Eight:  Finished our information on Stimulants.  In this brochure, it mostly discussed Cocaine and Crack.  Did you know that Crack is just a more pure form of Cocaine?  See if your daughter knows the slang term for Crack.  We then began our discussion on Methamphetamine.  It is considered one of the most, if not THE most dangerous drug at this time.  It's use  can have some of the most devastating physical effects of any drug.

Great Student Question today:  "If Methamphetamine has such serious side effects when you use it the first time, why would someone want to try it again?"  What side effects?  It may make you stay up for days, it makes your heart beat much faster, you lose your appetite and may not eat for days (lack of energy), and it is extremely addictive. And if you become addicted:  let's talk about rotten teeth, sores on your skin, malnutrition, and accelerated aging!

I encourage you to watch the "Above the Influence" commercials on the website for the Office of National Drug Control Policy with your daughter.  They are great conversation starters!!

Day Seven:  Reviewed the way drugs act on the body.  Then we finished our discussion on Nicotine and began our discussion on Stimulants.

Great Student Comment of the Day:  "I was looking online about Cigarettes and saw a blog  concerning it. I was surprised by how defensive people that smoke are about their habit.  One young girl was asking for advice about how to hide the fact that she had started smoking from her parents.  That's horrible!"

I am so glad that our kids think that way now!  Please parents, use every opportunity you have to talk with your children about the dangers of drug use and addiction.  I would like to think our drug education program is the most effective tool to influence our students to abstain from drug use.  The reality is:  it is not.  It is you, as parents, that will make the greatest difference in the life of your child.  Now while they are still "somewhat" impressionable we can give them the truth regarding substance abuse.  But not long from now when they "get their wheels" and more freedom the temptation to try drugs will exponentially multiply.  I encourage you to go ahead now and develop a "drug free" plan for your older teen.

Day Six:  Worked on Homecoming Door.  Will "catch up" tomorrow!

Day Five:  Finished our discussion on marijuana.  Began talking about another drug that can be smoked - tobacco.  Fast facts:  *Many researchers now believe that tobacco is the MOST addictive drug.  *25% of the adult population are tobacco users.  *Tobacco is the #1 drug from which Americans die.  Death from disease related to tobacco use is greater in the U.S. than death from all other drug use combined.  *Only 1 in 10 adults that began smoking as teenagers will be successful in becoming totally tobacco free.

Great student question of the day:  "If tobacco commercials are banned by our government, why aren't alcohol commercials?"  Good Question.

Day Four: Discussed how nerve cells pass on information to other nerve cells by the release of chemicals into the area called the synapse.  Because nerves pass information by chemicals, the ingestion of "drugs" can hinder this process.

So, drugs interfere with the normal function of nerve cells and from yesterday we learned that eventually those cells will lose their ability to function normally even when drugs are not present.  Double Whammy!

We began going over the brochure on marijuana and found out who Sara Bellum is.  Great student question today:  "If I saw someone smoking marijuana, should I call the police?"  This would be a great opportunity for parents to talk to their children about how they would want them to handle uncomfortable and unsafe situations.

Day Three:  Discussed how the brain uses chemicals to do it's "work" of sending and receiving messages.  Also,  how every person's chemical makeup might be different - some people have allergies that other's do not have.  No one knows for sure how different drugs might ultimately affect them.

Why do people do drugs?  Drugs cause pleasure releasing chemicals to be released in the brain.  We discussed how putting  drugs/chemicals into the body/brain may eventually make the normal function of the brain cells cease.  How our brains might be forever altered because of the drug use.

We also discussed how that even though some things may seem like "fun" we recognize there is a great risk that might be associated with that activity.  Like - the new "base jumpers" that jump off very high mountains in "flying squirrel suits" and fly down the cliff edges until they eventually release their parachute.  Sounds like that would be a great "rush" but, not sure I want to risk slamming into the side of a mountain!!

Day Two:  Short class period today for College Day.  We began discussing the effects of drugs on the brain.  Great Question from a student:  If drugs "mess up" your brain, then why do people do them?  We will discuss this much more tomorrow!

Day One:  Introduction to Drug Education
                  Trinity Drug Policy

By Board approval, Trinity begins drug education in the 6th grade.  Our drug testing policy may be found on the Edline website under "Upper School Handbook" - drug testing does not begin until 9th grade.


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