Teen Health Course 2

Chapter 10: Drugs

Parent Letters - English

Parent Letter and Activities
For use with Chapter 10

Dear Parent or Guardian,
Your teen’s health class is currently learning about drugs. We will begin by discussing medicines—how they can help the body and how to use them safely. We will then discuss drugs and how their abuse and misuse can affect health. Specifically, students will learn to recognize the risks that drugs pose to physical, mental/emotional, and social health. We will conclude our study of drugs with a detailed examination of the risks of drug abuse and ways to help those who are addicted.

Some questions your teen will consider as we discuss this topic are: What is the proper use of medicines? What is drug abuse? How do different drugs affect the body? How does drug use pose risks to physical, mental/emotional, and social health? What are some ways to say no to drug use?

To support and extend our classroom work, please set aside some time during the next few weeks to complete one or more of the following activities with your teen:

• Encourage your teen to share with you what he or she has learned about the short-term and long-term effects of different types of drugs.
• Role play with your teen on ways to refuse peer pressure to use drugs. Take turns being the teen who is trying to persuade the other to use drugs. Encourage your teen to think of as many different ways to say no as possible.
• Be available to answer questions and concerns your teen may have about drug misuse and drug abuse.

Any other activities that you believe will help your teen develop a greater understanding of the risks involved in drug abuse are, of course, a welcome addition to our work here. Armed with such knowledge, your teen is far less likely to become involved with drugs. Thank you for supporting our classroom work. As always, do not hesitate to contact me for further information.

Sincerely,

Health Teacher