Focus On Marijuana: With The New York Times

ANTI-DRUG EDUCATION
WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES:

FOCUS ON
MARIJUANA
A Unit for Middle and High
School Educators
The New York Times

Newspaper in Education Program
Sponsored by the Office of
National Drug Control Policy
Newspaper in Education
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02-1569-1
This educator’s guide was developed by
The New York Times Newspaper in Education Program
with sponsorship from the Office of National Drug
Control Policy. It did not involve the reporting or
editing staff of The New York Times,
other than containing news articles previously
published in The New York Times.
© 2002 The New York Times Company

CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION TO THE TEACHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Article: Teenage Drug Use at an 8-Year Low . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
LESSON 1 Marijuana Facts and Fictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Article: For Some, Marijuana Grows Mean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
LESSON 2 Marijuana Dilemmas For Teenagers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
LESSON 3 How Many Teens Use Marijuana? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Article: Use of Drugs by Teen-Agers Declines Some, Report Says. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
LESSON 4 Marijuana and the Brain: A Science Lesson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Article: Marijuana’s Effects: More Than Munchies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
LESSON 5 The Dangers of Smoking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Part I – Cigarettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Part 2 – Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Article: An Old Enemy, Smoking, Hangs Tough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
LESSON 6 Developing Refusal Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
LESSON 7 Drugged Driving. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Article: Teenagers Favor Curbs, But Drinking Remains Rife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
LESSON 8 Drugs and Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Article: Mexican Cartel Survives Losses, Official Says . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
LESSON 9 Marijuana in the Media: Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
LESSON 10 Marijuana in the Media: Part 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
LESSON 11 Anti-Marijuana Ads for Teens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
LESSON 12 Anti-Marijuana Ads for Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Parent/Guardian Information About Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
APPENDIX
Fact Sheet: Marijuana’s Health Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Fact Sheet: Drugged Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
National Content Standards Correlation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77
Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Authors and Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85
Newspaper in Education | Expect the World® | 1-800-631-1222 1

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO THE TEACHER people feel good without drugs)

■ examples of persuasive essays and advertising (in
arijuana is the illicit drug most used and preparation for creating their own anti-drug material)
M abused by young people. After alcohol and

tobacco, it is the substance that students in
grades 8 through 12 are most likely to have used.
■ examples of individuals who stick up for what they
believe in (a key refusal skill)
■ examples of news stories that focus on the exceptional
or dramatic, rather than what most people do (most
The aim of this guide is to help you educate your teens don’t use drugs – normative education)
students and their families about the dangers that ■ examples of people who have to make difficult
marijuana poses to young people, and to dispel some of decisions (responding to peer pressures may be
the myths about it that may prevent them from taking difficult)
marijuana as seriously as they should. ■ trustworthy information (critical thinking skills
about drugs)
The good news is that recent surveys show declines in
teen use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, and that Using The New York Times, students will also boost
parents and teachers are playing crucial roles in this their academic skills: scanning, identifying articles of
trend. Students in one recent survey who said that their relevance or personal interest, encountering new
teachers and parents warn them “a lot” about drugs vocabulary, enhancing reading comprehension,
reported dramatically lower drug use than students who broadening horizons and knowledge, improving writing
said their teachers and parents never do so.* Please see skills, developing their critical thinking, and more.
the New York Times article of July 18, 2002, “Teenage
Drug Use at an 8-Year Low,” located at the end of this
Introduction, for a report on this survey. COLLECTING AND
DISPLAYING MATERIALS
(These resources will be especially useful in Lesson 8.)
USING THE NEW YORK TIMES
IN THIS UNIT You and your students should go through The New York
Times every day for articles obviously pertinent to this
You can use New York Times articles like this as a unit, and collect them for use throughout the program.
springboard for your lessons in drug prevention. We Collect news articles about marijuana and other drugs
have reproduced a number of pertinent articles to and their health effects, drug trafficking, local drug arrests
implement specific lesson objectives in this guide. and criminal activity, and anti-drug advertisements.
In addition, however, the lesson plans show you how to

use the core value of The New York Times in the A NOTE ON READING AND
classroom: as a student-centered tool of discovery. GRADE LEVELS
Going through the daily papers themselves, your
students will be challenged to find: We are frequently asked about the “reading level” of
The New York Times. There is no clear answer, as each
■ examples of positive adult roles (that would be issue contains the writing of hundreds of different
negatively affected by marijuana use; reinforce positive individuals in varying styles. Teachers use The New
uses of time as behavioral alternatives to drug use) York Times successfully in many different ways – which
do not have to involve having students reading a news
■ examples of advice for healthy behavior (that help story from beginning to end. Students at lower reading

INTRODUCTION
levels can use headlines and key concepts, or even work ■ Actively involving the family and community.
primarily with photographs and ads.
■ Including teacher training and support.
This guide is aimed primarily at students in grades 6
through 10. You as the teacher will be able to select ■ Providing material that teachers can easily and
and adapt the material to suit the skills and age level of correctly implement, and that is culturally
your students. appropriate for the students.
WHAT WORKS IN EFFECTIVE DRUG ADAPTING THE LESSONS FOR

PREVENTION PROGRAMS YOUR STUDENTS
Research has shown some key elements to be the most These lesson plans include material for a broad span of
effective in drug prevention programs.** These key developmental levels. As you select the lessons to use
elements are: and the specific activities within each lesson, consider
the socio-economic backgrounds of your students as
■ Helping students recognize internal social pressures
well as prior exposure to drug education programs.
to use drugs, such as wanting to belong to the group,
Consult with counseling staff, drug educators and
and external pressures, such as media influences and
others in your school district who work in this area for
peer attitudes.
guidance, especially if you believe there may be students
in your classes who are using substances and might “act
■ Fostering the development of the personal and social
out” if uncomfortable with the lesson material.
skills necessary to resist peer pressure. These include
refusal skills, decision-making, setting goals,
assertiveness and managing stress.
INTERDISCIPLINARY TIME FRAME
FOR THE LESSONS
■ Improving academic competence, which supports
self-esteem and attachment to the school and Each lesson plan contains a wealth of material that can
community values. be integrated throughout the week. For example, the
writing activities develop language arts skills; the
■ Including normative education that shows most reading analysis develops comprehension skills; the
students do not use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or content of the articles often relates to science and
other drugs. health; the lesson on informal surveying relates to
social studies and the use of polling techniques.
■ Providing age-appropriate activities and materials
about the consequences of using alcohol, tobacco, We encourage you to team with other teachers for
marijuana and other drugs, and giving enough lessons interdisciplinary instruction.
following well-designed prevention curricula.
*Source: National Parents’ Resource Institute for Drug Education, Inc.

■ Using interactive teaching techniques, such as (PRIDE), 2001-2002 survey.
discussions, cooperative learning and role playing, ** Source: “Making the Grade: A Guide to School Drug Prevention Programs,”
rather than didactic approaches or scare tactics. © 1999 Drug Strategies

INTRODUCTION

TEACHER LESSON PLAN 1
MARIJUANA FACTS AND FICTIONS
BACKGROUND NOTES
OBJECTIVES:
eenagers may be particularly resistant to facts about marijuana. There
AT THE CONCLUSION OF
THIS LESSON, STUDENTS
WILL BE ABLE TO:
T is plenty of contrary information given, consciously or unconsciously,
by a wide variety of people in their lives, popular media, even their
own families. The goal of this lesson is to impress upon students the
importance of evaluating information for themselves and finding trustworthy
● distinguish between some sources of information.
facts and fictions about
marijuana
● identify some negative
PREPARATION
consequences of using ■ Assemble tools.
marijuana, including its ■ Locate examples of various types of articles in The New York Times:
addictive potential news articles reporting on breaking events; editorials, signed columns,
● identify sources of
news analyses; feature stories. Scan the front page of today’s New York
information in a news article Times to familiarize yourself with articles that students may choose for
● evaluate how they know
the Homework assignment.
information is reliable and
trustworthy, in general and
about drugs VOCABULARY
dependence, addiction, genetic predisposition, relapsed, euphoric, paranoid,
rehabilitation, potent, oblivion, inebriated, lenient, assessing, ramifications,
syringe, abstinence.
TOOLS NEEDED
● Today’s New York Times
(one copy per student) WARM UP
● Classroom chalk board
Sources of the information we read in news articles are extremely
● Student journals
important. Reporters must attribute information so that the reader knows
● Copies of the New York
exactly where the information originated.
Times article “For Some,
Marijuana Grows Mean” ■ Distribute today’s New York Times to students.
(one per student) from ■ Direct students to select an article of interest and search the article for
pages 10-11 sources of information. A source can be a person who said something, a
● Copies of Lesson 1
report from a government agency or perhaps a scientist’s discovery.
Newspaper Activity Sheet ■ Discuss student findings.
(one per student) ■ ASK: Did you find any information that did not have a source?
(Times reporters and editors check each fact to be sure it is attributed,
but other publications may not. Advise your students to watch for
information that doesn’t have a credible source.)
SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS

“We hear a lot of conflicting information about marijuana. You might

hear from friends or the media a different story than you hear from
HOMEWORK your family or in school. The important thing is to look carefully at the
ASSIGNMENT: information from more than one perspective before jumping to a
conclusion. It’s also important to decide which information you are going
DIRECT STUDENTS TO to trust. Who is giving you valid information, and how do they know it?”
TAKE HOME TODAY’S
NEW YORK TIMES AND
COPIES OF THE LESSON 1 READING ACTIVITY
NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY ■ Give out copies of the New York Times article “For Some, Marijuana
SHEET. REVIEW Grows Mean” from pages 10-11.
INSTRUCTIONS. ASSIGN ■ As a class, read the article, then discuss the following questions:
DUE DATE.
a. Who wrote this article?
● Explain the difference b. How frequently does Daniel smoke marijuana? What problems
between these types of has smoking marijuana caused him?
articles in The New York c. According to the article, what are some of the ways marijuana can
Times, and have students make you feel?
locate examples in today’s d. How did Daniel and his friend feel this time, and what
issue of The New York actions followed?
Times: e. What is the active ingredient in marijuana?
• a news article reports f. How much stronger is marijuana today compared to marijuana
impartially on an event, used in the 1960’s?
giving both sides of g. According to the Times article, can someone form a dependency
an issue. on marijuana?
• an opinion piece, news h. What “psychological ramifications” affect dependent users?
analysis, review, column or i. How do these effects compare to those of other drugs, according to
editorial allows the author the article?
to express his or her j. According to the article, are some people predisposed to become
opinion. See the Op-Ed addicted? How can you know if you are one of the people
page, editorial page, signed predisposed to become addicted?
columns, book or movie k. Who or what are the sources for this information?
reviews, stories labeled
“News Analysis.”
• a feature is a broader look DISCUSSION
at a trend or human inter- ■ Is Daniel addicted to marijuana?
est story; it may have more
colorful writing and a SUGGESTED WAY TO EXPLAIN ADDICTION OR DEPENDENCY
personal point of view by TO YOUR STUDENTS:
the writer, but still presents
information in a clear and ■ “Addiction is a change in a person’s body; it is not just a bad habit.
trustworthy manner. Addiction makes a person strongly want, or crave, a substance –

such as cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana or other drugs – once the body becomes
HOMEWORK accustomed to having the substance regularly. Even though people know
ASSIGNMENT: it is harmful and want to quit, they have great difficulty quitting because
they feel really terrible when they try; they may be nervous, irritable, unable
● In each type of journalism, to concentrate or think about anything other than getting the drug, even be
the rule is clear: let the physically ill or in pain. This is called withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms
reader know who is doing occur because the body has physically come to expect the substance in order
the talking, and what the just to feel ‘normal.’ People also become dependent on a drug because they
sources of the information are unwilling to give up the good feelings they have when they are on the
or opinion are. The goal is drug. They lose the ability to feel good without it.”
to produce an article that is
fair and that the reader ■ “Not every person will become addicted to, or dependent on, every
can trust. potentially addictive substance. For example, you may know adults who
smoke cigarettes heavily, even cough a lot from them; yet other adults
● Read aloud the introduction will just smoke a cigarette from time to time but not regularly, and they
at the top of the Lesson 1 don’t seem to ‘need’ cigarettes. Same thing with alcohol; why do some
Homework Assignment people become alcoholics and others don’t? Something similar occurs
Sheet. It explains the with marijuana; this is why the article says ‘For Some, Marijuana Turns
basic ethic of news Mean.’ Scientists are beginning to understand why this is so; it seems to
reporting: convey reliable be related to physical elements that are part of a person’s genetic make-
information from up, inherited just like eye color and other physical qualities. But unlike
trustworthy sources, eye color, these inherited elements are invisible and difficult to pin-point.”
present the information
objectively, and ■ “Since it is impossible for an individual to know in advance whether he
acknowledge both sides of or she will become addicted or dependent, this is one reason illicit drugs
an issue. are dangerous. Why take the chance it might be you? Why even fool
around with it?”
● Direct students to complete
the Lesson 1 Newspaper Guide the discussion to emphasize that Daniel is probably one of the
Activity Sheet. Direct people with a genetic predisposition to marijuana addiction, which is why
them to choose a news it is very hard for him to quit and he keeps having relapses – or going back
article that impartially to the drug.
reports an event (rather
than an opinion piece, news Emphasize that Daniel’s involvement with marijuana has led to the most
analysis, review, column serious sorts of problems for himself and his family, now and in the future.
or editorial).
REVIEW DISCUSSION: Facts and Fictions About Marijuana

■ Read to the class the statements in quotations below. Explain that these
are some of the myths about marijuana that teens may believe. Then
ask for examples from the Times article that contradict the myths:

1. “Marijuana won’t hurt you; it’s just a plant.”

But how has marijuana hurt Daniel?
2. “Marijuana makes you feel relaxed and laid back.”
How has Daniel’s behavior been the opposite of “relaxed and laid back”?
3. “Marijuana doesn’t cause you to lose control the way other drugs do.”
How did Daniel lose control?
4. “Marijuana is not addictive.”
If this is so, why can’t Daniel stop using it, even though all these bad
things have happened to him because of it?
■ Conclude by reinforcing that the statements are not true, as shown by

Daniel’s story. Ask students to evaluate why they can believe Daniel’s
story is true, and not distorted.
RESOURCES
Basic introduction to marijuana and teens: National Institute of Drug Abuse
“Marijuana: Facts For Teens”
(http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/Marijteens.html).

LESSON 1
NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY SHEET
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
CONSIDER THE SOURCE

Responsible newspaper reporters writing news articles provide reliable information
from sources they trust, and let the readers know who or what those sources are.
They also report the news impartially – without taking sides or being emotional.
These rules let the reader know that he or she can trust that the information in a
news article is accurate and form an opinion based on that information.
Scan the front page of today’s edition of The New York Times. Choose a news article that interests
you, read it carefully, then write a short response to each question below:
Headline: ____________________________________ Date at top of page:______________

Byline (author of article) ________________________________________________________
1. Why would it be important to identify the author of the article by name?___________

______________________________________________________________________
2. Who is interviewed and/or quoted in the article?______________________________

______________________________________________________________________
3. What other sources of information are relied upon or referred to in the article? Is more
than one point of view presented? Give an example.___________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. Do you feel that the news story gives you true or accurate information? Why or why not?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. What sources of information about drugs would you trust most? Trust least? ________
______________________________________________________________________

LESSON 1
ARTICLE
Continued on next page

LESSON 1
ARTICLE
Continued from previous page

MARIJUANA DILEMMAS FOR TEENAGERS
VOCABULARY
OBJECTIVES: dilemma, scenario
PREPARATION
WILL BE ABLE TO:
■ Assemble tools.
■ Print out on index cards or copy and cut out “Marijuana Dilemmas for
● evaluate and resolve
Teenagers” from page 14.
dilemmas relating to
■ Review the dilemmas, and divide students into six groups, one for
peer pressure
each dilemma.
● identify and describe
difficult choices that occur
in life, as reported in
WARM UP
The New York Times
Define the word dilemma: a difficult choice between two alternatives. Ask
● identify personal
the students for some examples of difficult choices, or occasions when they
guideposts to making the
have had to choose one action over another.
right decisions
NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY
TOOLS NEEDED ■ Distribute The New York Times (one copy per student)
■ Direct students to look through today’s New York Times for an example
of a dilemma, or difficult choice. Possibilities: a policy decision a
(one copy per student)
government official might need to make, balancing the interests of one
● Six index cards or slips of
group of people against the interests of another; a personal decision
paper with “Marijuana
about health care choices someone may face; a trial in which a jury has
Dilemmas for Teenagers”
to decide on a verdict.
from page 14
■ After a few minutes, have students share some of their “dilemmas in
the news.”
Classroom Activity Sheet
(one per group)
DISCUSSION
ASK:
■ How did individuals in the news articles make choices?
■ Did they ask someone?
■ Do research?
■ What does the article tell you about the choice?
■ Did they make good choices or bad choices?
■ How do you know? What were the consequences of their choices?
■ Discussion points: difficult choices are a fact of life.
■ What guideposts can you use to help you make good choices –
in your personal life, in your job?

■ Who can you consult when you have a difficult choice to make?
■ What kind of information do you need in order to make a choice?
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
“We’re going to look at some scenarios about marijuana in which making a
choice may appear very challenging. What should you do in a difficult
situation? This exercise will let you practice what to decide, how to tell
others of your decision and look at the outcomes.”
■ Divide students into six groups and distribute to each group a slip of
paper or index card with one of the dilemmas from page 14 on it.
■ Give out copies of the Lesson 2 Classroom Activity Sheet.
■ Allow students 15 minutes to discuss and complete the activity sheet.
■ Then have each group of students read their dilemma and present the
resolutions they arrived at.
SAY TO YOUR STUDENTS:

“Each dilemma involved outside pressures putting certain demands on you,
ultimately forcing you to make a decision.”
■ Was it difficult to see both points of view in the dilemma?

■ Was it easier to see one point of view more than the other?
■ Did you arrive at a point of view you would be most likely to adopt if
you were in this situation?
■ What were some resolutions you arrived at?
■ Where might you go for help resolving this dilemma?
● What are some ways you know that doing something is your
own idea?
● How do you know something is right for you?
Guide the discussion to reinforce the negative consequences of marijuana

use, weighed against the perceived benefits of choosing marijuana.

■ Cut out and distribute the following statements (one per group):
DILEMMA 1
MAKING THE GRADE. You have always wanted to get good grades and perform well on tests. At the same time
you want to stay “connected” to friends who have pressured you to smoke weed. There’s just not enough time to
prepare well for school and also hang out with this group of friends. And if you do use marijuana, it clouds your
mind and makes it difficult to do well on tests. What will you decide? What will you tell your friends?
DILEMMA 2
THIS IS YOUR LIFE. A friend tries to persuade you to smoke marijuana, arguing that it lets you chill and real-
ly relax. But an older friend that you respect told you that when you’re high you’re so laid back you’re more like-
ly to do something really stupid – something you could regret for the rest of your life, such as having unprotected
sex or possibly causing a car accident. Who are you going to believe? What will you say to the friend who is urg-
ing you to smoke?
DILEMMA 3
POWER PLAY. You are hoping to qualify for a new record in your sport this year. Recently you were also
invited to smoke marijuana by a group you think is cool. You know that along with the “high” from marijuana
comes a lack of coordination and energy, difficulty paying attention and anxiety. Will you decide to make the
team or make the “scene”?
DILEMMA 4
FINANCIAL FREEDOM. You’ve been working an after-school job and have spending money for some fun
stuff, like CD’s and movies. You’ve even been putting some aside for that big-ticket item you’ve always wanted.
Now some friends are urging you to spend money on weed, and you know it isn’t cheap. What’s it worth? How
will you explain your decision?
DILEMMA 5
TRUSTING TIES. You want to belong. You love your family. But when friends you think are cool offer you
some weed, you make the decision to smoke it; and now you find yourself lying to your family. Feeling high also
makes it difficult to communicate with people who aren’t high. You find yourself fighting more at home. Friends
who don’t use drugs say you seem distant and think you don’t like them. Is smoking marijuana worth trading for
the trust of friends and family? How will you explain your answer to everyone involved?

LESSON 2
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY SHEET
STUDENTS IN GROUP______________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
MARIJUANA DILEMMAS
Dilemma # _________ Title_____________________________________________________
1. Read the dilemma aloud as a group.
2. Identify the “pro-marijuana” and “anti-marijuana” points of view within the dilemma, then
complete the chart by answering the following questions:
a. Who in the dilemma is advocating each point of view?
b. What action would each advocate want to see from you?
c. What is the likely outcome of pleasing the advocate of each point of view?
PRO-MARIJUANA: ANTI-MARIJUANA:
a. ADVOCATES
b. ACTIONS
c. OUTCOMES
3. Write a brief newspaper editorial about this dilemma. Give the facts of the dilemma and what your
“editorial board” (peer group) recommends. Use editorials in The New York Times as your model.

HOW MANY TEENS USE MARIJUANA?
BACKGROUND NOTES
OBJECTIVES: ost teenagers have not used marijuana and never will. Yet popular
WILL BE ABLE TO:
M belief among teens often suggests that most people are using
marijuana or other drugs, and some teenagers might feel
compelled to try drugs in an effort to be “normal.” The goal of this lesson is
to raise awareness of the fact that most adolescents do not use marijuana,
other illicit drugs, alcohol or tobacco. It is important not to directly ask
● examine how different students if they have used an illicit substance, or otherwise put them in a
polling methods might lead compromising situation.
to different responses
● identify actual levels of teen
drug use in our society PREPARATION
● give reasons why scientific
■ Assemble tools
studies or surveys are ■ Hang three large sheets of paper on three walls of the room, each with
valuable ways to learn about one of the following statements: “Approve/Good Idea,” “Disapprove/Bad
what most people do Idea” and “Don’t Know.”
● distinguish that what
■ Place two different colored slips of paper (for example, one red and one
“most” people do may not blue) on each desk.
make news ■ Write the “Warm-Up” prompt on the board before students arrive
■ Scan today’s New York Times to familiarize yourself with articles that
TOOLS NEEDED students might choose for the Homework assignment. Identify any
example of a poll reported in a news article.
(one per student)
● Classroom chalk board VOCABULARY
● Colored paper in two colors, statistics, survey, poll, ebbing, overwhelmingly, marginally, significant,
such as yellow and blue attributed, reassessment, gauge.
● Three large sheets of paper
Times article “Use of Drugs WARM-UP
by Teenagers Declines Some, ■ In this initial activity, students will respond to two polls, one silent and
Report Says” from pages one public. The silent poll will involve students writing on pieces of
21-22 (one per student) paper and passing them forward. For the public poll, students will move
● Copies of Lesson 3 to three sides of the room, standing near the posters with statements that
Classroom Activity Sheet reflect their view on an issue.
(one per pair of students)
■ Upon entering class, direct students to respond to the following prompt,
written on the board prior to class:
● Do you approve of using marijuana?
(Approve, Disapprove or Don’t Know.)

● Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea to try marijuana at

HOMEWORK least once?
ASSIGNMENT (Good Idea, Bad Idea or Don’t Know.)
● Distribute copies of today’s
New York Times.
“On your desk are two slips of paper, one yellow, one blue, to be used as
● Distribute copies of
your ballots in a silent, anonymous poll. Do not write your names on the
Lesson 3 Newspaper
papers. On the yellow paper, answer this question: Do you approve of using
Activity Sheet. Review.
marijuana? Respond: Approve, Disapprove or Don’t Know. On the blue
Establish due date.
paper, answer this question: Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea to
try marijuana at least once? Respond: Good Idea, Bad Idea or Don’t Know.”
Collect the papers in two piles, one for each question.
EXTENSION
ACTIVITIES ■ Next, explain to students that they will be participating in a public poll.
Point out the posters hanging on the three walls of the room. Read the
● Have students make a chart first question on the board aloud, and ask students to move to the side of
in the form of an inverted the room that best reflects their views. Tally the results on the board, and
pyramid from the statistics allow the students to return to their seats. Then read the second question
they gather to show that aloud, and ask students again to move to the side that best reflects their
most young people do not views. Again tally the results, and allow the students to return to their seats.
use marijuana or have even
tried it. ■ Finally, tally the results of the silent poll and clearly show the results for
● For more recent surveys as each on the board next to the results of the public poll.
reported in “Use of Drugs
by Teen-Agers Declines
Some, Report Says” see DISCUSSION
the “Monitoring the ■ Are the results for each poll identical?
Future” study reports ■ Which poll was easier to respond to? Why?
online (http://www. ■ Was it easier or harder to come to an opinion when the responses were
monitoringthefuture.org). anonymous? Explain.
In addition, other surveys,
such as the “National SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
Household Survey on Drug “It’s easy to think that ‘everyone’ (all teens, anyway) considers marijuana
Abuse” from the Substance acceptable and that ‘everyone’ uses marijuana. We hear about people using it
Abuse and Mental Health all around us, and we often hear that it’s fun to smoke. These messages are
Services Administration reinforced in movies and music; kids talk in the hallways and in the lunch
(http://www.samhsa.gov/ room. To appear cool – to show that we are plugged in and know what’s up
oas/p0000016.htm) and – we may say we think it’s cool, and we may even imply that we use it, just
the “Youth Risk Behavior so we don’t appear uncool. But did you ever wonder if the people all around
Surveillance System” from you may be doing the same thing? What we say may not always match what
the Centers for Disease we feel or do. How do you really know if ‘everyone’s’ doing it?”

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
EXTENSION ■ Divide students into pairs.
ACTIVITIES ■ Give out one Lesson 3 Classroom Activity Sheet to each pair.
■ Have each group select a student to record answers on the activity sheet.
Control (http://www.cdc.gov/ ■ Ask pairs to complete Exercise A.
nccdphp/dash/yrbs/) also ■ After Exercise A has been completed, distribute copies of the New York
track drug use among teens Times article “Use of Drugs by Teenagers Declines Some, Report Says ”
and its consequences. Using from pages 21-22.
all available resources, ■ As a class, read the Times article.
including the Internet, ■ Direct students to complete Exercise B, using information in the article.
research the most current
source material available
and update the chart on the DISCUSSION
Classroom Activity Sheet, Ask students to respond to the following questions:
then write your own article
that summarizes the results. ■ How many students were surveyed in the study reported in the article?
■ What is the drug used most by teenagers?
■ How has drug use in general changed among teenagers, as reported in
the article?
■ How accurate were your team’s estimates in Exercise A?
■ Were you surprised by the results reported in the Times article? Why or
why not?
Guide the discussion to reinforce the value of a scientific survey like this to
find out what is real. A survey polls a large number of people and counts up
their answers. It aims to learn what is a fact by measuring something -- in
this case, the responses of many teens. The fact we learn is that most teens
do not use drugs.

LESSON 3
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
EXERCISE A: What percentage of American teenagers do you think use any illicit drug, marijuana
or inhalants, or drink alcohol, or smoke cigarettes? As a group, complete the following chart by
estimating the number of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students who you think have 1) ever tried the
substance in their lifetime, and 2) used it in the past month.
LIFETIME PAST MONTH

8th 10th 12th 8th 10th 12th
ANY ILLICIT DRUG
___________________________________________________________________________________
MARIJUANA
___________________________________________________________________________________
INHALANTS
___________________________________________________________________________________
ANY ALCOHOL
___________________________________________________________________________________
BEEN DRUNK
___________________________________________________________________________________
CIGARETTES
EXERCISE B: Now complete the same chart using information from the Times article, “Use of
Drugs by Teenagers Declines Some, Report Says.”
LIFETIME PAST MONTH

8th 10th 12th 8th 10th 12th
ANY ILLICIT DRUG
___________________________________________________________________________________
MARIJUANA
___________________________________________________________________________________
INHALANTS
___________________________________________________________________________________
ANY ALCOHOL
___________________________________________________________________________________
BEEN DRUNK
___________________________________________________________________________________
CIGARETTES

LESSON 3
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
S urveys are a way to add up information from many individuals to learn about the behavior of a
large group of people. Statistics are numbers that allow us to compare and analyze the results.
■ Scan The New York Times for an article about the behavior or opinions of a group of people, or
a trend, that uses statistics. It could have to do with politics, crime, health, employment or
other subjects. Answer the questions below.

1. What is the main idea of the story?_______________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the most important statistics given in the story?______________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
3. Would you say that the story reports on what involves MOST people? Why?______________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What statistics made this worthy of a news story?____________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. What are the sources of the information?___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 3
ARTICLE

LESSON 3
ARTICLE

MARIJUANA AND THE BRAIN: A SCIENCE LESSON
BACKGROUND NOTES
OBJECTIVES: ome parts of this article will likely be too difficult for middle school
WILL BE ABLE TO:
S or other students; they will find the stories of individuals at the
beginning and end of the article more accessible. You may want to
summarize the science lesson as follows:
When a person smokes marijuana, the active ingredient, THC, binds to

● describe how marijuana
specific sites on nerve cells throughout the brain and body called
affects the brain in general,
cannabinoid receptors. There are many different kinds of receptor sites in
and the memory in
nerve cells. Such sites are often compared to the locks into which
particular
neurotransmitters fit to complete a synapse. Cannabinoids from marijuana
● cite scientific research
seem to fit one type of lock, which then stimulates a series of reactions that
about the addictive
lead to the side effects affecting the brain.
potential of marijuana
● identify behavior associated
When the brain is overwhelmed with cannabinoids through marijuana use,
with marijuana dependency
these interfere with the uptake of endocannabinoids, and interrupt the
● identify from articles in
ability to remember.
The New York Times
successful adult roles that
Cannabinoids are the THC compounds released into the body through
would be incompatible
marijuana use. Cannabinoid receptors are the sites on cell membranes where
with drug use
cannabinoids bind, or stick.
TOOLS NEEDED Endocannabinoids are naturally occurring compounds in the body involved
in many body and brain functions. Endocannabinoids play an important
● Today’s New York Times role in a part of the brain involved in learning and memory. They are
(one copy per student) believed to strengthen the connections between nerve cells.
Times article “Marijuana’s PREPARATION
Effects: More Than ■ Assemble tools.
Munchies” from pages ■ Create a list of 12 unusual words to use in the “Warm-Up.” The words
28-30 (one per student) you select should be varied and unusual enough to make them
● Copies of Lesson 4 challenging for your students to remember. You can use words from the
Newspaper Activity Sheet Vocabulary section of this lesson or you may want to pull words from
(one per student) the list of “Obscure and Unusual Words”
● Copies of Lesson 4 (http://phrontistery.50megs.com/allwords.html).
Homework Assignment ■ Review the New York Times article “Marijuana’s Effects: More Than
Sheet (one per student) Munchies.”
■ Review the Background Notes.

VOCABULARY
HOMEWORK cannabis, cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, addiction, receptors, intoxicant,
ASSIGNMENT illicit, hippocampus, neurotransmitters, genetically, dopamine, pharmacology,
benign, lagged, drastic, dire, debilitating, intrigued, liberally, regulating,
● Give out copies of the abundance, mellow, leptin, satiety, obese, modified, contentious, derail,
Lesson 4 Homework insidious, extent, magnitude
Assignment Sheet. Review.
Set due date.
WARM-UP
Tell students that you will read a list of words that you want them to listen to,
and when prompted, to write down as many as they can remember. Before
EXTENSION reading the list, ask several students to stand in different places in the room.
ACTIVITIES Direct two to carry on a loud conversation, ask a couple of others to read
aloud from different books. Play the radio. Over this noise, read your list of
● Compare the 2001 statistics words, then direct students to write down as many as they can remember.
on marijuana use among After a few minutes, explain to the students that, like the disruptions,
students in the chart marijuana interferes with normal information transfer and memory.
“Marijuana Use Rising” at
the end of the “More Than SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
Munchies” article on pages “Marijuana makes a number of activities – including reading, learning,
28-30, with the statistics in sports, and any activity requiring strong reflexes, or physical and mental
the article on pages 21-22, energy – much more difficult. How marijuana acts on the brain is only
“Use of Drugs By Teen- beginning to be understood. In this lesson we’ll learn about the latest
Agers Declines Some, research that explains how marijuana affects memory and some other
Report Says,” which was functions of the brain and body. Then you’ll think about how people can be
written in 1998. Write an adversely affected in their jobs and lives by these effects.”
analysis of the trend in
marijuana use between 1998
READING ACTIVITY
and 2001 for each age
■ Give out copies of the New York Times article “Marijuana’s Effects: More
group. Use as a writing
Than Munchies” from pages 28-30.
model a News Analysis
from The New York Times. ■ As a class, read the article up to the sentence:
“People often fail to notice that a friend or neighbor has a marijuana
● Review the Fact Sheet, problem …” You may have to skip over some of the material in the
“Marijuana’s Health middle of the article, depending on the level of your students.
Effects,” on pages 74-75, in
the Appendix. Research ■ Clarify the terminology – cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and cannabinoid
one (or more) system(s) of receptors, as explained in the Background Notes, page 23. Make sure
the body – heart, lungs, students understand the differences between these terms and the gist of Dr.
immune system or Wilson’s research on memory and marijuana before continuing.

■ Discuss the following questions:

EXTENSION a. Why did Dawn say she started smoking marijuana? How old
ACTIVITIES was she?
b. How did marijuana affect her performance in school?
reproductive system – and
c. According to the article, what are endocannabinoids?
create a presentation poster
d. How does THC resemble endocannabinoids?
that explains how this
e. What has Dr. Rachel Wilson recently discovered about how
system works when healthy. endocannabinoids affect memory?
Indicate on your poster f. What percentage of people may become addicted to marijuana?
what effects marijuana can g. What particularly bad effects can marijuana use have on young
have on this part of the people? Why?
body, and any health risks
to this system attributed to ■ Ask students to give some of the qualities of addiction, from pages 6-7 in
the use of marijuana. Take Teacher Lesson Plan 1.
a picture of your poster and
submit it to your student
newspaper with a caption. DISCUSSION
Based on what you’ve learned from the article, do you think marijuana is
dangerous for young people? How might using marijuana have a long-term,
negative effect on a person’s life?
NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY
■ Distribute copies of today’s New York Times, one copy per student.
■ Ask students to scan their newspaper, looking for articles that describe
people at work in demanding jobs.
■ Direct students to complete the Lesson 4 Newspaper Activity Sheet.
RESOURCES
“How Do Nerve Cells Communicate?” the Society of Neuroscience
(http://www.sfn.org/content/Publications/BrainBackgrounders/
communication.htm).
“Neuroscience for Kids”

(http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)
“Mind Over Matter” (http://www.nida.nih.gov/MOM/MOMIndex.html),

a good teaching module for younger teens from the National Institute of
Drug Abuse.
“The Brain & the Actions of Cocaine, Opiates and Marijuana”

(http://www.drugabuse.gov/Teaching/Teaching.html)

LESSON 4
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT SHEET
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
IS MARIJUANA ADDICTIVE?
Finish reading the article “Marijuana’s Effects: More Than Munchies,” then
complete the questions using your own words to interpret the research
results described in the article.
1. According to Dr. Alan Budney, why don’t people always notice that someone has a problem
with marijuana?______________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Is marijuana addictive? Give the following to support your answer:

Two examples from scientists or scientific studies in the article___________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Two quotes from individuals expressing their opinion or observation______________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. List the problems Dawn and Mark have in their lives that would make you say they “have a
problem” with marijuana. Would you say they are “addicted” to marijuana? In your opinion, is
there a difference?
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
____________________________________ ____________________________________
4. Combine all of your answers above in an essay in the style of the Op-Ed page of The New
York Times.

LESSON 4
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
CONSIDER THE SOURCE
Scan the articles in today’s New York Times for words referring to
the jobs that people do. Examples might include political leader,
teacher, airline pilot, writer, professional athlete, doctor, judge, truck driver, pharmacist, ballet
dancer, scientist, parent. Choose one article, then answer the following questions:
Headline: ______________________________________ Date at top of page:____________

What job does the person in the article do?

A
Based on what you learned from the article, “Marijuana’s Effects: More Than Munchies,”
B what are some specific ways that marijuana use might affect the person(s) mentioned in this
article and what they are doing?
What might this individual say to a co-worker who expressed an interest in smoking marijuana?
C
If this person’s boss found out the person was smoking marijuana, do you think that he or she would
D lose his or her job? Bearing in mind that marijuana is illegal, what else might happen to them?

LESSON 4
ARTICLE

LESSON 4
ARTICLE

LESSON 4
ARTICLE

THE DANGERS OF SMOKING
TIME
OBJECTIVES: Allow more than one class period for completion of this lesson.
WILL BE ABLE TO:
PART 1 – CIGARETTES
● identify reasons why some VOCABULARY

teenagers might want to succumb, debilitating, chronic, endorsement, condemned, prominent, prevalence,
smoke cigarettes and others interventions
would not
● give specific examples of
the dangerous health effects PREPARATION
caused by smoking tobacco ■ Assemble tools.
and marijuana ■ Write the “Warm-Up” prompt on the board.
● describe addictive qualities
of cigarettes and marijuana
● identify some positive
WARM-UP
Direct students to fold a piece of paper lengthwise, and to label the left
and negative ways to
column “Why” and the right column “Why Not.” Then direct them to
communicate to peers about
respond to the following prompt written on the board:
the harmful effects of
drug use among teens
“WHY” – “List reasons why someone might smoke cigarettes.”
“WHY NOT” – “List reasons why people should not smoke cigarettes.”
After a few minutes, ask students to share their lists, recording student
TOOLS NEEDED responses on the board in the two columns.
PART ONE
■ Do students feel that any of the reasons for smoking are justifiable?
(one copy per student) ■ Why do people smoke if they know the dangers listed in the “Why
Not” column?
● Copies of The New York
Times article “An Old
READING ACTIVITY
Enemy, Smoking, Hangs
■ Distribute copies of the New York Times article “An Old Enemy,
Tough” from pages 36-38.
Smoking, Hangs Tough,” from pages 36-38.
■ As a class, read the Times article, then discuss the following questions:
Newspaper Activity Sheet
PART TWO a. Who is George Harrison and why did he die?
● Copies of Fact Sheet: b. How many Americans die or become disabled by tobacco smoke
Marijuana’s Health Effects, each year, according to the article?
pages 74-75 (one per c. How many long-term smokers will develop a debilitating disease?
student) What are some of these diseases?

d. How many teenagers start smoking each day?

TOOLS NEEDED e. What do tobacco companies get for their investment in movies?
f. What messages relating to tobacco use can be found in movies,
● Copies of Lesson 5 according to the article?
Classroom Activity Sheet g. What effect does smoking portrayed in movies have on middle
(one per group) school students?
● Poster board or large piece
h. What effect does starting to smoke at an early age have, according
of construction paper to one study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Society?
(minimum one per group)
● Markers, colored pencils
(enough for students DISCUSSION
to share) The article asks: “What will it take to persuade the 48 million Americans
● Tape or glue sticks, who still smoke to quit, and what will it take to keep the 3,000 teenagers
scissors (enough for who each day start smoking to resist this deadly addiction?”
students to share)
● Copies of The New York ■ What do you think it will take?
Times, as well as popular ■ How do you suggest trying to persuade teenagers not to start smoking?
teen, sports, and ■ What kind of information is most persuasive to teens?
entertainment magazines ■ How much money do you need to support a cigarette habit?
from which students can ■ Calculate the cost for a month or a year, then direct students to select
cut pictures (enough for items in advertisements in The Times that they could buy with money
students to share) not spent on cigarettes.
EXTENSION NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY

■ Distribute copies of today’s New York Times. (Note: the Tuesday Science
ACTIVITIES:
Times section often reports medical news, along with a regular column
● Watch the movie “The on health.)
Insider” and write a review ■ Distribute copies of Lesson 5 Newspaper Activity Sheet.
(in the style of a New York
Times movie review) that
explores some of the events PART 2 –MARIJUANA
leading up to the 1998
tobacco settlement. What PREPARATION
evidence did the tobacco ■ Assemble tools.
company withhold? How ■ Review the fact sheet: Marijuana’s Health Effects, pages 74-75.
was it uncovered? Were you
surprised by the outcome SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
of this movie? What did “While tobacco is certainly harmful to your health, scientists believe that
you learn about marijuana can be even worse for the lungs because users often inhale
investigative journalism unfiltered smoke deeply and hold it as long as possible. Marijuana

smoke contains some of the same ingredients in tobacco smoke that can
EXTENSION cause emphysema and cancer. Many marijuana users also smoke cigarettes;
ACTIVITIES: the combined effects of smoking these two substances create an increased
health risk.”
from this movie? Were
there any parts of this
movie that seemed
DISCUSSION
unbelievable? Explain.
■ Distribute copies of the Fact Sheet on pages 74-75: Marijuana’s Health Effects.
Review the Fact Sheet and draw attention to “Effects on the Lungs.”
● Visit Philip Morris
International’s Web site
■ How does smoking marijuana compare to smoking tobacco?
(http://www.pmintl.com/
■ Were you surprised by any of these facts?
corp_resp/ysp/anti-
■ Do any of these facts contradict popular messages you have received in
smoking.htm) and read
movies, songs or other popular media about the effects of marijuana?
about their anti-smoking
programs for television and
radio. Choose one of these
GROUP ACTIVITY
anti-smoking campaigns
■ Divide class into small groups of three or four.
and write an evaluation of
■ Explain to students that each group will create a full-page advertisement
the program from a
for The Times that conveys important basic information, pictures and
teenager’s perspective.
statistics to encourage their peers to resist marijuana.
Write in the style of a
■ Distribute Lesson 5 Classroom Activity Sheets.
Times Op-Ed essay; study
■ Distribute poster board.
examples before you write.
■ Direct students to begin development of their ads by completing the
“brainstorm lists.” Prompt students to discuss each question and
generate a brainstorm list following each one (allow approximately two
to three minutes per question).
■ Allow students to complete their ads, then display them in a hallway of
the school, lunch room, school library or the school’s counseling center.
Submit to the student newspaper for publication.
RESOURCES
“Healthy Lungs,” an article for teenagers by ForReal with links to graphic
images of smoking-diseased lungs
(http://www.forreal.org/know/healthylungs.asp)
“Trends in Tobacco Use,” a report by the Epidemiology and Statistics Unit

of the American Lung Association
(http://www.lungusa.org/data/smoke/smoke1.pdf)

LESSON 5
STUDENT NAME________________________________
elect an article from The New York Times that might help
S readers live a healthier and more satisfying life. Write a

paragraph that explains how someone might benefit from the
information in this article. Who is the article written for? Do you
think the information would be persuasive to such a reader? Why or
why not? How might the information in this article help you talk to someone about this topic?
(Note: the Science Times section, published Tuesdays, includes health reports.)


LESSON 5
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
As a group, you will create an informative advertisement to convey important basic information,
pictures and statistics to encourage your peers to resist marijuana.
BRAINSTORM A MESSAGE: BRAINSTORM ABOUT INFLUENTIAL IMAGES:
Begin by reviewing the Fact Sheet: Marijuana’s What are some activities that teens like to do?
Health Effects. Choose one or more facts on this _______________________________________
sheet that you think would be worth conveying to _______________________________________
other teenagers. _______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________ What are some images or activities that seem
_______________________________________ especially scary to teenagers? _________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
_______________________________________ _______________________________________
_______________________________________
Do any of these facts contradict popular messages
you have received in movies, songs or other What movies, television shows, songs or comedy
popular media about the effects of marijuana? routines do teens like? _____________________
What would a more factual message be? _______________________________________
______________________________________ _______________________________________
______________________________________ _______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________ Who are some of the musicians, actors, comedians
______________________________________ and athletes you think are influential to other teens?
______________________________________ _______________________________________
______________________________________ _______________________________________
COMBINE A MESSAGE AND AN IMAGE: Look over your “brainstorm lists” and develop an
advertisement using words and images that you think would be persuasive to other teenagers. Use
markers, colored pencils and/or images from popular magazines to illustrate the message. Study
ads in The Times and other media as models.

LESSON 5
ARTICLE

LESSON 5
ARTICLE

LESSON 5
ARTICLE

DEVELOPING REFUSAL SKILLS
PREPARATION
OBJECTIVES: ■ Assemble tools.
■ Create a poster titled Basic Rules of Engagement, as below.
BASIC RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
WILL BE ABLE TO:
Always respect the opinions of others.
Don’t put people down.
● articulate in a socially
Respect the privacy of others.
skillful manner their refusal
Let others finish without interruption.
to do something that makes
them feel uncomfortable
■ Create a poster titled Refusal Skills, as below.
● describe some successful
strategies for resisting
REFUSAL SKILLS
peer pressure
Find your own way to say that you choose not to do it.
● identify the behaviors and
Be willing to discuss why you feel that way.
ideas of people who
Be willing to listen to a different point of view.
adhere to their own beliefs
Make it clear that if your friend does it, you don’t hold it against him
and principles
or her.
Use your sense of humor.
TOOLS NEEDED ■ Create a poster titled Goals to Remember, as below.
● Today’s New York Times GOALS TO REMEMBER

(one copy per student) Keep your friends, even if you keep your distance from what they do.
Stay out of trouble.
● Student journals
Stay in control.
● Copies of “Refusal Skills”
(one per student) from
page 42. WARM-UP
● Poster board or large pieces
Direct the students to write in their journals short responses to the four
of paper for “Basic Rules of questions below. Read aloud:
Engagement” and “Refusal
Skills” posters. “Think of a time when someone wanted you to do something that you didn’t
● Six index cards or slips of
want to do because it was illegal, unsafe, against school or family rules, or that
paper with “Refusal Skill in some other way did not feel right to you. Perhaps you were in a group of
Role Plays,” from page 43. people who started doing things that made you feel uncomfortable.”
Homework Assignment ■ What was the situation?
Sheet (one per student) ■ How did you feel?
■ What did you want to say to them?
■ If you were able to replay that time, what would you say to them?


HOMEWORK “Learning to say no to someone we like is not easy. It brings up a lot of
ASSIGNMENT conflicting feelings. When friends ask us to do something that feels wrong,
we not only feel uncomfortable about doing whatever we have been asked
● Give out copies of today’s to do, but we may also feel uneasy about losing respect, losing popularity,
New York Times. perhaps even losing friendship. Today we’re going to practice learning to
say no gracefully – without losing respect or friendship.”
● Give out copies of Lesson 6
Newspaper Activity Sheet.
CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
● In this homework
■ Give out copies of “Refusal Skills” from page 42.
assignment, students will
■ Explain to students that they will first be learning some essential skills –
be looking in The Times
things to say as well as ways to think clearly – to use when someone asks
for examples of people who
them to do something they do not want to do.
stand up for their own
beliefs and principles.
1. Begin by reviewing the posted “Basic Rules of Engagement.”
Explain to students that
2. Next, introduce the Refusal Skills below, by explaining that ways to
learning to refuse to do
say no gracefully can be learned. In parentheses are examples of
something often means
how teens might refuse with responses appropriate to their peer
having the confidence to
group. Introduce this scenario: A new friend – someone you would
stand up for what you
believe in. like to get to know better – has asked you to come over after
school to smoke weed, and you don’t want to.
● Find your own way to say that you choose not to do it.
(“That’s not my thing … I’m not into that … I don’t smoke,
thanks … I’m just not OK with it … I would just feel weird.”)
● Be willing to discuss why you feel that way.

(“A lot of bad things can happen …. I can’t afford to mess up …
it is illegal and I don’t want to get hassled … that’s not how I want
to spend my money … I don’t put bad things into my body …
We’ll both get in trouble if we get caught.”)
● Be willing to listen to a different point of view

(“I hear what you’re saying … I can respect how you feel ...”)
● Make it clear that if your friend does it, you don’t hold it against
him or her.
(“You decide for yourself; I just don’t want to do it … I just
don’t think it’s right, but if you do, that’s your call.”)

● Use your sense of humor.

(“It would make me too crazy, and I’m crazy enough already without
it … If I got high I would be stuck at the lowest level of Nintendo …”)
Practicing these skills will help you act from a position of strength and
confidence.
3. Refusal Skills role play: divide the class into groups of three to five
students. Place the slips of paper with the “Refusal Skills Role
Plays” face down on a desk and mix them up. Have each group
choose one at random. Direct them to create dialogue and take on
parts to act out. Remind them to adapt the refusal skills to fit the
situation, and to follow the Basic Rules of Engagement. Encourage
the students to be creative and use their sense of humor. After a
few minutes of preparation, have the groups role play for the class.
DISCUSSION
After the role playing, ask students to respond to the following questions:
■ If you were really in one of the situations described in these role plays,
what do you think would be the hardest thing to do?
■ How do you think these role plays would help you in a similar real-
life situation?
RESOURCES
Theantidrug.com offers a selection of articles for parents and teachers
describing ways to approach anti-drug role play and other tips for helping
students deal with peer pressure
(http://www.theantidrug.com/advice/articles_roleplay.html)
(http://www.theantidrug.com/advice/tips_peer.html).
“DOC” (Doctors Ought to Care) offers anti-smoking resources for youth,

teachers and parents, including an online refusal skills program, “Learning
to Say No”
(http://www.kickbutt.org/youth/factguide/40.html)

LESSON 6
REFUSAL SKILLS
BASIC RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
■ Always show respect to other people.

■ Don’t use put-downs.
■ Respect other people’s privacy.
■ Let others finish without interrupting.
REFUSAL SKILLS
■ Find your own way to say that you choose not to do it.
■ Be willing to discuss why you feel that way.
■ Be willing to listen to a different point of view.
■ Make it clear that if your friend does it, you don’t hold it against him or her.
■ Use your sense of humor.
What to do when someone keeps pushing you

● Make eye contact.
● Explain your reasons for not doing what’s been asked.
● Say “Listen to me.”
● Pause to see if the person is listening.
● If a friend still won’t listen, leave and say “I’ll see you later.”
Remember
● You can disapprove of what someone does without rejecting the whole person.
● Disagreeing with others does not mean they will stop liking you.

LESSON 6
REFUSAL SKILLS ROLE PLAYS
■ Cut out the following statements: (printed in boxes)
ROLE PLAY #1
Before a science test, a friend asks you to place your test paper where she can look at it during the test. You
don’t want your friend to flunk, but you also don’t want to get caught cheating and you don’t think it’s fair.
ROLE PLAY #2
You and a friend have gone to a movie across town, but you didn’t tell your parents. Another friend said he
would pick you up but never showed. Your friend wants you to hitchhike home with him. You’ve never
hitchhiked before, and don’t think it’s a good idea.
ROLE PLAY #3
You and a couple of friends are watching TV one Friday night and you catch the beginning of the Tonight
Show with Jay Leno. During the monologue, Jay and his band-leader crack some jokes about marijuana.
Your friends laugh and make comments about marijuana being cool, and one pulls out a joint and suggests
going outside to smoke it. You don’t want to and they want to know what’s wrong with you.
ROLE PLAY #4
At the park, a friend’s older brother and a couple of his friends come over and hang out with you and your
friend. The brother takes out a pack of cigarettes and offers one to each of you. You have never smoked and
you know your friend doesn’t smoke either, but she takes one. You don’t want to, but you also don’t want to
embarrass yourself or your friend by not acting cool.
ROLE PLAY #5
A friend invites you to his house after school when his parents aren’t home. Another friend and his girlfriend
stop by and invite you both to smoke some weed. Your friend hesitates, but then says okay. You don’t smoke,
and you told your parents you wouldn’t. You can feel the friend’s girlfriend watching for your reaction, and
you don’t want her to think you’re afraid of smoking marijuana.
ROLE PLAY #6
You are invited to a party and have agreed with your parents that a friend will drive you home at a certain
time. The party is fun and you lose track of the time. You remember at the exact time you agreed to be
home, so you will be late, and you are in a hurry to leave. You round up your friend, and as you are about to
pull out of the driveway, he starts to laugh and tells you he is really high.

LESSON 6
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Scan today’s New York Times and look for an article about people sticking to or upholding their
own beliefs or principles. Select one article and answer the following questions:
Headline: ____________________________________ Date at top of page:_______________

Byline (author of article) _________________________________________________________
1. Who in the article is sticking to a belief or principle?__________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
2. What belief or principle is this person or group sticking to? __________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
3. How is this principle or belief challenged? _________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. How has this person or group faced the opposition? __________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5. Do you admire this person or group? Why or why not? _______________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
6. Write a letter to the editor expressing your views about this article, using your answers to
questions 1-5. Study letters to The Times as models for your letter.

DRUGGED DRIVING
PREPARATION
OBJECTIVES: ■ Assemble tools.
■ Review the Fact Sheet: Drugged Driving, page 76
WILL BE ABLE TO:
VOCABULARY
rife, enforcement, proportion, legislation, profile, counseling, momentum
● give examples of laws that
are meant to deter
dangerous behavior
WARM-UP
● persuasively argue why
Distribute today’s New York Times, one per student. Direct students to
drinking or using drugs
look through The Times for examples of laws that are intended to keep
can impair judgment in
people from hurting themselves or others. Ask students to state what law is
driving or other situations
involved, what it is intended to prevent and how effective they think it is,
● write a plan of action to
based on facts from news articles.
avoid being put in a
position of having to ride
Ask:
in a car with someone
■ What might happen without this law?
who has been drinking
■ How do you balance the attitude “It’s a free country, I can do what I
or using drugs
want” with making laws so people will be responsible?
TOOLS NEEDED DISCUSSION

Distribute copies of the Fact Sheet: Drugged Driving, page 76.
(one copy per student) SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers in
● Copies of The New York
this country, accounting for 38 percent of all deaths among those 15 to 19
Times article, “Teenagers years old. And one quarter of the teens killed in those crashes had been
Favor Curbs, But Drinking drinking heavily.”
Remains Rife” from
page 50 (one per student) ■ What are some reasons that might account for these facts?
● Copies of Fact Sheet,
■ Is it fair to say that teenagers are more impulsive and take greater risks?
page 76: Drugged Driving ■ Based on the information on this sheet, how do you think smoking
(one per student) marijuana could impair a person’s ability to drive?
■ Were you surprised by any of these facts?
Homework Assignment ■ How do some of these facts contradict popular messages in movies,
Sheet (one per student) advertisements or music that glamorize marijuana or other drugs?
READING ACTIVITY
■ Distribute copies of the New York Times article “Teenagers Favor

DRUGGED DRIVING
Curbs, But Drinking Remains Rife,” from page 50.

HOMEWORK ■ Direct students in small groups to read the Times article, then discuss the
ASSIGNMENT following questions in their small groups:
● Distribute copies of Lesson 7
a. According to the survey, what percentage of students favored keeping
Homework Assignment
the legal drinking age? What percentage favored raising it?
Sheet.
b. How did the survey numbers for teenagers compare to those for adults?
c. Why does Ralph Hingson of Boston University’s School of Public
Health say teenagers support strict enforcement of drinking laws? Do
you agree with him? Why or why not?
d. Why do you think Mr. Hingson says “a majority of high school
seniors drink, but only a small proportion are drinking heavily”?
e. According to the article, how many traffic deaths among teenagers in
1999 were associated with drinking laws?
f. How did raising the drinking age affect the number of alcohol-related
traffic deaths among people 15 to 20 years old?
g. According to the survey, what penalties had the most influence on
persuading teenagers not to drink? Survey your group: are these
penalties effective? Why or why not?
Have each group prepare a role play portraying parents and teens discussing
an action plan for avoiding drinking situations. As each group presents, other
class members take notes. Write up the role plays as a news report for the
student newspaper.
RESOURCES
The Impaired Driving Division of the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration provides articles and links describing drunk-driving laws,
effective ways to implement a community-based designated-driver program,
and guides for reducing underage drinking
(http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/alcohol/)
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers addresses the challenges faced by all the high-
school students who won’t be drinking this weekend (more than half ).
(http://www.madd.org/under21/0,1056,1107,00.html)

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
TOOLS NEEDED SET UP AN EXPERIENCE TO SIMULATE
● One pair of inexpensive

1 IMPAIRED DRIVING.
sunglasses PREPARATION
● Two ankle weights ■ Blur the outside of a pair of sunglasses using petroleum jelly or paste.
● Petroleum jelly or paste ■ Create an obstacle course in your classroom using gymnasium cones
● Masking tape and/or desks and chairs. Mark off the route of this course, which
should include a straight-lined section as well, using masking tape.
■ Create three identical “instrument panels” on a piece of cardboard by
drawing three different circles, and numbering them 1, 2 and 3.
Invite a volunteer to attach an ankle weight to one leg and another to the
opposite wrist, to put on the blurred glasses, and then try to follow the
obstacle course. Before this “driver” begins, ask three other volunteers to
hold an “instrument panel” at three prominent places along the course
(for example, at the beginning, in the middle and at the end), holding the
panels within easy reach of the volunteer navigating the course. While
navigating the course, the “driver” must pause at each “instrument panel”
and “operate” the controls by pressing button #1 at the first stop, button
#2 at the second stop, and button #3 at the third stop.
Explain to students that the blurred glasses and the weights are meant to
simulate the effects of alcohol on a person’s vision and equilibrium while
operating a car. After one or more volunteers have had an opportunity to
navigate the course, ask students to respond to the following questions:
■ How did the glasses and the weights affect the way the volunteer
“drivers” were able to maneuver their way around the obstacle course?
■ What kind of difficulty did the “drivers” appear to have in “operating”
the “instrument panel”?
■ How is this simulation helpful in deterring someone from driving
under the influence of alcohol?
■ Do you think it would prevent you from getting in a car driven by
someone under the influence of alcohol? Why or why not?
CONDUCT A “FISHBOWL” DISCUSSION:

2
■ Explain to the class that they will be participating in a “fishbowl”
discussion on Drinking, Taking Drugs and Driving.

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
■ First, ask students to number off one to five, and keep a list on the
board of all “1’s,” “2’s,” “3’s,” “4’s,” and “5’s.”
■ Explain the rules of a fishbowl discussion and make sure that students
understand them before proceeding.
■ Familiarize yourself with the scope of questions to be asked and take an
active role steering the discussion to the question at hand.
Fishbowl discussion rules: All the “1’s” sit facing one another in the center
of a circle created by the rest of the students. The students in the center
are the only ones allowed to speak. If a student from the outer circle
wants to add to the discussion, he or she moves to the center of the circle,
taps a non-speaking participant to indicate that he or she should resume a
place in the outer circle, and takes that student’s place as the new person
in the discussion. This person becomes a “1,” and the departing student
adopts the assigned number of the student entering the circle. After
discussing the first question, all the “2’s” switch places with the “1’s,” the
second question will be posed, and the same fishbowl procedure occurs.
The topic questions will change enough times so that all students have an
opportunity to be in the center of the discussion at least once.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
■ What are some attractions for teenagers to drinking?

■ What are some of the dangers of teen drinking and of alcohol abuse in
general? If teenagers knew about these dangers, would they be less
inclined to drink? Why or why not?
■ What are situations other than driving that require you to be totally
alert? How would being high on alcohol or marijuana make you
vulnerable in such situations?

LESSON 7
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Due Date ____________________________________________
DRUGGED DRIVING
magine you have been invited to a party at CHOICE #2:
I a friend’s house. You are not expected

home for several hours when a friend’s
older sibling invites you and a couple of others
What I would say:____________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
to go for a drive. You think it would be fun, Possible outcome:____________________
and hop in the car. After you are a long __________________________________
distance from the party, the driver lights up a __________________________________
joint and starts passing it around.
CHOICE #3:
1. How do you feel about being in a car with a What I would say:____________________
driver who is getting high?_____________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ Possible outcome:____________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________
2. What are three choices you can make in this 4. What are some actions you can take now,
situation? What would you say to the driver or people you can go to for guidance, to
and other passengers in each case? What are help you avoid being put in this position in
the possible outcomes? the future? _________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
CHOICE #1: __________________________________
What I would say: ___________________
__________________________________ 5. Write a headline for a news report about the
__________________________________ situation described above. Use as your model
Possible outcome:____________________ the headlines on the front page of The Times.
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________

LESSON 7
ARTICLE

DRUGS AND CRIME
OBJECTIVES: PREPARATION
■ Scan The Times for articles about drugs and crime in today’s Times and
AT THE CONCLUSION OF papers from previous days.
THIS LESSON, STUDENTS ■ Assemble tools.
WILL BE ABLE TO: ■ Review the New York Times article on page 54: “Mexican Cartel
● give some specific Survives Losses, Official Says.”
examples of violence and ■ Write definitions of user/addicts and drug traffickers on the board
criminal activity frequently as follows:
associated with drug ● User/addicts buy or steal for their drug habit
trafficking ● Drug traffickers earn money pushing/selling large quantities of drugs.
● write a persuasive essay
about whether an individual
has a moral connection to WARM-UP
violence, even far away, Explain the distinction between user/addicts and drug traffickers.
when the individual uses or
buys drugs Briefly review definitions of “user/addicts” and “drug traffickers.”
● identify persuasive writing
and the elements that make ■ Divide class into small groups.
it effective ■ Direct students to search today’s Times and past papers for articles
about drugs and crime. Each student will select one article and review
for facts about user/addicts and drug traffickers.
TOOLS NEEDED ■ Distribute a copy of today’s Times to each student and some past copies
● Copies of today’s New York to specific students in each small group.
Times (one per student) ■ Allow time; circulate to guide students.
● Several copies of The Times (Note: it is helpful to use any articles on this topic that students have collected
from previous days. from previous copies of The Times. Classroom collections can be added to
● Articles linking drugs and posters, to bulletin boards or kept in a class clippings file.)
criminal activity that you
have collected from The
New York Times and DISCUSSION
other sources
● Copies of the New York ASK:
Times article “Mexican ■ What did you find out about user/addicts and drug traffickers?
Cartel Survives Losses, ■ What laws did they break?
Official Says” from ■ What are the reported consequences?
page 54 (one per student)
● Copies of Lesson 8 SAY TO YOUR STUDENTS:
Homework Assignment “User/addicts may or may not commit petty crimes; these people should
Sheet be offered rehabilitation and treatment. They may be people in our
● Student journals community. Drug traffickers are people who deal in large amounts

DRUGS AND CRIME
of drugs for profit, may commit grave crimes against innocent people in
HOMEWORK
the process, and punishments under the law are much harsher. Drug
ASSIGNMENT
traffickers may be linked to people in our community through steps in an
international distribution process.”
● Distribute copies of today’s
New York Times.
“Drugs do not just appear in our neighborhoods. Drugs such as
● Direct students to the
marijuana, methamphetamine, and narcotic pain killers are illegally
Op-Ed page of The Times.
bought and sold by drug traffickers with ties that often extend far beyond
Explain that this page
the local community. As we will learn, these big-business operations often
consists of opinions by the
go together with a variety of criminal activities and violent actions against
writers. The homework
each other and innocent people.”
assignment gives students
an opportunity to express
their opinions. Use the
Op-Ed page as a model. READING AND WRITING ACTIVITY
Submit the best pieces of Distribute copies of the New York Times article “Mexican Cartel Survives
writing to your student Losses, Official Says” from page 54.
newspaper or post on a
school bulletin board. As a class, read the article. Then discuss the following questions:
■ How does this drug gang resemble a legitimate business? How is

it different?
■ How many people do the authorities think have been killed by
members of this gang?
■ Why does the gang kill people in the course of doing its business?
■ What are some things the Mexican government has to do to try and
stop the gang?
■ Why do people deal in drugs even though it is so dangerous?
■ How does the association of marijuana and cocaine with the violence
mentioned in the article affect your attitude about these drugs?
VOCABULARY
cartel, smuggling, distributors, attorney general, prosecutor, money-laundering,
enforcer

LESSON 8
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Due Date ______________________________________
PERSUASIVE ESSAYS
Choose a persuasive essay from the Op-Ed page that expresses a point of
A view with which you agree.
Headline: ____________________________________ Date at top of page:_______________

Byline (author of article) _________________________________________________________
What is the argument made in the essay? ___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
What are the two sides of the issue in the essay? ______________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Identify the sentences or words that persuade you to agree with the writer. _________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
Now, prepare your own persuasive essay in the style of the Op-Ed page. State your opinion
B on the topic:
■ “If I buy or use illegal drugs, I am (or am not) personally connected to violence against
innocent people.”
■ Support your opinion with facts from news articles and opinions of specific individuals
(by name).

LESSON 8
ARTICLE

MARIJUANA IN THE MEDIA – PART 1
■ Assemble tools.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF ■ Write the following on the blackboard:
WILL BE ABLE TO: POPULAR CULTURE means all the knowledge, values, beliefs, customs
● define the terms “popular and behaviors that are currently in style with a group of people, like
culture” and “youth culture” Americans or youth.
● discuss how the media
purvey popular culture ■ Scan today’s New York Times and note ads that promote the
● identify examples of following ideals of popular culture. (Hint: be sure to check the ads
popular culture for movies):
communicated by articles
and advertisements in the ● Patriotism
Arts section of The New ● Helping others
York Times. ● Adventure
● interview a peer and a ● Fun
parent about the influence ● Power
that humorous media ● Success
messages about marijuana ● Making money
use have on teens. ● Consumption (buying/having things)
● Love
● Beauty
TOOLS NEEDED
(one copy per student) VOCABULARY
● Classroom chalk board. popular culture, youth culture
Newspaper Activity Sheet
(one copy per two students) WARM-UP
Homework Assignment SAY TO YOUR STUDENTS:
Sheet: Media Influence “Today we’re going to discuss the concept of popular culture, the kinds of
Interviews (one per student) messages that our popular culture gives us about marijuana use, and the
● Scissors (enough for influence these messages have on young people like you.”
students to share)
Refer to the blackboard and review the meaning of popular culture with
the students.

“Popular culture covers all people, young and old, but let’s think of
some examples of the knowledge, values, beliefs, customs and

behavior that are popular with students and are an important

HOMEWORK
part of your lives.” Ask them specifically:
ASSIGNMENT
● Tell the students that the ● What do you value?
class is going to do some ● What do you like to do?
interview research to find ● What do you believe?
out if people believe that
messages in movies and on Start the students off with the word “independence” – they want to be
TV about marijuana are independent and not rely on their parents as they did when they were
influencing young people little. The students may give you a list that includes such other words as:
to smoke pot. cars, fun, sports, music, popularity and being cool. List these on the board
● Give each student a copy of and label them “Youth Culture.”
the Lesson 9 Homework
Assignment Sheet: Media Next, ask the students:
Influence Interviews. ● How do you know which of these things are important?
● Review the homework ● Where do you get your ideas about what clothes are in style and
assignment. what things are cool to do?
● Review interview ● Do these ideas change very often?
instructions with the
students and emphasize This discussion should lead to an identification of the media, including
that they have to ask the music, movies, magazines, television, newspapers and the Internet, as one
question and write down place where youth get messages and ideas about their culture. It should
the answers of the people also lead to an understanding that the values of popular and youth culture
they are interviewing. They are not static, but often change frequently and rapidly.
are not supposed to give
the sheet to someone to fill Turn the discussion to advertising as a way that values of popular culture
in the answers. are conveyed.
● Assign a due date and have
them write it at the top of
the page. NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY
Students will work in pairs for the rest of this activity.
(Note: Lesson 10 uses the ■ Distribute a copy of today’s New York Times to each student.
completed homework ■ Distribute a copy of the Lesson 9 Newspaper Activity Sheet to
assignment.) each pair of students.
■ Review the steps on the Lesson 9 Newspaper Activity Sheet with
the class, making sure students understand what they are supposed
to do and answering any questions.
■ Direct students to specific ads and discuss any of the following
messages in the ads.
● Patriotism (ads for the Army or Navy and ads for military movies)
● Adventure (4X4 automobile ads and Mountain Dew ads)

● Helping others (ads for the Red Cross or Big Brothers)

● Fun (beer ads)
● Success (ads that show successful people using cell phones
and computers)
● Making money (ads for stock brokers like Merrill Lynch)
● Consumption (ads that show people shopping or buying)
● Love (toothpaste or shampoo ads that show two people embracing)
● Beauty (perfume or clothing ads that show beautiful men
and women)
Allow about 20 minutes for completion of the assignment.
Conclude the activity with a discussion of the values of popular culture

they found in articles and advertisements.

LESSON 9
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Use the Arts section of The New York Times for this activity. Look at headlines of articles and read
the first few paragraphs of some articles. Look at the advertisements in this section. When you have
finished, answer the following questions about what you observed.
1
Using the definition of popular culture that is on the blackboard and remembering the
discussion in class you just had about popular culture, state one message about our culture
that you see often in the Arts section, either in ads or in articles.
2
Was the message about adult culture, youth culture or both?
3
How many ads did you find that communicate that same message?
4
What words, pictures or symbols in the ads communicate this cultural message?
5
Pick one ad and tell what cultural idea, value, belief or behavior (not product) the ad is
selling you. Please attach your ad to this assignment sheet before handing it in.

LESSON 9
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Due Date ____________________________________________
MEDIA INFLUENCE INTERVIEWS
■ Choose a young person about your age and an adult. They can be family
members or friends. Do not write down their names.
■ Interview each person separately. Ask the following question using exactly these words:
“If a young person sees jokes or other references on TV or in the movies about marijuana being fun, do
you think that will or will not influence the person to use marijuana? Why or why not?”
■ YOU must write down each person’s answer below. DO NOT give them the page and let them
write their answers.
FRIEND/YOUTH ______ Will influence _______Will not influence
Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
ADULT ______ Will influence _______Will not influence
Why or why not?

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

MARIJUANA IN THE MEDIA: PART 2
■ Check students’ completion of Marijuana in the Media: Part 1, from
AT THE CONCLUSION OF Lesson 9, including Homework Assignment Sheet.
THIS LESSON, STUDENTS ■ Scan recent copies of The Times for reports of polls or surveys.
WILL BE ABLE TO:
● examine the messages about
marijuana, especially WARM-UP
humorous ones, being Ask the students to report on what they heard from the people they
communicated by popular interviewed in the Lesson 9 Homework Assignment. Ask for a show of
culture through the media hands and write on the board: 1) number of adults that said influence/not
● compare and contrast these influence and 2) number of youth that said influence/not influence, and
humorous messages about write the numbers (research data) on the board. Conduct a discussion
marijuana with the facts about the differences (if any) in the numbers between adults and youth
about marijuana use. and ask the students why they think they got these results from their
research. Students should hand in their interview sheets after the
discussion. Compile results of the survey for use in a class news report.
Note: be sure to inform readers of your news report that this was an
TOOLS NEEDED “informal” survey.
(one copy per student)
● Classroom blackboard
DISCUSSION
Ask the students if they have ever seen any advertisements for marijuana
● Completed Lesson 9
Homework Assignment in the media.
Sheet: Media Influence
Interviews Once you have established that because marijuana is an illegal substance it
cannot be advertised, tell the students that even thought there is no
advertising for marijuana, we do get messages about marijuana from the
media, and conduct a discussion about the kinds of messages that we get.
ASK: What are the messages?
Write on the board responses such as:

● Marijuana is bad
● Marijuana is no big deal
● Marijuana is fun
● Marijuana is cool
● People are funny when they smoke marijuana
● Using marijuana can get you in trouble
● Using marijuana helps you have fun
● Using marijuana helps you relax
● Marijuana makes you stupid

Use the following questions to elicit responses from the students and list
on the board all the different messages about marijuana that you get.
■ What are some examples of marijuana use in movies you have seen?
What about music? Music videos? Television? The Internet?
■ What messages about marijuana did these examples communicate to

you? (If the students focus on the “marijuana is bad” message, which
they might because they think that is the answer you want,
encourage them to talk about the other kinds of messages they get
about marijuana, like smoking marijuana is fun or cool, or people are
funny when they smoke marijuana.)
■ Do you ever watch The Tonight Show with Jay Leno? During his
monologue at the beginning, Leno and his band director, Kevin
Eubanks, sometimes joke about marijuana and even do funny skits
about it. What kind of message does that give people about marijuana?
■ Students who watch television shows like Sex and the City, The
Sopranos and Six Feet Under will frequently see marijuana being
used as a harmless social drug. What kind of message does that
give people?
■ Summarize the discussion by examining whether the messages that

are written on the board are true or false.
■ Tell the students that this is a good example of the fact that popular
culture doesn’t always give us messages that are good or correct. For
example, many movies and ads make smoking cigarettes look healthy
and cool, but we know that message is not the truth.
Next ask the students the following discussion questions:
■ If the media communicate the message that smoking marijuana is

fun and marijuana is a subject for humor and jokes, how does that
compare with what you know about marijuana? (If students have
not already done so, they should review the fact sheet on pages 74-75
about Marijuana’s Health Effects.)
■ Do you think this kind of message influences young people like

you to smoke marijuana because they think it’s fun and harmless?

■ When our popular culture tends to make a joke of marijuana and

makes it seems like lots of people are using it, is it hard for you to
believe that using marijuana is unhealthy and can have serious
consequences?
■ What can you do when you see or hear a message that makes using
marijuana look like fun when you know it’s not good to do it?
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Write up the results of the class survey as a news report for the
student newspaper. Use as models for writing examples of poll or
survey reports in The New York Times. Note the sources of statistics
in these articles.
2. Write an editorial based on the facts reported in the student survey.

Study Times editorials as models for your writing. Submit the best
editorial with the survey news article to the student newspaper.

ANTI-MARIJUANA ADS FOR TEENS
■ Assemble tools.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF ■ Refer to Teacher Lesson Plan 9 for learning to detect values, lifestyles and
THIS LESSON, STUDENTS messages in popular culture.
WILL BE ABLE TO: ■ Write key concepts on the board
● identify elements of ● Target Audience
advertising structure and ● Headline
content ● Body Copy
● analyze and critique an ● Layout
anti-drug ad aimed at ● Place
teenagers ● Props
● create an anti-drug ad ● Posture
aimed at teenagers ● Photography
● communicate anti-drug ● Story
information to a parent, ● Values
guardian or other adult ● Lifestyle
● Message

TOOLS NEEDED “We’re going to talk about using advertising as a way to promote drug
prevention, and explore different ways an advertisement can
(one copy per student) communicate a ‘message.’ Advertising messages give you information,
● Classroom blackboard
but they also play on your emotions. Obviously, their goal is to make
● Copies of “YOU ARE
you want to buy a particular product or adopt a particular idea.
HERE” ad on page 67 Advertisers do this very well with words, pictures and music. We’ll
(one per student) explore some advertising methods so we can create ads to make young
● Copies of Lesson 11 people want to avoid marijuana.”
Classroom Activity Sheet:
Creating An Anti-Marijuana
Ad for Teens (one per NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY
student) Distribute copies of today’s New York Times to each student. Ask students
● Copies of Lesson 11 to choose some advertisements that appeal to them, and discuss the
Homework Assignment: following questions:
Anonymous Parent/
Guardian Interview ■ What is the headline on the ad?
■ What is the body copy?
■ Who is the audience for this ad – who is it aimed at?
■ How does the art in the ad use “the four P’s”?
● Place – setting
● Props – objects
● Posture – how the models(s) are posed

ANTI-MARIJUANA ADS FOR TEENS
● Photography – techniques such as focus, camera angle, use of

HOMEWORK
color, etc.
ASSIGNMENT
■ What is the story being told in the ad? (Elicit not just events, but
● Distribute copies of Lesson emotions.)
11 Homework Assignment: ■ What values are being expressed in the ad?
Anonymous Parent/ ■ What lifestyle is being shown in the ad?
Guardian Interviews. ■ What is the message of this ad?
Instruct students not to put ■ How is this ad persuasive or not persuasive to you?
any names on it, either
their own or those of their Now distribute copies of the “YOU ARE HERE” ad from page 67 and go
parent or guardian. through the same questions as above. Explain that this is an ad from the
● Explain that they should Office of National Drug Control Policy.
ask for and write down the
adult’s responses, but that if
some people are not DISCUSSION
comfortable giving a Explore further the degree to which students find the “YOU ARE HERE”
response they need not do ad persuasive.
so. Set a due date. The
adults’ responses will be ● Does the scene shown in this ad seem believable to you?
used in Lesson 12. ● Do you think that teenagers would pay attention to this ad?
● Bear in mind that there ● Would they do anything differently after seeing this ad?
may be family situations in
which the adults do not
wish to respond to the CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
interview questions. Distribute copies of the Lesson 11 Classroom Activity Sheet. Direct
students to review the information about marijuana that they have learned
during this unit and pick a theme that they find particularly persuasive in
order to create an anti-marijuana ad for people their own age.
Students may complete their ads as homework if necessary. Set a due date.
Explain to students that they will be showing the ad to their parent,
guardian or other adult, as well as to other students in the class.

LESSON 11
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Due Date ____________________________________________
CREATING AN ANTI-MARIJUANA AD FOR TEENS
n a separate sheet of paper, create an anti-marijuana ad for people your
O age that could appear in a newspaper or magazine. You can use pictures
you draw, clip from The New York Times or other publications, or find
on the Internet or in other sources.
Use these questions as a guide to creating your ad:
What anti-drug “message” would you like to communicate to other teens about marijuana use?
1 _________________________________________________________________________
What is your story?___________________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________________________________
What is your headline?________________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________________________________
What is your body copy?_______________________________________________________

4 __________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
What values will you show? ____________________________________________________

5 __________________________________________________________________________
What lifestyle will be depicted? _________________________________________________

6 _________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What are the four “P’s” for the art in your ad: Place, Props, Posture, Photography?__________
7 __________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 11
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
Due Date ____________________________________________
ANONYMOUS PARENT/GUARDIAN INTERVIEW
Students: Give your parent/guardian or other adult the anti-marijuana

ad for teens that you created.
Ask your parent/guardian or other adult to read it and then respond to

the following questions anonymously. Write down their answers:
1. What information did you learn from reading this ad? _________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. Do you find the information in this ad helpful? Why or why not?________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. What is a concern you have about young people and drug use – especially marijuana – that you
would like to communicate to other parents or guardians? ______________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. What concerns do you have about drug use – especially marijuana – that you would like to
communicate to young people? ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 11
ANTI-MARIJUANA AD FOR TEENS

ANTI-MARIJUANA ADS FOR PARENTS
■ Assemble tools.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF ■ Make sure there are no names on the completed Lesson 11
THIS LESSON, STUDENTS Parent/Guardian Interview sheets. Make duplicates to cover instances
WILL BE ABLE TO: where students did not return them, so each student will have one.
● identify some differences
between advertising aimed
at adults and ads targeting WARM UP
teenagers Collect the anti-marijuana ads for teens that students created as part of
● identify some positive ways Lesson 11 and redistribute them, giving each student an ad created by a
to communicate with their different student. If some students have not turned in their assignment,
parents or guardians, older allow students to double-up with one ad. Ask students to look at the ad
siblings and other adults created by one of their peers.
about drug use among teens
● communicate information ● What is the story in this ad? Does it seem realistic to you?
on marijuana to family ● What is the message it conveys?
members ● Is the ad persuasive?
● create an anti-marijuana ad
targeting parents and Have the students write on a separate piece of paper comments to the
guardians of teens student who created the ad, listing what they think are the ad’s strengths
and weaknesses. Collect the ads and comments and redistribute to the
creators of the ads.
TOOLS NEEDED
● Today’s New York Times SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS:
(one copy per student) “Your parents and guardians and other adults have a very important role
● Classroom chalk board to play in helping you stay away from marijuana and other drugs. The
● Anti-Marijuana Ads for important thing is that you need to talk to them, and that might mean
Teens that students created learning to look at things in the same ways they do. To help you do this,
in Lesson 11 we’re going to begin looking at some newspaper ads that might interest
● Copies of the “TRUTH. them more than they might interest you.
THE ANTI-DRUG” ad on
page 73 (one per student) “Then we’re going to examine an anti-drug ad aimed at parents and
● Copies of Lesson 12 guardians of teens, looking for ways you might talk to parents and
Homework Assignment guardians about the questions and concerns you have about marijuana.”
Sheet: Creating an
Anti-Marijuana Ad for
Parents and Guardians NEWSPAPER ACTIVITY
● Completed Lesson 11 Parent/
■ Distribute copies of today’s New York Times, one per student.
Guardian Interview sheets
■ Ask students to find advertisements that they think would interest
● Copies of Parent/Guardian
adults more than teenagers.
Information/About
Marijuana, on page 71

HOMEWORK DISCUSSION
■ What is the headline on the ad?
ASSIGNMENT
■ What is the body copy?
● Give out copies of Lesson ■ Who is the audience for this ad -- who is it aimed at? Their age,
12 Homework Assignment gender, interests.
Sheet: Creating an Anti- ■ How does the art in the ad use “the four P’s”?
Marijuana Ad for Parents ● Place – setting
and Guardians. Set due date. ● Props – objects
● Posture – how the models(s) are posed
● Give out Parent/ ● Photography – techniques such as focus, camera angle, use of
Guardian Information color, etc.
About Marijuana sheet. ■ What is the story being told in the ad? (Elicit not just events,
but emotions.)
● Instruct students to give ■ What values are being expressed in the ad?
their parent or guardian the ■ What lifestyle is being shown in the ad?
ad they create attached to ■ What is the message of this ad?
the Parent/Guardian ■ How is the ad persuasive or not persuasive to you?
Information About ■ How do the ads you found differ from the ads that appeal to
Marijuana sheet. teenagers?
■ What are some similarities?
● Ask the students to have
their parent or guardian
sign the completed CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
assignment. Now distribute copies of the “TRUTH. THE ANTI-DRUG” ad from
page 73 and go through the same questions as above. Explain that this is
an ad from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Explore further the degree to which students find the “TRUTH. THE
ANTI-DRUG” ad persuasive.
● What is the strongest message in this ad for parents and guardians?

● What are some ways you might start a conversation about drugs
with your parents or guardians?
● If parents are worried about their children using drugs, what
should they do?
● How useful is advertising as a way of educating people about
drug prevention?

What concerns do the parents and guardians in our class have about
helping young people stay away from marijuana?
Give out copies of the completed Lesson 11 Homework Assignment:

Anonymous Parent/Guardian Interview. Ask students to read some of the
responses from the sheet they have been given and take notes for ideas in
creating their own anti-marijuana ad aimed at parents and guardians.

PARENT/GUARDIAN INFORMATION
ABOUT MARIJUANA
RESOURCES P arents and Guardians: Your child’s class is learning about drug
prevention, with a focus on marijuana.
There are many resources After alcohol and tobacco, the drug most used and abused by teens is
available to parents and marijuana. While most middle and high school students don’t use marijuana
teenagers to help you talk regularly and have never even tried it, there are reasons for concern.
about drug use, and about
marijuana in particular. The ■ Marijuana use starts earlier than a generation ago.
drugs on the streets today are ■ Marijuana is much stronger than a generation ago.
not necessarily the same as ■ More people are seeking treatment and there are more emergency room
those in the past, and these admissions connected to marijuana dependence and abuse.
resources deserve careful ■ There are harmful, long-term consequences to marijuana use, especially
examination. for youth. Regular use by young people hinders their learning and
social development.
FOR PARENTS: ■ Marijuana is addictive for some people.
National Clearinghouse for ■ Young people who smoke marijuana are much more likely to use other
Alcohol and Drug drugs, join gangs or display deviant behavior.
Information: 1-800-788-2800 ■ Young people who do not smoke marijuana are much more likely to do
www.theantidrug.com well in school and have positive relationships with their families and
www.laantidrug.com community.
(Spanish) ■ Young people need to be educated about the dangers of driving – and
www.parentingisprevention.org other situations – when judgment is impaired due to drug use.
www.talkingwithkids.org/
drugs.html You have an important role to play in helping your child resist drug use.
The starting point is to express your clear expectation that he or she not
FOR STUDENTS: use marijuana or other drugs.
National Drug and Alcohol
Treatment Hotline:
1-800-662-4357
www.freevibe.com
www.whatsyourantidrug.com
www.straightscoop.com

LESSON 12
STUDENT NAME_________________________________________
Due Date ____________________________________________
CREATING AN ANTI-MARIJUANA AD FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS
n a separate sheet, create an ad aimed at parents, guardians or other adults about how they
O can help keep young people from using marijuana. You can include original artwork or
photography, or clip art from The New York Times, other publications, the
Internet and other sources.
Attach your completed ad to the Parent/Guardian Information About Marijuana
sheet and show both to your parent, guardian or other adult.
Use these questions as a guide to creating your ad:
What anti-drug “message” would you like to communicate to other teens about marijuana use?
1 __________________________________________________________________________
2What is your story?___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
What is your headline?________________________________________________________
3__________________________________________________________________________
4What is your body copy?_______________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
5What values will you show? ____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________
What lifestyle will be depicted? _________________________________________________
6_________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
What are the four “P’s” for the art in your ad: Place, Props, Posture, Photography?__________
7 __________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

LESSON 12
ANTI-MARIJUANA AD FOR PARENTS

APPENDIX
FACT SHEET: MARIJUANA’S HEALTH EFFECTS
GENERAL INFORMATION
■ Marijuana is a green or gray mixture of dried, shredded flowers and
leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. A strong form of marijuana is
called sensemilla.
■ The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol).
■ The average THC content of U.S.-produced sensemilla has risen from
3.2 percent in 1977 to 12.8 percent in 1997.
■ Short-term effects of marijuana use include euphoria, lack of inhibition,
relaxation, drowsiness and sensory-perceptual experiences.
■ Other effects of marijuana use include problems with memory and
learning; difficulty in thinking and problem-solving; loss of
coordination; and increased heart rate, anxiety and panic attacks.
■ Heredity influences whether a user has positive or negative sensations
after smoking marijuana.
EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA ON THE BRAIN

■ THC affects the hippocampus, the area of the brain that handles
learning, memory and the integration of what we sense with emotions
and motivations.
■ THC suppresses activity of the neurons in the information-processing
system of the hippocampus.
■ The ability to learn, which depends on the hippocampus, also
deteriorates because of the effect of THC.
■ Long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to
those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse.
EFFECTS OF HEAVY MARIJUANA USE ON LEARNING AND

SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
■ People who use marijuana heavily have lower skills related to attention,
memory and learning, even after not smoking for 24 hours or more.
■ Research on marijuana use among teenagers showed that, on average,
those who used marijuana had lower achievement than the non-users,
more delinquent behavior and aggression, greater rebelliousness, poorer
relationships with parents, and more associations with delinquent and
drug-using friends.
■ Research also shows more anger and more regressive behavior (thumb
sucking, temper tantrums) in toddlers whose parents use marijuana than
among the toddlers of non-using parents.
■ Heavy marijuana users can lose ambition in life and become
very passive.

APPENDIX
FACT SHEET: MARIJUANA’S HEALTH EFFECTS
EFFECTS ON THE LUNGS

■ Marijuana smoke contains carbon monoxide, nitrosamines,
benzopyrene, and over 60 cannabinoid compounds. All of these are
respiratory irritants and potential carcinogens and may remain in fat
tissue for several months.
■ Someone who smokes marijuana regularly may have many of the same
respiratory problems as tobacco smokers, including daily cough and
phlegm, symptoms of chronic bronchitis and more frequent chest colds.
■ Continuing to smoke marijuana can lead to abnormal functioning of
lung tissue injured or destroyed by marijuana smoke.
■ The amount of tar inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of
carbon monoxide absorbed are three to five times greater than among
tobacco smokers.
EFFECTS ON PREGNANCY
■ Drugs of abuse may interfere with proper nutrition and rest, which can
affect proper functioning of the immune system.
■ Babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy were
smaller than those born to mothers who did not use it.
■ Use of marijuana by a mother during the first month of breast-feeding
can impair the infant’s motor development (control of muscle movement).
LINK WITH CANCER

■ THC may promote tumor growth by impairing the body’s anti-tumor
immunity system. (NIDA News Release, 6/20/00)
Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy

APPENDIX
FACT SHEET: DRUGGED DRIVING
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

■ Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American
teenagers.
■ Sixty-five percent of teen passenger deaths occur when another teenager
is driving.
■ Two out of three teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes are males.
■ One quarter of fatally injured teen drivers (16 to 20 years old) in 1995
had a blood alcohol concentration at or above .10 percent.
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy:

■ 10.7% of young adults aged 18 to 25 report driving under the influence
of drugs at least once in the past year.
■ Most of the 7 million who reported driving under the influence of
illegal drugs also reported driving under the influence of alcohol.
■ Of drivers who reported driving in the past year after drug use, 70
percent reported using marijuana, and the majority (60 percent)
reported heavy or weekly use in the last year.
According to the National Household Survey of Drug Abuse:

■ Among drivers who reported driving after drug use, a majority were
younger (between 16-20 years of age).
■ 39.7% of drivers aged 16 to 20 reported driving within 2 hours of using
marijuana and other illegal drugs, compared to 24.5% for drivers 21
and older.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse:

■ The only way to remove alcohol and other drugs from the body is to
wait for the liver and other organs of the body to metabolize the
substances. No amount of coffee, showering, exercise or anything else
can make the body do a faster job.
Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy

APPENDIX
NATIONAL CONTENT STANDARDS CORRELATION
he activities in this
T
LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
curriculum guide are
correlated with selected WRITING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
relevant standards from Content Uses the general skills and
Knowledge: A Compendium of strategies of the writing process
X X X X X X X X X X X X
Standards and Benchmarks for
K-12 Education, 3rd ed., Uses the stylistic and rhetorical
aspects of writing
established by Mid-Continent
Research for Education and Uses grammatical and
Learning (McREL). McREL is also mechanical conventions in X X X X X X X X X X X X
the source of the standards written compositions
correlated with the lesson plans Gathers and uses information
for research purposes X X X X X X X X X X X X
that appear daily on The New
York Times Learning Network
(www.nytimes.com/learning).
READING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Each McREL standard has Uses the general skills and
subcategories, or benchmarks, strategies of the reading process
subdivided into those applicable to
elementary, middle and high Uses reading skills and strategies
to understand and interpret a X X X X X X X X X X X X
school. This table lists the variety of informational texts
standards only.
For McREL’s complete content

LISTENING & SPEAKING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
standards and benchmarks, which
cover a wide variety of school Uses listening and speaking
strategies for different purposes
subjects, go to www.mcrel.com.
MEDIA 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Understands the characteristics
and components of the media X X X X X X X X X X X X

APPENDIX
HEALTH STANDARDS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Knows how to maintain mental
and emotional health
Knows how to promote and

maintain personal health
Knows essential concepts about the

prevention and control of disease X X X X X X X X X X X X
Understands aspects of
substance use and abuse X X X X X X X X X X X X
Understands the fundamental con-

cepts of growth and development
LIFE SKILLS
SELF-REGULATION 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Sets and manages goals X X X X X X X X X X X X
Performs self-appraisal X X X X X X X X X X X X
Considers risks X X X X X X X X X X X X
Demonstrates perseverance X X X X X X X X X X X X
Maintains a healthy self-concept X X X X X X X X X X X X
Restrains impulsivity X X X X X X X X X X X X
THINKING & REASONING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Understands and applies the
basic principles of presenting X X X X X X X X X X X X
an argument
Understands and applies basic
principles of logic and reasoning X X X X X X X X X X X X

principles of hypothesis testing X X X X X X X X X X X X
and scientific inquiry
Applies basic trouble-shooting
and problem solving techniques X X X X X X X X X X X X
Applies decision-making techniques X X X X X X X X X X X X

APPENDIX
WORKING WITH OTHERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Contributes to the overall effort
of a group X X X X X X X X X X X X
Uses conflict-resolution techniques X X X X X X X X X X X X

Works well with diverse individuals
and in diverse situations X X X X X X X X X X X X
Displays effective interpersonal

communication skills X X X X X X X X X X X X
CIVICS STANDARDS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Understands what is meant by
“the public agenda,” how it is set,
and how it is influenced by public X X X X X X X X X X X X
opinion and the media
Understands how certain
character traits enhance citizens’
ability to fulfill personal and civic
responsibilities
SCIENCE STANDARDS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Understands the principles of
heredity and related concepts X X X X X X X X X X X X
Understands the structure and

function of cells and organisms
MATHEMATICS STANDARDS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
and advanced concepts of X X X X X X X X X X X X
statistics and data analysis

APPENDIX
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) coordinates drug

policy throughout the Federal government and also provides much free
information to the public. You may contact:
Drug Policy Information Clearinghouse

P.O. Box 6000
Rockville, MD 20849–6000
800–666–3332
www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration

(SAMHSA) maintains the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and
Drug Information, an excellent overview resource available on the
Web at www.health.org/
SAMHSA
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857
800-788-2800
www.samhsa.gov/
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National

Institutes of Health charged with conducting and publicizing research on
drug abuse and addiction prevention.
NIDA
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5213
Bethesda, MD 20892
www.nida.nih.gov/
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD)

is a voluntary health organization offering services, publications and
information.
NCADD
20 Exchange Place, Suite 2902
New York, NY 10005
(212) 269-7797
www.ncadd.org/

APPENDIX
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia

University is a unique “think/action tank” addressing substance abuse and
its effects on society.
The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at

Columbia University
633 Third Avenue, 19th floor
New York, NY 10017
(212) 841-5200
www.casacolumbia.org/
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers resources under its

“Media Matters” program to help pediatricians, parents, and children
become more aware of the influence that media have on child and
adolescent health, including alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
See www.aap.org/advocacy/mediamatters.htm
The American Academy of Pediatrics

141 Northwest Point Boulevard
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098
(847) 434-4000
www.aap.org
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is a membership

organization of over 5,000 anti-drug coalitions and provides services and
resources to community anti-drug programs.
CADCA
901 North Pitt Street, Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314
800-54-CADCA
www.cadca.org/
SELECTED ANTI-DRUG WEB SITES
FOR STUDENTS:
ForReal (www.forreal.org)
An accessible site by and for teens offering anti-drug articles and
resources maintained by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.

APPENDIX
FreeVibe (www.freevibe.com)
A well-designed anti-drug site created especially for young people by the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign of the Office of National
Drug Control Policy.
The Anti-Drug (www.theantidrug.com)

La Anti-Droga (www.laantidroga.com)
A basic resource (in English and Spanish) for students from the Office
of National Drug Control Policy, the White House office that coordinates
drug policy.
Planet Know (www.planet-know.net)

A site for teens offering anti-drug entertainment and games created by
the Center For Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Service Administration.
Straight Scoop News Bureau (www.straightscoop.org)

A resource site for middle and high-school students interested in reporting
about drugs and drug abuse for school papers and other media outlets.
FOR PARENTS:
Parents. The Anti-Drug (www.theantidrug.com/advice)
Padres. La Anti-Droga (www.laantidroga.com/static/tips/padres.htm)
The parent pages (in English and Spanish) of the anti-drug resource site
from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
You Can Help … Keep a Kid Off Drugs (www.youcanhelpkids.org)

A resource site for parents and community volunteers interested in
creating programs and advising youth to stay away from drugs.
Parenting is Prevention (www.parentingisprevention.org)

An advice and information resource featuring parent questions and
answers from the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention of the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration.
FOR EDUCATORS:
Teachers. The Anti-Drug (www.theantidrug.com/teachersguide)
A drug education resource developed by the Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign of the Office of Drug Control Policy.

APPENDIX
NIDA Goes to School (www.drugabuse.gov/GoestoSchool/NIDAg2s.html)

Science-based teacher resources from the National Institute on Drug
Abuse, including “Sara’s Quest” and “Slide Teaching Packets” that offer
entertaining visual materials describing how marijuana affects the brain.
Safe and Drug-Free Schools (www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS)

A compendium of U.S. Department of Education programs and
activities for reducing drug, alcohol and tobacco use in and around
schools.
National Association of Student Assistance Professionals (www.NASAP.org)

Information on SAP contacts and how to implement a comprehensive SAP
program in school communities for the prevention, early identification and
intervention of student substance use, violence and other barriers to learning.
“L-Evated: The Blunt Truth,” a video about marijuana with a guide for
teachers and counselors, in which teens act out various scenarios about peer
pressure. (www.meeproductions.com/store/videosreports/ELTBT.cfm)
SELECTED DAILY LESSON PLANS FROM THE NEW

YORK TIMES LEARNING NETWORK
(www.nytimes.com/learning/)
The New York Times Learning Network is a free service for students in
grades 3-12, their teachers and parents. The site is updated Monday
through Friday throughout the year, and offers an extensive collection of
lesson plans based on articles published in The New York Times. A
selection of lesson plans addressing drugs and drug prevention include:
“This is Your Brain on Pot”

Creating Informational Print Advertisements to Inform Teenagers About
the Physiological Effects of Marijuana Addiction
(www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20020430tuesday.html)
“Constant Craving”
How Drugs Interact With the Nervous System
“High-Risk Areas”
Understanding the Motivation Behind Drug Abuse Behaviors That Put
People at Risk for Contracting H.I.V.
(www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000426wednesday.html)

APPENDIX
“A Test Case for Individual Rights”

Assessing Whether Student Drug Testing Is a Violation of Student Rights
(www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19990820friday.html)
“Risky Business”
Investigating Connections Between Teens’ Movie Viewing Restrictions and
Their Use of Tobacco and Alcohol
“Don’t Drink To That!”

Raising Awareness About the Risks of Driving While Intoxicated
“Clearing the Smoke About Cigarettes”

Creating Anti-Smoking Ad Campaigns Geared Towards Kids
“All Choked Up by Smoking Statistics”

Analyzing Statistics and Creating Graphs in the Mathematics Classroom
(www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/19981119thursday.html?
searchpv=learning_lessons)

APPENDIX
AUTHORS AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THIS GUIDE WAS WRITTEN BY
CLAYTON DEKORNE, an author for The New York Times Learning

Network (www.nytimes.com/learning/), an educational writer and
curriculum consultant in New York and Vermont.
LYNDA BERGSMA, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, College of Public Health;

Director, Media Wise Initiative; and Associate Director, Rural Health
Office, University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
STEPHANIE DOBA, Corporate Sponsorships Manager, Newspaper in

Education, The New York Times
WE ALSO THANK THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS FOR

CONTRIBUTING THEIR EXPERTISE:
JO ANN BURKHOLDER, Administrator of the Student Assistance

Program, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Community Contact, Roanoke
County Schools, Roanoke, Va.
FRED GARCIA, Chief Programs Officer for Washington State’s Division

of Alcohol and Substance Abuse, and vice president of Garcia Consulting.
NANCY GARCIA, president of Garcia Consulting of Olympia, Wash., a

firm specializing in media literacy, grant writing and culturally competent
organizational development.
PAMELA WEDDINGTON, Vice President, Communications, MEE

Productions Inc., a developer of materials and campaigns targeting urban
youth and other inner city audiences, Philadelphia, Pa.
Creation of this guide did not involve the reporting or editing staff of The
New York Times.

Focus On Marijuana: With The New York Times

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ANTI-DRUG EDUCATION

WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES:

The New York Times

The New York Times Newspaper in Education Program

with sponsorship from the Office of National Drug

Control Policy. It did not involve the reporting or

editing staff of The New York Times,

other than containing news articles previously

published in The New York Times.

© 2002 The New York Times Company

LESSON 1 Marijuana Facts and Fictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Newspaper in Education | Expect the World® | 1-800-631-1222 1

INTRODUCTION TO THE TEACHER people feel good without drugs)

M abused by young people. After alcohol and

In addition, however, the lesson plans show you how to

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WHAT WORKS IN EFFECTIVE DRUG ADAPTING THE LESSONS FOR

*Source: National Parents’ Resource Institute for Drug Education, Inc.

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SUGGESTED INTRODUCTION TO YOUR STUDENTS

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REVIEW DISCUSSION: Facts and Fictions About Marijuana

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1. “Marijuana won’t hurt you; it’s just a plant.”

■ Conclude by reinforcing that the statements are not true, as shown by

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CONSIDER THE SOURCE

Headline: ____________________________________ Date at top of page:______________

1. Why would it be important to identify the author of the article by name?___________

2. Who is interviewed and/or quoted in the article?______________________________

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Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page

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SAY TO YOUR STUDENTS:

■ Was it difficult to see both points of view in the dilemma?

Guide the discussion to reinforce the negative consequences of marijuana

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Dilemma # _________ Title_____________________________________________________

1. Read the dilemma aloud as a group.

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● Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea to try marijuana at

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LIFETIME PAST MONTH

LIFETIME PAST MONTH

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Headline: ____________________________________ Date at top of page:______________

1. What is the main idea of the story?_______________________________________________

2. What are the most important statistics given in the story?______________________________

4. What statistics made this worthy of a news story?____________________________________

5. What are the sources of the information?___________________________________________

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Continued on next page

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Continued from previous page

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Headline: ______________________ Date at top of page:

Dilemma # _ Title_____________________________________________

Headline: ______________________ Date at top of page:

Headline: __________________________ Date at top of page:

Headline: ______________________ Date at top of page:

Headline: ______________________ Date at top of page:_