05/14/2012 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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D.A.R.E. REPORT By Zachery Walton Did you know that more than 400,000 Americans die from tobacco related causes each year? That is just one of many facts I have learned from D.A.R.E. The definition of D.A.R.E. is Drug Abuse Resistance Education and the decision - making model is Define Assess Respond Evaluate. From D.A.R.E, I have learned to make good decisions and how to say no to smoking, tobacco, drugs and alcohol. I have learned it can be very hard to say no to these things because of peer pressure and other kids encouraging you to do it, and that if you don't agree you might get picked on or teased. But that's okay with me. I have learned some valuable facts from D.A.R.E. about tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. First, tobacco: Most of the 400,000 Americans that die each year, began using tobacco before the age of 18. If you smoke, you can have breathing problems, more colds and respiratory problems, and get lung cancer. Tobacco affects your body's development, and the poison in cigarettes can affect your appearance by giving you bad breath, yellow teeth, and wrinkles. There are 200 poisons in cigarettes, and the nicotine can be very addictive. Not only can smoking put your health at risk, but it puts the health of your friends and family at risk. About 3,000 non - smokers die of lung cancer each year from breathing other peoples smoke. Second, drugs: I have learned that drugs can be very harmful and addicting. One of them is Marijuana. . It, like smoking, can cause breathing problems, give you more colds and upper respiratory issues, and increase your risk of cancer. Marijuana affects your brain and body. It can cause short -term memory loss, slow down your reflexes and coordination, and affect your ability to judge distance, speed and reaction time. Marijuana is illegal in the United States. There is more tar in marijuana smoke than in tobacco. Marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more cancer - causing chemicals than tobacco smoke. Last of all, alcohol: Alcohol slows down the brain and body. It can cause loss of coordination, slow reflexes, loss of self - control, poor judgment, memory lapses and slurred speech. Alcohol goes directly into your bloodstream. Not only can it increase your risk for many diseases, it can damage every organ in your body. Too much alcohol can slow down your body and even lead to coma or death. Alcohol is illegal for anyone under 21. It can affect teens more severely than adults because teen bodies are still growing. I learned that beer, wine and liquor all contain about the same amount of alcohol per serving, and that mixing alcohol with medicine is dangerous.