Suggested Questions Possible Responses Leader’s Points Why do you think They want a certain person to like There are other things to do together some young people them. that would be fun and don’t involve who don’t want to drinking. Try some of those. drink feel pressured to They don’t want to be different. drink? You can choose not to drink – most They don’t want to create a big young people don’t drink! scene. Sometimes it is easier to use a one-liner that allows you to say no without making a big scene. What are some things Students may suggest one or more Some possible alternatives: to say if someone of the ideas in the next column. Be pressures you? sure they get a chance to discuss No thanks. all of them. I don’t feel like it – do you have any soda? Alcohol’s NOT my thing. Are you talking to me? FORGET it. Why do you KEEP pressuring me when I’ve said NO? Why do you think Peer pressure – some friends and Actually, many studies have shown that a young people start to classmates want you to do it. large majority of people your age—most drink? of them—DO NOT drink or get drunk! A We see our parents and other recent study by the Substance Abuse and adults drinking. Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that more than 80 We want to appear grown up. percent of youth ages 12 to 17 reported they had not drunk alcohol in the past Alcohol is easy to get – someone month. always brings it to a party. The media’s glamorous portrayal of Ads show young people drinking. alcohol encourages many teens to believe that drinking will make them We see ads everywhere that make popular, attractive, happy, and cool. drinking look cool and a way to be popular and have friends. To generate sales, alcohol advertising makes products look appealing. We want to see what it tastes like.
Suggested Questions Possible Responses Leader’s Points Why do you think some young people who don’t want to drink feel pressured to drink? They want a certain person to like them. They don’t want to be different. They don’t want to create a big scene. There are other things to do together that would be fun and don’t involve drinking. Try some of those. You can choose not to drink – most young people don’t drink! Sometimes it is easier to use a one-liner that allows you to say no without making a big scene. What are some things to say if someone pressures you? Students may suggest one or more of the ideas in the next column. Be sure they get a chance to discuss all of them. Some possible alternatives: No thanks. I don’t feel like it – do you have any soda? Alcohol’s NOT my thing. Are you talking to me? FORGET it. Why do you KEEP pressuring me when I’ve said NO? Why do you think young people start to drink? Peer pressure – some friends and classmates want you to do it. We see our parents and other adults drinking. We want to appear grown up. Alcohol is easy to get – someone always brings it to a party. Ads show young people drinking. We see ads everywhere that make drinking look cool and a way to be popular and have friends. We want to see what it tastes like. Actually, many studies have shown that a large majority of people your age—most of them—DO NOT drink or get drunk! A recent study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that more than 80 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 reported they had not drunk alcohol in the past month. The media’s glamorous portrayal of alcohol encourages many teens to believe that drinking will make them popular, attractive, happy, and cool. To generate sales, alcohol advertising makes products look appealing.
HE_Curriculum_AODA.docx