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SECONDS: THE TIME IT TOOK
FOR PERSONAL
CHOICES TO BECOME PERMANENT CONSEQUENCES
A
program about decision making
and life-changing
effects of substance abuse
Keith
uses an intriguing, interactive
presentation to share the story of how his choices led him down a path
where he
went from a seventh grade student who questioned the intellect of
anyone who
would use alcohol to drinking, smoking marijuana, and wanting to try
LSD by his
senior year in high school. He discusses how the
consequences from these choices continue to affect nearly every aspect
of his life on a daily basis. Keith
concludes the presentation by outlining a comprehensive plan to help
the
audience members avoid making poor choices similar to those that he
made. Incorporating
pop-culture, statistics, and
science into his own story, Keith provides very memorable and powerful
messages about the dangers of substance abuse and the potential
consequences of
the choices we make.
In
addition to the presentation, the program may also include optional
components that help reinforce its messages. These
components include one or
more Q&A periods and
access to Keith's webcasts. More information about these program options is available in a
separate
window.
The program
focuses on four objectives:
- increase
awareness
of the potential risks
of substance abuse
- decrease
acceptance of substance abuse
- develop strategies to help avoid making poor choices
- increase
awareness of the impact of
the choices we make
Keith
focuses on these objectives in an attempt to reduce the likelihood
that his
audience will abuse
alcohol and other drugs. He accomplishes
these objectives by not only sharing how poor choices can lead
to
devastating consequences, but also by discussing how to reduce the
likelihood of making such choices in the first place. It is for this
reason that he encourages students to take
the following actions:
Communicate: One of
the
most important reasons to communicate is summed up in a single
sentence. "Kids
who learn a lot about the risks of drugs at home are up to 50 percent
less
likely to use drugs.1"
Unfortunately, less than
one-third (31 percent) of
students feel that they learn a lot about drugs from their parents.1
By going
home and sharing this single fact with their parents, students take an
important step towards substantially lowering their chances of doing
drugs.
Anticipate: For most every
student, it is not a matter of if they will be offered a drink, but a
matter
of when. Nearly three out of four (73 percent) high school students have been offered alcohol by
their friends by the time they are seniors.2 A large number of seniors have also been offered alcohol by other people including their parents (27 percent), siblings (25 percent), and other relatives (42 percent).2 Furthermore, almost half of all seniors have been offered tobacco (58 percent) and other drugs (45 percent) by their friends.2
Therefore, young people need to prepare for how they will respond since
it is very likely that they will be offered one or more of these
substance before they graduate.
Participate: As many
parents and
educators have long suspected, students who participate in their
schools and communities
are less likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs.3 At
Keith's
high school alma mater, there are over 50
clubs, activities, and sports teams available for students to join. Taking
advantage of a variety of these opportunities would have reduced his
chances of developing a problem with substance
abuse by 20 percent.3
Witnessing
how alcohol
and drugs negatively impacted Keith's life provides an unforgettable
real-life example of the potential risks of making poor choices
regarding substance abuse. Discussing the importance of
communication, anticipation, and participation supplement the means
at the students disposal for when they are confronted with similar
circumstances. Combining his personal experiences with these actions,
Keith hopes that the individuals in his audiences will learn from those
consequences that now last his lifetime and that they will make better
choices than he did.
1Partnership
for a Drug-free America
(2006, May 15) Generation Rx: National Study Confirms Abuse of
Prescription and
Over-the-Counter Drugs. PATS
2005. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from http://www.drugfree.org/
2Hawaii Department of Health (2003) Hawaii Student Alcohol,Tobacco, and Other Drug Use Study.
3SADD
(2004, November 29) Positive
Risk-Taking Cuts Alcohol and Drug Use among Teens. Teens Today.
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