Drug Use

It might even seem like everyone you know is doing something or other, but the truth is that a lot of kids and teens choose NOT to do drugs. Drugs, including alcohol and tobacco, cause serious physical and psychological health problems. If you’re feeling pressured to use drugs, need help getting off drugs, or just need to talk to someone about your problem, call the Kids’ Helpline at 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1(877)KIDS-400.

Drugs

Reasons young people might use drugs include:

Peer pressure.
To escape pain in their lives.
Cause they think it makes them look cool.
Curiosity. Boredom. To take risks.
Because they’re already addicted.

Reasons not to use drugs include:

You care about your health.
You care about your family.
You care about your schoolwork and friends.
You care about yourself.
You’ve got better things to do with your time.

Worried about a friend or family member?

To learn more information about the many kinds of drugs that hurt people, get the facts at www.theantidrug.com. Want to learn about getting help for yourself or a loved one? Call our Helpline today at 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1(877)KIDS-400.

Alcohol

What is a drink?

An alcoholic drink is any drink that has half an ounce of alcohol, which includes:

One 12-ounce can of beer.
One 4-ounce glass of wine.
One "shot" (1 ounce at 100 proof) of hard liquor.
Remember, beer and wine are as dangerous as hard liquor!

What happens when you drink alcohol?

Alcohol goes from the stomach into the bloodstream directly.
It then travels to the brain, liver and other major parts of the body.
The liver helps the body get rid of the alcohol, but not if a person drinks too much.
The more alcohol you drink, the more impaired you become.
Drinking coffee won’t sober you up.
You have to wait until alcohol passes through your system.
A healthy 150 lb. man takes about an hour to get rid of one drink through the liver.

So how do I know how much is too much then?

There is no way to know what amount is safe.
People respond differently to alcohol.
Alcohol causes different feelings in different people.
It can also cause different feelings in the same person.
All of the below variables can impact your body’s ability to handle alcohol.
Size - smaller people or people who drink on an empty stomach usually react to alcohol more quickly.
Age - Young people are more affected by alcohol than older people.
Gender - Females are usually more affected by alcohol than males.
How fast a person drinks- if you drink faster than you can get rid of the alcohol, you will not tolerate it as well.
Having food in the stomach - Food slows the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream.

Don’t forget, the legal drinking age in New York State is 21!

Reducing your risk of violence if you choose to drink:

Your best choice is not to drink at all in situations that could become violent. If you choose to drink there are some things you can do to help avoid violence:

Be aware that alcohol can affect you. Remember that drinking can change the way you feel, act and protect yourself.
Eat something before you drink. Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
Limit yourself to no more than one drink per hour.
Don’t let anyone talk you into drinking more than you feel you can manage.
If people around you in a group or at a party begin to argue or to act angry and violent, leave. Don’t be alone with someone in a sexual situation.
Don’t carry weapons or be with someone who does.
Don’t drink to cover up painful feelings. Talk to someone you trust instead.

Drinking And Driving

How serious is it? VERY! More than 50% of all fatal auto accidents are alcohol-related. Across the nation, drunk driving kills 22,000 of us every year. You, your friends/family could be the next drunk driving victims, so please read the following information to learn how you can prevent others from becoming drunk drivers and you could save a life!!

In what ways does alcohol impair your ability to drive?

Alcohol can impair your ability to drive even after a couple of drinks, within the first half hour! The progression on average is as follows:

(Keep in mind that the amount of alcohol you consume and how it affects you depends on several factors including your body weight, how often you drink, and whether or not you have eaten recently.)

Judgment impaired: After only one drink, you may believe that driving faster to get to your destination is not going to harm anyone.

Coordination impaired: After three drinks, your ability to drive straight and come to a complete stop becomes more difficult.

Vision impaired: After five drinks, you may have difficulty focusing on the road, you may begin seeing things that are not there, or seeing double.

Myths and facts about drinking and driving:

Myth: "I drive better when I’ve had a few drinks"
Fact: Alcohol alters your perception and makes you feel more competent, but it impairs your ability to perform complex tasks like driving.

Myth: "I just need a little coffee to sober me up"
Fact: Coffee (a cold shower, exercise, breathing pure oxygen, etc.) doesn’t have a sobering effect. Only time can decrease intoxication.

Myth: "I only drink beer. Beer won’t affect my driving"
Fact: Beer may fill you up more than wine or hard liquor, but a glass of beer has the same alcohol as a glass of wine or a mixed drink.

Myth: "If I’ve only had a couple, I can drive just fine"
Fact: Even a small amount of alcohol affects the brain’s higher functions, particularly judgment, coordination, and vision. The truth about driving while intoxicated (DWI):

Whether or not you think you are drunk, if you have been drinking you're not a safe driver.
Whether or not you think you are safe, people die everyday from an alcohol related auto accident.
Whether or not you think you will get caught, there are visible cues that help others detect when you have been drinking.

Police officers know all of these cues, and sometimes we do these things even when we haven’t been drinking. When this happens, we may get pulled over, and if we haven’t been drinking there is nothing to worry about. You might get a ticket, but that is a small price to pay in comparison to a DWI. Because you are putting others lives at risk when you drive drunk there is a large penalty when you are caught. You will have your license taken away, and pay a substantial fine. If this offense is repeated you can be placed in jail, if someone is hurt as a result of your actions you could suffer more intense repercussions. So, if you don’t want to suffer the consequences of a DWI, you can either stay away from alcohol, or find a designated driver to take you home!

If you’re concerned about yourself or a friend using drugs or alcohol, please call the Kids’ Helpline at 716-834-1144 or toll free at 1(877)KIDS-400 and speak to someone about your concerns. It’s never too late to get help.

Drug & Alcohol Use: Local Resources and Additional Resources & Links