STANDARD 2.3    (DRUGS AND MEDICINES) ALL STUDENTS WILL LEARN AND APPLY INFORMATION ABOUT ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, OTHER DRUGS AND MEDICINES TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT SUPPORT A HEALTHY, ACTIVE LIFESTYLE. 

 

Descriptive Statement:  This standard aims to provide students with information on the responsible use of medicines as well as the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.  The appropriate use of medicines can prevent serious health problems, reduce absenteeism from work and school, and enhance the quality of life.  Conversely, the misuse or abuse of substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs can impair judgment and lead to illness and injury.  Helping students to acknowledge the internal and external pressures that influence them to use substances enables and empowers them to make choices that support a healthy, active lifestyle.

 

Cumulative Progress Indicators

 

Building upon knowledge and skills gained in preceding grades, by the end of Grade 12, students will:

 

A. Medicines

        1. Investigate the use of new or experimental medicines and discuss the potential risks and benefits.

        2. Evaluate the effectiveness of a medicine, considering the dosage, side effects, route of administration, cost, and benefits vs. risks.

        3. Debate the benefits and dangers of naturally occurring substances such as herbal supplements.

 

B. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

        1. Investigate tobacco use as a contributing or causative factor in the incidence of cancer, heart disease, emphysema and other lung diseases, and stroke.   

        2. Assess the impact of passive smoke on the health of children, individuals with allergies and asthma, and nonsmokers and describe initiatives created to

            lessen the impact.

        3. Summarize the impact of alcohol use and abuse on body systems and organs including the cardiovascular system, the liver, the reproductive system, and the 

            immune system.

        4. Describe the impact of alcohol and other drugs on those areas of the brain that control vision, sleep, coordination, and reaction time and assess how the use

            and abuse of alcohol and other drugs impairs behavior, judgment, and memory.

        5. Investigate the relationship between alcohol and other drug use and the incidence of motor vehicle crashes.

        6. Predict the physical, behavioral, and legal impacts of commonly abused substances, such as marijuana, inhalants, anabolic steroids, and party drugs.

        7. Investigate the relationship between injected drug use and the incidence of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

        8. Investigate the relationship between the use of alcohol, GHB, Ecstasy, and other drugs and the incidence of date rape, sexual assault, STDs, and unintended

            pregnancy.

 

C. Dependency/Addiction and Treatment

        1. Compare and contrast the physical, social, and emotional indicators of possible substance abuse.

        2. Compare and contrast the physical and psychological stages of dependency.

        3. Assess and evaluate factors that influence the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs.

        4. Evaluate factors that support an individual to quit using substances.

        5. Predict the short-and long-term impacts of substance abuse on the individual, the family, the community, and society.

 

Link to Standard 2.3 Grade 7-8

 

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