GROWING FORWARD · GUIDED LESSON

Peer Pressure & Substance Risks

Pressure can be direct or subtle. You can leave a situation without proving anything to anyone.

What to know

Alcohol and drugs can affect judgment and increase safety risks.

Using substances to escape distress can make underlying problems harder to address.

A friend who respects you can accept your no.

Plan an exit phrase: Not for me. I have to go. Call or text a trusted person and move somewhere safer.

If someone is unconscious, cannot be awakened, has trouble breathing, or may have overdosed, call 911.

WATCH & LEARN · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

A short CDC video for teens about drug risks, mental health, addiction, and overdose.

Official source · Official CDC Free Mind teen video. Source details

This lesson is educational and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional care.