FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES The lessons below can be used in their entirety or adapted to suit teaching style, available time and needs of students. Activity Outcome Duration Requirements Don t mention it Outcome 1: Describes the short and long term effects of cannabis use and its effect on the community Approx. 30+ mins depending on the number of Don t mention it! cards used Don t mention it! cards Buzzer, timer, adhesive tape What s the risk? Outcome 2: Explains how the potential harm from cannabis use can be both decreased and increased through the interaction of various factors Approx. 20+ mins depending on the number of Where do you stand? cards used Where do you stand? Statement cards Agree/Disagree cards Research in the community Outcome 3: Describes how to access and assess health information, products and support services in relation to the use of cannabis Approx 30 mins teacher preparation 45 minutes class session plus an extra session for the guest speaker Whiteboard and textas Ask Alex Outcome 5: Demonstrates skills and strategies for dealing with individual and group cannabis related harm 45 mins Copies of Ask Alex emails Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 1
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES Don t mention it! Outcome Outcome 1 - Describes the short and long term effects of cannabis use and its effects on the community Duration 30+ mins depending on the number of Don t mention it! cards used Requirements Don t mention it! cards, buzzer, (noisemaker) timer, adhesive tape Process Divide the class into two teams (Team A and Team B). Team A chooses one of their members to be the first Clue giver. This player sits opposite their team with the cards and timer close by. The Clue giver s team mates are not allowed to see the cards. Team B s players sit behind Team A s Clue giver so they can see the cards as the Clue giver plays them. Team B controls the buzzer. The buzzer is to be used if the Clue giver uses the forbidden word. Suggested seating plan diagram for Outcome 1 Don t mention it! Team A Team B A B Whiteboard The Clue giver draws a card from the pile and starts the 1 minute timer. The word on the card is the word they must try and get their team to say. As they give the clues his or her team mates shout out possible words trying to guess the word on the card. Teams will not lose points for wrong answers. Each time the team gives a correct answer the team scores a point and the Clue giver draws a new card and continues until the timer runs out. A clue giver may pass on a word and draw another card if the team is struggling to guess the word. Once Team A s time is up, Team B chooses a Clue giver for their team. The new Clue giver sits so that their team cannot see the card but the opposing team can. The buzzer is passed to Team A. Teams take turns appointing Clue givers and guessing words until all cards have been used. The team with the highest score wins. Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 2
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES As words are guessed they are placed on the white board, with adhesive tape. After all the words are guessed group them into: long and short term effects social, relational, financial and legal effects Rules for the game No form or part of any word on the card may be given as a clue. E.g.If the word is drink, drunk cannot be used. No gestures are to be used e.g. no miming of the word. No sound effects or noises can be used. Use of the term sounds like or rhymes with cannot be used. Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 3
relaxation increased appetite impaired coordination memory loss confusion anxiety hallucinations lung cancer tongue cancer throat cancer unmotivated Post visit Activity: Don t mention it! Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 4
mental illness loss of friends on the spot fine depressant can be eaten less money physical dependence increased heart rate vomiting blood shot eyes weight gain Post visit Activity: Don t mention it! Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 5
reduced fitness dependency work performance dangerous driving time distortion mood swings red eyes dry throat panic short concentration dependence Post visit Activity: Don t mention it! Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 6
low birth weight babies fatigue/tiredness talkative dilated pupils shortness of breath reduced fertility Add your own: slow reflexes slow thinking paranoia nausea Post visit Activity: Don t mention it! Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 7
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES What s the risk? Outcome Outcome 2 - Explains how the potential harm from cannabis use can be both decreased and increased through the interaction of various factors Duration 20+ mins depending on the number of What s the risk? cards used Requirements What s the risk? statement cards Agree, disagree and unsure A4 signs copied on coloured cards Process Divide class into pairs. Issue each pair with a statement card. In pairs students identify the potential risk for the situation and discuss how risky they think it would be. Designate four places around the room as High Risk, Medium Risk, Low Risk, No Risk. Ask students to move to the place that best describes their opinion. Give pairs the opportunity to share their thoughts with others around them. Ask pairs to explain their placements with the rest of the class. Invite other members of the class to comment or ask questions about where situations have been placed. Ask students/pairs if they would like to change their minds about where they are standing now that they have heard others opinions. Encourage those who move to share their reasons for moving. For each situation consider the following questions: What factors would increase or decrease the risk for that situation? What pressures or influences might young people be under in a situation like this? Teachers Note: Emphasise to students that there is no such thing as no risk when using legal and illegal drugs. Using any drug poses some level of risk. However the drug, the person and the environment will determine what the level of risk is. Download the Risk Triangle PDF to assist student understanding about potential harm from use of legal and illegal drugs. The triangle explains the relationship between the three variables; the characteristics of the person taking the drug; the type of drug being taken; and the environment in which it is used. Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 8
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES Risk Triangle Pyramid THE PERSON age weight height gender emotional state other medical conditions general health tolerance allergies personality THE PLACE where (e.g. work, home, outdoors) with whom weather conditions or temperature activity at the time (e.g. driving, operating machinery THE DRUG type strength dosage previous use the way it is taken (e.g. swallowed, injected) used with other drugs Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 9
A person uses cannabis and then drives home A person smoking a joint at the beach A person using cannabis before work Selling cannabis at school Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 10
A person using cannabis and alcohol Using cannabis before a school dance A person with a family history of mental health problems using cannabis A person with asthma using cannabis Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 11
A person not using cannabis A student using cannabis before an exam A person using cannabis to manage pain Getting in a car with a driver who has been using cannabis Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 12
Being at a party where cannabis is used Using cannabis a few times a week Using cannabis to cope with stress Add your own: Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 13
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES Research in the community Outcome Outcome 3 - Describes how to access and assess health information, products and support services in relation to the use of cannabis Duration 30 mins teacher preparation 45 minutes class session plus an extra session for the guest speaker Requirements Whiteboard and textas Process Brainstorm with students a list of people or agencies in the local community whose work brings them into contact with people who might use cannabis or the effects of cannabis use. E.g. police, drug/health workers, youth workers, doctors, nurses, clinics etc. Discuss with students the kind of information that people their age might want to know about the agency in relation to how they support young people who might be effected by cannabis use either their own or others use. Organise the class into groups of four. Each group selects an agency/worker from the list to research. Allow time for the groups to consider three questions they could ask that young people might want to know about the support that the worker or agency might provide. Each group seeks answers to their questions by either contacting the agency/worker either via phone/face to face, email or researching online. Groups then present the information to the rest of the class in a format of their choice. Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 14
FACE THE FACTS: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES Ask Alex Outcome Outcome 5 - Demonstrates skills and strategies for dealing with individual and group cannabis related harm Duration 45 mins Requirements Ask Alex emails, and blank emails Process Discuss important decisions that the students might make this year that could affect the rest of their lives. Highlight drug-related decisions, e.g. experimenting with cigarettes or cannabis, quitting smoking. In small groups ask the students to discuss the following: Even though a person might know the risks associated with the use of a drug, why might they find it difficult to tell their friends what they think. Identify circumstances that would: - encourage a person who is experimenting to stop using cannabis - encourage a person who is experimenting to smoke more often - encourage a person who is trying to quit using cannabis Divide the class into 8 groups. Issue each group with an Ask Alex email. After reading the email, each group decides on a solution for the person so they stay a nonsmoker or stop smoking cannabis. Students reply to the email using the worksheet provided. The emails and replies can be presented to the rest of the class. Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 15
To: From: Cc: Subject: Dear Ask Alex, Most of my friends smoke but I don t. My best friend recently told me that everyone thought I was too scared to smoke. That really upsets me. How can I explain? Confused To: From: Cc: Subject: Hey there Ask Alex, When I told my friends there was no way I was going to start smoking dope, they said it was up to me. Since then they ve started going off without me, usually to the back of the oval. I asked them if I could come and they said I d hate it because everyone down there smokes. What should I do? Lonely To: From: Cc: Subject: Hi Ask Alex I hate smoking. It tastes disgusting and makes me cough but I keep doing it because everyone else is. None of my friends force me to smoke. Sometimes I think I ll give up but when we re out someone always has a joint on them and so I have one. How can I stop? Undecided To: From: Cc: Subject: Hi there Ask Alex My friends all smoke. I don t but it s hard. They act like I m too childish to understand how good it is and they are always joking around trying to persuade me to take a drag. I still say no but end up sitting there feeling like I m the odd one out. Odd Bodd Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 16
To: From: Cc: Subject: Hi Ask Alex It s not as simple as saying no and still being friends. Even if they re ok with that, it s still horrible to be left out. It s like they all belong to a club and you don t. They talk about all sorts of stuff while they re smoking so you feel really stupid. Frustrated To: From: Cc: Subject: Dear Ask Alex I smoke because my friends do. They don t force me to smoke, I just do it because I want to show them I m in with them. I don t think they d ditch me if I gave up, but I don t know. Unsure To: From: Cc: Subject: Hi ya Ask Alex I really admire Thuy. She s pretty, fun and always looks great. She gets lots of attention from the other boys at school. When she first started talking to me I was really happy because I m not usually friends with people like her. I knew that she smoked and when she offered me a smoke I wanted everyone to think that I was like her too. I know it s stupid, but it makes me feel more confident. What should I do? Feeling cool Face The Facts: Cannabis POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 17
To: From: Cc: Subject: To: From: Cc: Subject: Face The Facts: Legal and Illegal Drugs POST VISIT ACTIVITIES 18