Requirements:

Breakin’ It Down You may think that many of your friends and classmates are smoking, taking drugs or drinking alcohol at social parties and events – you may even think it is cool! The fact is, nearly 92% of Girl Scouts do not feel pressured to smoke, 90% do not feel pressured to use alcohol and 96% avoid drugs. By working on this badge, you will learn how to say no to peer pressure, learn the facts about drugs and alcohol and learn how to stay safe. HERstory The Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (JCSAPC) of Jackson, Michigan, developed the “No Pressure Zone” Interest Project as a way to make young girls aware of the dangers and consequences of drinking alcohol, taking drugs and smoking tobacco. The JCSAPC collaborates with agencies in Jackson County, such as health professionals, law enforcement, government agencies, schools, and local businesses to prevent and reduce substance abuse. The JCSAPC reviewed the current list of Interest Projects and determined there wasn’t one that focused specifically on alcohol, drugs and smoking. In serving as a community resource for substance abuse, the Coalition decided a good way to get the word out would be to collaborate with Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan (Council). Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan adopted the “No Pressure Zone” Interest Project as their “Council’s Own” IP on May 3, 2010. You’ve Got MAD Skills In partnership with the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, this IP was created so that girls like you across the country can: • Develop healthy lifestyles by learning to avoid alcohol, drugs and smoking; • Learn about the consequences of drinking alcohol, taking drugs and smoking - both the physical effects on your body and those around you, as well as the legal ramifications; and • Explore careers in substance abuse prevention, law enforcement, the juvenile court system or a related field.

Helpful Links There are several organizations and online resources which you may find helpful in the “LEARN” and “DO” categories of this IP, such as: • The Cool Spot: www.thecoolspot.gov - activities (peer pressure, alcohol facts) • Too Smart to Start: http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/ - on-line games • Above the Influence: http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/default.aspx?path... – Games, facts, Q&A, advise, information • The Anti-Drug: http://www.theantidrug.com/ - pamphlets/brochures under resources • Students Against Destructive Decisions (S.A.D.D.): http://www.sadd.org/intro.htm - newsletters • Alcohol Free Children: http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org - prevention resourcespublications (brochures)

Need Help? No problem. Read the Intro before diving into “No Pressure Zone.” Just want a quick refresher on what to do? Okay, in order to earn any of these Interest Projects: • Do the REQUIRED activity • Do ONE activity of your choice from each of the THREE categories (LEARN, DO, SHARE) • Design and do ONE activity of YOUR OWN • Create a short REFLECTION after you’ve completed all of the activities Food for Thought! Often, an activity in the “LEARN” category will help you build a skill that you’ll have the chance to try in the “DO” category and then share in the “SHARE” category. Make connections between the steps when planning which activities you’ll do. For an example of a skill-building connection, check out the second activity of each “on Your Own” category.

“NO PRESSURE ZONE”

Required: Smoking, drinking and taking drugs are all considered substance abuse. Organizations such as the Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (JCSAPC), Jackson Tobacco Reduction Coalition (JTRC), local schools, medical professionals and the court systems all deal with substance abuse issues. Contact one or more of these organizations, or visit Helpful Links above, to find the answers to all these questions:

• Do you have any information on the affects of smoking on youth?...on adults?

• Do you have any information on the affects of alcohol on youth?...on adults?

• What are the risks of drinking alcohol before the age of 21?

• What are the risks of drinking and driving? What are the legal consequences?

• Can you identify a current drug being used in your community? Tell me about the negative affects of using it.

• Find one or two alcohol, tobacco or drug prevention services that are available in your community (places to ask: schools, law enforcement, local hospital, nonprofits or community agencies).

LEARN

1. Research what happens to someone your age that gets caught smoking, drinking and using drugs. Ask all three individuals listed below what the consequences would be if you were caught: smoking, drinking alcohol and taking drugs: (1) At your school – ask your school principal; (2) At a sports/extracurricular event – ask your coach or instructor; and (3) At your local police department – ask a law enforcement official

2. Visit drug prevention websites (see Helpful Links above) and find five facts about a risky drug (i.e., alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, prescription drugs, tobacco). Using these facts, create a five-question survey and ask 10 people (youth or adults) you know to answer your questions. Tell your participants what the actual answers are. Compare their answers with the actual answers to see the differences and if there is a pattern.

3. There is a lot of information on the Internet related to drug prevention. Look at each website below and complete the three activities: • Role play: Visit http://www.thecoolspot.gov/knowYourNos.asp and play the peer pressure game. GSHOM Council’s Own IP Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

• Play a Game: Visit http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/youth/youth.... and do one of the following: play the memory game, complete the word search puzzle, complete the crossword puzzle, or take the quiz in the Interactive Body section.

• Take a Quiz: Visit http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/default.aspx?path... – Go to the “Fun” section and then “Quizzes” and choose a quiz to take.

4. Help your health teacher plan a curriculum around drug prevention. If there is no health teacher in your grade, try asking an elementary school health teacher.

DO

1. Visit a drug testing lab. Find out how drug testing is conducted. Write a paper about your findings and share it with family members, friends or your teacher(s) or counselor.

2. Contact a local organization that helps address drug prevention to see if you can job shadow an employee. Possible organizations include: drug prevention providers, police, local court system, etc. (See organizations below for possible job shadowing in the Jackson area.) Jackson Regional Center Family Service & Children’s Aid – Breakout Program (517) 787-7920 Jackson County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (517) 796-5133 Jackson Tobacco Reduction Coalition (517) 768-2131 Lifeways – Substance Abuse Prevention (517) 789-1209 Minor in Possession (MIP) Program (April – May: Project Graduation) (517) 768-6704 Reducing Underage Drinking and Driving (517) 768-5250 Outside the Jackson Regional Center – see your local substance abuse resources.

3. Interview someone who works in one of the following fields and related to smoking, drugs or alcohol: drug prevention providers, drug treatment providers, local court system, police, etc. Find out: Why they decided to get into their current field. Were they required to take any special schooling for their job? Why do they like what they do? What is the hardest/easiest part of their job? How do they feel they (or their job) are helping in the fight against substance abuse prevention?

4. Volunteer to work at a local organization that provides substance abuse prevention. Document your work and answer the following questions: What did you like about the work? What did you dislike about the job? What is a typical day like?

SHARE

1. Create a public service announcement (PSA) (i.e., radio ad, TV commercial, school newsletter article) that promotes drug or alcohol prevention. Do one of the following: Contact your local radio station and see if they will allow you to record a PSA that they will later play; if your town has a local television station, contact them about creating a message for them to air; or talk to school officials about creating a flyer or article for the school newspaper or school website.

2. Create a drug prevention presentation (game, coloring book, presentation or other) for elementary students and offer to conduct the presentation at a local elementary school.

3. Research tobacco (or other related prevention issues) legislation related to limiting tobacco usage in public buildings. Find out the health consequences of indoor smoking and prepare your argument. Find out how to present your data to your local Board of Commissioners and then present your issue.

4. Organize a flyer contest at your school relating to one of the following: don’t smoke, don’t drink or don’t take drugs. Ask a local retailer to donate a prize for the winner. Have other schoolmates and a couple adults to serve as your judging committee – make sure the message is appropriate for the subject matter. After the winning flyer is chosen, find out how to best market your poster (Will you ask local schools to copy it and send it to families? Will you ask a local printer to print it for free and then ask your local newspaper to include it with their weekly paper?)

YOUR OWN activity

REFLECTION