Is there really such a thing as a gateway drug?

When you're surrounded and influenced by your friends, it's sometimes hard to make good choices. Don't give into peer pressure. Just because everyone else is doing it — that doesn't mean you have to! And a lot of times, once you start…you can't stop.

What exactly is a gateway drug?
When a drug, such as marijuana, alcohol or tobacco, opens up the door for other harder drugs like cocaine and heroin, it is known as a gateway drug. According to drugfree.org — 50 percent of teens in the U.S. have access to marijuana by the time they are 16. In some cases, this is the first drug that young teens are introduced to.

Remember that alcohol is also a drug.
Although, a study from the University of Florida found that alcohol is the gateway drug that is leading teens and young adults down the wrong path and exposing them to harsher drugs, many people unfortunately don't really consider alcohol a drug.

Don't become a victim of peer pressure.
How can you avoid becoming a victim of gateway drugs? Well, the simplest solution would be to just say no. If and when you are offered any type of drug (even alcohol), make sure you refuse — even if you are afraid of peer pressure.

Click here for more information on resisting drug abuse and what you should do. To learn more about LiveFree! and our mission to reduce youth substance abuse, visit our website.

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Remember being very young and asking your parents for something over and over until they finally caved in? Sometimes your friends can put that same pressure on you, by verbally encouraging you to do things you don't want to do or don’t feel comfortable with. Just because someone is persistent or because they use their words to tease you or make you feel bad doesn’t mean you should give in. Verbal peer pressure can be beaten. Try these quick tips to stick to your guns:

Practice saying no. It’s not always easy to say no, even if you mean it inside. Practice saying no to people, even in situations that don’t involve peer pressure. You might turn down an invitation to go out or pass on doing homework together when you’d rather do it alone. The more you say no when you mean it, the easier it will be.

Remember your rights. When someone is arrested in the movies, the cops read them their rights. Read yourself your rights to say no when you’re feeling unsure. Your friends can't tell you what to do. You have the right to refuse anything that makes you uncomfortable. You have the right to shrug off a guilt trip and hold your head up high. Learn more about your right to resist.

Know your lines. Girlshealth.gov recommends preparing ahead of time by having ideas of what to say when you’re being pressured. You don’t need to spit out reasons like a robot, but you should practice having ways to respond to your friends pressuring you. Don’t be afraid to show some attitude. You’re an individual and you don’t want to bend to anyone’s idea of what you should be like.

Refresh your friends. Are you getting pressured more often than not? Maybe it’s time to refresh your friends. A good friend isn’t going to push you around, and a good friend won’t have a fit if you say no. Anyone who tries to force you into doing things that make you feel uncomfortable, such as drinking, smoking or shoplifting, isn’t really your friend at all. Surround yourself with friends who enjoy you for who you are.

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In 2009, studies showed that 37 percent of 8th graders and 72 percent of 12th graders had tried alcohol, according to the CDC. These statistics can be very scary from the perspective of a parent. Whether your child is in middle or high school, now is the time to talk about and continue talking about the dangers of underage drinking.

Talk to your teen about statistics
Your kids are used to reading facts at school in textbooks. Talk about drinking in factual terms. Make sure that your kids understand that underage drinking, particularly underage binge drinking, contributes to serious injury and death.  For example, according to the CDC, in 2008, there were approximately 190,000 emergency rooms visits by underage drinkers. While it may be an uncomfortable topic, discuss the fact that drinking increases the risk of sexual assault. Discuss this topic regardless of your teen’s gender. Visit SAMHSA to discover talking points to share the risks of drinking with your teen.

Do not allow supervised drinking
SAMHSA reports that most underage drinkers get alcohol from a friend or family member. Some parents mistakenly believe that underage drinking is safe if kids are supervised when drinking. Regardless of parental supervision, drinking can still lead to accidents and all known risks. Supervision promotes a sense that underage drinking is safe when it’s not. Never offer your teen a drink or allow teens to drink in your home or another parent’s home. If you have older children, actively discourage them from providing alcohol to your teen. Make sure other parents are aware of your stance.

Support teens at school and at home
Teens need support to say no to underage drinking. Studies by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism show that parents have the ability to prevent underage drinking by improving parent-child relations in ways such as providing discipline, listening and communicating, monitoring kids and strengthening family bonding. School resources are also important. Encourage your teen to get involved in extra-curricular activities and meaningful relationships with friends. Be available to your teen as a resource for her emotional needs as well as a sounding board to talk about drugs and alcohol.

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According to the CDC, people from 12 to 20 years drink 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States. That is a stunning statistic considering that it’s against the law to drink when you’re under 21. As a community, we can work together to prevent underage drinking and the associated risks and dangers.

Know the Facts
Kids who drink are in danger of health risks, problems at school, drug abuse and a higher risk of suicide. Underage drinkers often binge drink, putting them at risk of death from alcohol poisoning, accidents and assault among other risks. With these facts in mind, is it really worth it?

Don’t Encourage It
According to SAMHSA, most children who use alcohol get it from a friend or family member. If you’re a parent, older sibling or friend, don’t become part of the problem. It may be tempting to be cool or seem smart to supervise kids while they drink, but the fact is that you shouldn’t be giving alcohol to minors ever.

Talk to Kids
Make sure kids know about the dangers of drunk driving. Never drink and drive in front of your kids. If you set a bad example, you can’t expect your kids to listen to you. Ask tough questions, get to know your kid’s friends and be open with your life as much as possible. You and your child are in this together.

Work Together
Parents should involve friends, peers, family members and teachers in a group effort to talk to kids about underage drinking early and repeatedly. With a strong support system in place, kids will be less likely to drink underage.

Get Involved
On April 3 at 5:30 PM at Pinellas Park High School, the 2012 Florida Kids and Alcohol and Prescription Drugs youth led Town Hall meeting will address underage drinking. Join your peers to discuss the real dangers of underage drinking, ways to prevent underage drinking and how drinking has affected members of the Pinellas community.

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Everyone has heard a spring break horror story. Don’t be one of those statistics this year. Instead, play it safe, avoid peer pressure and have fun. The best spring break memories are the times you spend with friends and the time spent having adventures you can’t have at home. Learn how to have a safe, fun spring break.

Plan activities
Instead of arriving at your destination with nothing to do, create a busy itinerary. You’ve been studying for weeks. This is your chance to let loose. Go on hikes, rent water crafts or try a new activity you’ve never done before. Visit local attractions and keep yourself busy. You’ll be less likely to fall into a habit of binge drinking on your vacation if you have plenty of fun things to do.

Travel with safe friends
The best way to avoid peer pressure is to surround yourself with peers who respect you and those you admire. Ditch the friends who do things that make you uncomfortable and make you feel bad about yourself. On vacation, it’s more important than ever to be with people you trust and enjoy hanging out with.

Be street smart
Travel in groups and never go somewhere with a stranger. Keep your identification and health insurance on you and keep an copy of your driver’s license and passport somewhere safe. Make sure someone knows where you are at all times, and use a system of checking in with your friends so that everyone is accounted for. Avoid going to someone’s residence if you’ve just met them, even if you’re in a group.

Don’t binge drink
According to the CDC, about 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinking. Binge drinking can lead to violence, injury, alcohol poisoning and risky sexual behaviors. During spring break, don’t let this risky action put you and your friends in danger. The CDC also states that in 2008, there were approximately 190,000 emergency rooms visits by people under 21 for injuries and other conditions linked to alcohol. Think about how much you’ve been looking forward to your break and the chance to get away and relax, not end up in the hospital.

The LiveFree! Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is a coalition of community advocates who strive to address substance abuse in Pinellas County. To see how you can get involved in this cause to help make our community a better place, visit us online.

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You probably started experiencing peer pressure way before you had the ability to understand what it meant. Even preschool kids can influence each other. As you got older, your parents probably said things like, “If all your friends jump off a bridge, are you going to do that too?”  The thing is, our brains are hardwired to want to impress the people around us. A study conducted by the University of Southern California actually showed that people are more likely to take chances in front of friends. Scary, right?  So how do you beat that impulse and think for yourself?

Take a breather
Feeling influenced by your friends in a spur of the moment way? Literally remove yourself from the situation, at least long enough to think. Do you really want to ride someone else’s momentum, possibly into a dangerous situation or illegal activity?  When you’re using your rational brain, the answer is probably no. Give yourself space to make the right choice.

Surround yourself with smart people
If your peers aren’t pressuring you to do stupid things, you don’t have to worry as much about peer pressure. Choose your friends and your social activities wisely. Don’t hang out with people who put you down or try to push you into situations that make you uncomfortable. Don’t go to gatherings where kids are doing things that aren’t in your comfort zone. That way, you’ll feel way less pressured to do things you don’t want to do just to fit in.

Talk it out
Girlshealth.gov recommends coming up with an excuse if you don't know what else to say. Maybe you have somewhere to be or a big project to complete so you don’t fail a class. Alternately, if you feel comfortable, just be honest. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you’re not the only one who doesn’t want to cave in to peer pressure. After all, all of us want to be independent, unique and brave. If the people around you act like they only accept you if you do what they say and act how they act, it’s time to put on some mental armor and fight your way into a better situation. You’ll feel better knowing you made your own choices.

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When it’s your friends who are pressuring you do try drugs, it can be a lot more difficult to say no. However, that’s what you have to do. Whether it’s your best friend or an acquaintance, you shouldn’t feel guilty about saying no to drugs. You’re making the best decision you can!

Here are some ways to turn down drugs and fight off peer pressure, even when your own friends are the ones asking:

“I’ve Got Other Plans”
Tell your friend you have somewhere to be, or something else to do, like a doctor’s appointment or sports practice. If you are going somewhere where you think you may be offered drugs, always have a “way out.”

“It’s Not You”
Sometimes if you say no when offered drugs from friends, they will pressure you more and say if you were their friend, you would try them. Explain that it isn’t them you don’t like; it’s simply the drugs.

Walk Away
There is no reason that you have to stand and take peer pressure, even if it is from your friend or acquaintance. Walking away is an easy way to refuse drugs and peer pressure.

Offer Alternatives
Remind your friends about the kickball match going on or the football game that starts soon. Tell them you would rather do something fun and invite them to come along instead of doing drugs.

Make a Joke
Turn peer pressure around and into a joke. Tell them that the drugs kill brain cells and you need yours for the upcoming chemistry test.

Bring Your Parents into It
Mention that your parents have talked to you about the dangers of drugs, and tell your friends you want nothing to do with drugs and you don’t want to disobey your parents.

Horror Stories
Explain to them what the drugs can do, like kill you or rot your teeth, and your friends may be more inclined to stay away from them themselves.

Live Free! is a group of people who are dedicated to eliminating substance abuse through proactive and strategic actions. We strive every day to improve people’s lives through reducing and eliminating substance use and abuse. Visit us online to see our community resources and ways you can help.

Sources:
Ways to Say “No” to Drugs (GirlsHealth.gov)
Helping Kids Say “No” (Parents the Anti-Drug)
20 Ways to Say “No” to Alcohol and Drugs (Teen Drug Abuse)

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