Illegal Drugs - Student Booklet

Illegal Drugs - The Facts 7 For more information see www.positivechoices.org.au option 2 : Make an Excuse As the title implies, this involves the person making an excuse to get out of what they don’t want to do. For example: • “No thanks, my parents are picking me up soon” • “Last time I had it I reacted really badly” • “I’ve got to go soon” • “I can’t take any tonight, I’m on medication” • “No thanks, I will stay sober and keep an eye to make sure everyone else is safe” option 1 : avoid situations If you don’t think youwill be able to resist the offer or pressure to take drugs then it may be best to avoid that situation or group of people altogether. Try to hang out with people who share similar interests and do not use drugs. Good friends should respect your decision not to use drugs. Get involved in a new activity and meet some new people. option 3 : walk away If a person offers you drugs, you can simply make your excuses and go. You can leave by saying: “I need to go to the bathroom” or “Is that Angela over there? I need to catch up, I haven’t seen her in ages”. option 4 : be assertive Assertive communication involves a person clearly stating their needs, wants and feelingswhilst still being respectful of others. Learning to be assertive takes practice, so don’t worry if it doesn’t come naturally. Assertive communication includes three steps: 1. Stating your answer 2. Giving your reason 3. Showing understanding