Use of Prescription vs Over the Counter Drugs An interdisciplinary Assignment for Grade 8 students The data presented compares common prescription drug use with over the counter drug use in 15 years adolescents. The data is presented in graph format and is designed to meet health and physical education and mathematic expectations. Questions have been designed to engage students in discussions of different graphical presentations of data as well as the trends and consequences if substance abuse.

Curriculum Expectations Math Students will read, interpret, discuss and draw conclusions about quantitative data presented on various graphical representations Health & Physical Education Students will discuss the decision making steps/process involved in substance abuse users (ie peer pressure, body image) and the negative consequences associated with their use

Ritalin 2002 Data Males: Percentage of Ritalin Use Never 1 or 2 times 3 times or more 9244 Females: Percentage of Ritalin Use Never1 or 2 times 3 times or more 9632

Anabolic Steroids 2002 Data Males : Percentage of Steroid Use Never1 or 2 times 3 times or more 9612 Females: Percentage of Steroid Use Never 1 or 2 times 3 times or more 9910

Questions For Students: 1a) In 1990 how many males used heroin/opium or morphine three or more times? 1b) In 1994 how many females have never used amphetamines? 1c) In 1998, what percentage of males have used medical drugs to get stoned: is it 91, 3, 4 or 6 percent? 1d) True or false: Males use more drugs than females? 2) Based on the data presented would you agree that drug use amongst fifteen year old males and females is increasing slightly? Why do you think this is? Note: Please include actual percentages in your answers. Refer to our discussion of body image, peer pressure from the beginning of the class and last week’s class. 3) NOTE: YOU MAY ANSWER QUESTION A OR B: (May be done in groups, sharing answers afterwards)  a) Are there any limitations to the way this data can be presented? Using Excel, attempt to fit one year of data for one drug into another graphic format. What is your conclusion based on this attempt?  b) Suggest an alternative way of conducting the survey questions. With what we know about the number of drugs available over the counter, do you think that the survey could have been broken down into more specific categories? Why?

Notes on Graphs: Bar Graph displays data for heroin, opium or morphine, Amphetamines and Medical Drugs to get stoned over four survey years Ritalin and Anabolic Steroid data was only available for 2002 but is relevant to this study