Drug Education Process and Content Ralph Cantor Alameda County Office of Education May 3, 2007

ACOE Ralph Cantor2 Goal of drug education  Think more deeply about the issues  Make a more informed decision  Have a positive influence on their behavior  Know that adults care and will respond  Identify kids needing help  For Middle School – delay initial usage

3 How people learn and Knowledge Prior Experience Thought Emotions Heart

ACOE Ralph Cantor4 Process  Present a non-judgmental approach  Establish credibility (Honesty, Knowledge, Authenticity)  Stimulate discussion and serious thought  Art of weaving information (stealing of knowledge)

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6 Dopamine vs. Serotonin  Dopamine produces a feeling of pleasure  Serotonin produces a feeling of well being  Difference between pleasure and happiness  Developing skills, interest, relationships, meaning (“getting a life”)  Resiliency

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8 Hippocampus  Gateway between short term and long term memory  Draws information from long term memory  Discriminates relevant new information  Trashes unimportant information  Stores new information in long term memory

ACOE Ralph Cantor9 Marijuana Hippocampus

ACOE Ralph Cantor10 Adolescent BrainAdult Brain

ACOE Ralph Cantor11 Credibility – Believability plus influence Kids will listen, but even more, kids will consider and self reflect; look into what they already know and compare with new information. Example – THC Content Strategies and Approaches Talking with children in the classroom or individually

ACOE Ralph Cantor12 Strategies and Approaches Talking with children in the classroom or individually  Brains are different  Not personal  Science based  Marsha’s experiment and the use of motivational interviewing  Not trying to convince  Teaching true decision making with a predetermined conclusion  Kids are sensitive to being manipulated  Use of their knowledge and past experience  Give balanced answers

ACOE Ralph Cantor13 Honesty – They ask you if you ever used mostly to see if you are going to be honest; be real because the reality of the situation is that is what works. Strategies and Approaches Talking with children in the classroom or individually

ACOE Ralph Cantor14  Don’t shove this kind of information down their throat  No propaganda  Non-judgmental/ Fair and Balanced  Honest with integrity  Interactive  Honoring where they are and what they know  Let them steal the information  Authenticity Reaching Teenagers

ACOE Ralph Cantor15  Ignorance that the substance is a drug and what it does to the body  Loss of desired effect w/increasing frequency  Difficulty separating from the drug  Impairment of health or social function  Read handout Self Assessment Andrew Weil – Unhealthy relationship

ACOE Ralph Cantor16  Various approaches for age and circumstance  What’s worked for you  Classroom settings, individuals, groups, SAP  Marijuana-Tobacco connection  Stages of change and Motivational Interviewing  Summation and conclusions More to think about…

ACOE Ralph Cantor17  Marijuana: What’s a Parent to believe? Tim Cermak 2003, Hazelden  Uppers, Downers, All Arounders Darryl Inaba 1997, CNS Publications  Understanding Marijuana Mitch Earleywine 2002, Oxford University Press  Buzzed Cynthia Kuhn, et. al. 1998, Norton and Company Bibliography

Instructional Design Services courtesy of Bernard Burchette, Director Phone: (510) Educational Technology Support Services Alameda County Office of Education

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Contact Information Ralph Cantor Alameda County Office of Education Program Coordinator (510)