Drugs and alcohol disrupt the brain's communication system and cause incorrect messaging by fooling the brain's pleasure center. Teen brains are actively growing and have more receptors, meaning drugs stay in the brain longer than in adults. Any substance use teaches teen brains to form addictions faster than adult brains. Studies show teens who used marijuana before age 16 performed worse on IQ tests and had affected brain regions responsible for decision making. Drugs and alcohol affect teens more severely and for longer than adults, increasing risks of negative effects and addiction.

1. For Teens…ANY use is
abuse (yes, I know you’ve
heard this before…)

2.  They are chemicals that jump in to the
communication system of the brain and disrupt the
messages
 They also cause ‘incorrect’ messages
 For example, because drugs
fool the ‘pleasure’
center of the brain, the
brain will think it has
plenty of the chemicals
that normally make you
feel good, so the brain will
make less of those chemicals!

3.  Teen brains are actively growing, more than any
other time in the lifespan except for infancy
 This means there are more receptors (the places in
the brain that allow chemicals to attach) in teen
brains
 More receptors means
chemicals like drugs and
alcohol stay in the brains
of teens longer than they
do in adults

4.  Basically anything you do, or ‘practice’, your
brain will learn to do much faster than if an
adult does the same thing
 Because of this, teens develop
addictions much faster than
adults. Exposure to alcohol or
drugs is ‘teaching’ your brain
to form an addiction

5.  Studies show that teens that started using
marijuana before the age of 16 performed much
worse on IQ tests when they were older
 MRI images…pictures of
specific regions of the
brain… showed that the
frontal and prefontal
areas of the brain were
affected. These areas are
responsible for
decision-making

6.  Studies show that while alcohol kills brain cells
in adults, the same amount of alcohol kills
MORE brain cells in teens

7.  It's harder to think clearly.
 It's harder to set limits and make good choices.
 It's harder to tell when a situation could be
dangerous.
 It's harder to say "no" to sexual
advances.
 It's harder to fight back if a
sexual assault occurs.
 It's possible to blackout and to
have memory loss.

8.  A 2005 study showed that between 65% and
75% of girls and women who were victims of
‘date-rape’ had very high levels of alcohol in
their blood
=

9.  Drug and alcohol affect teens more than they
do adults, and for longer periods
 Teens are more likely to have negative effects
due to drug and alcohol use
 Teens are more likely to become addicted to
drugs or alcohol

10.  People may say they are ‘addicted’ to
chocolate, or to a TV show, and this tends to
make light of a very serious problem
 True addiction ruins lives. People who are
addicted lose everything….

11.  Their families
 Their jobs
 Their homes
 Their friends
 And pretty much any
joy that life holds
Some studies say that between
65-80% of homeless people
have addiction problems

12.  Want to get a good job?
You need your brain.
 Want to be a good mom?
You need your brain.

13.  Protect your BRAIN….
 Protect your YOURSELF….
 Protect your LIFE…
 By avoiding drugs and
alcohol at all costs