Exploding the Myths
There are plenty of myths about drugs and alcohol. Make sure you get the facts!
Myth: I drink and use drugs but I'm never out
of control.
Fact: Right, you might feel in control but that's the big illusion of alcohol and drugs. The more you do, the more you'll need to do and the less control you'll have over your behaviour. Once dependency or addiction sets in, the drug is the boss and it controls you.
Myth: Marijuana won't hurt you.
Fact: Marijuana is often heavily saturated with pesticides, and may even contain traces of other drugs you didn't expect, like crystal meth. Marijuana use has also been linked to an earlier onset of schizophrenia in people who are genetically predisposed to it.
Myth: If you snort heroin and don't shoot up, it's not risky.
Fact: Heroin is dangerous no matter how you do it. Once you're addicted to heroin, you're likely to switch to injecting it because it's cheaper.
Myth: Everyone drinks and does drugs.
Fact: Look around you. Really look. Not everyone uses. Align yourself with friends who don't drink or do drugs. They are out there. Teens who drink or use drugs are a minority.
Myth: People will think I'm a loser if I don't drink or do drugs.
Fact: Yeah, they might think that but you have to sum up the strength to get past it. Take a hard look at the alcoholic living in the rundown trailer. Chances are he was one of the coolest kids at school, once upon a time. Look again at the woman everyone knows is an addict. She didn't always look like a walking skeleton, old beyond her years. Once, she was probably popular. Even though it's hard to think beyond the moment, try and imagine the life ahead of you. The choices you make today will affect who you become tomorrow. Don't throw it all away now so a few people will think you are cool. Get to know people who don't drink or use. They are out there. Lots of them.
Myth: Using drugs is a great way to make friends and get to know each other.
Fact: Actually, when you use drugs, you're more likely to get into fights with your friends and family. Eventually, you'll have trouble forming meaningful relationships. You'll feel more and more alone as you try to hide your behaviour and keep secrets.
Myth: If you were in a club and somebody slipped a drug like Rohypnol into your drink, you would know it immediately.
Fact: You probably wouldn't realize until it's too late. Rohypnol is odourless and tasteless. It's easy to slip it into a drink and dissolve without your knowledge. There are increasing reports of Rohypnol and other club drugs being used in sexual assaults.
Myth: Drinking or using drugs makes problems
go away.
False: Your problems are still there. In fact, once you're addicted, you'll end up with more problems than you ever dreamed possible. It's a vicious cycle. The best way to deal with your problems is to talk to people who trust: friends, relatives, school counselors or teachers, addictions counselors and, yes, even your parents.
Myth: Bush parties are no big deal.
Fact: Bush parties often mean drinking and driving, and being out of control, with people who are also out of control. At a bush party, you're more likely to feel trapped or forced into doing something you wouldn't ordinarily do, like drinking too much, using drugs you normally wouldn't think of using, or having sex against your better judgment. More and more, bush parties are attracting people in their 20s who get off partying with younger people. Sometimes they bring in heavier drugs and heavier attitudes.
Myth: I can't get addicted to drugs that I only try just once.
Fact: Yeah right. Everyone thinks that. The truth is, for some drugs, such as crystal meth, crack and heroin, all it can take is one time and you're hooked.
Myth: Drugs make me more creative.
Fact: For a short time, drugs will make you feel more creative but soon the creativity will be replaced by a need for the drug itself. Drugs will become your personal hell.
Myth: The drugs I get from friends are safe.
Fact: It's really impossible to know. Your friends may believe the drugs they are giving you are safe, but who gave drugs to them? There are more and more reports of crystal meth masquerading as Ecstasy, and weed laced with other addictives like meth.
Myth: Alcohol is advertised everywhere, it's legal for adults, and my parents drink, so it must be ok.
Fact: Alcohol is actually the most deadly of all drugs. It's addictive — and alcohol-related vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death amongst teens in BC. Binge drinking, something common at bush parties, has huge risks. Binge drinking can cause you to pass out, which leaves you vulnerable to choking on your own vomit, assault or sexual assault. Mixing alcohol with any kind of drug is a high-risk combination.
