Drug use is becoming a major problem for youth in today's society. Because drugs and other substances are often featured in the media that children are often exposed to, they are often persuaded to engage in such negative behaviors. The media, however, is not the only factor in persuading young people. Many children often grow up in families where drugs are used and sometimes abused. As more and more young people are “trying” drugs, it is important that educators begin educating students as early as kindergarten about promoting a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. As a second grade teacher in a school division where substance abuse is relatively high and many of the student's parents are involved in substance abuse, it is important that effective strategies conceptually appropriate for this grade level are implemented in the classroom. Telling students that drugs are bad or that they will die if they participate in substance abuse has proven to be an ineffective approach to promoting a drug-free lifestyle. I feel I should spend more time specifically discussing the variety of medications children may be exposed to, the short-term effects of medication use, strategies for communicating effectively without resorting to medications, and other facts that are developmentally appropriate for such a young child. age range. Most second graders today are only aware of the most common drugs such as cigarettes (tobacco) and alcohol, when in fact there are a number of other drugs that are now being used. Before beginning a class discussion about drugs and substance abuse, students should be introduced to the number of other drugs that often get lumped into the other category, such as marijuana, inhalants, and over-the-counter or prescription drugs. It is imp...... middle of paper ...... drug and substance abuse is relatively high in the community, I would therefore like to inform students that even if their parents or family members engage in such behaviors, they should not talk about it negatively. Instead, they should encourage them to deviate from negative behaviors and the child should show them that they are willing to help them receive the intervention. My goal in educating students about drug and substance abuse is not to scare them with the deadly diseases or health implications that come with engaging in such behavior, but to simply raise their awareness of the problem and hope they continue to make smart decisions and live a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. References Telljohann, Susan K. (2012). Health education: applications for elementary and middle schools (seventh edition). McGraw-Hill Publishing House. ISBN: 978-0-07-352968-4