RMY17(under15): Tobacco, alcohol and drugs
| Duration | 10 minutes |
| Learning Objectives | To understand that tobacco, alcohol and drugs have an adverse effect on mental health. |
| Tools/materials for the Presenter | Rural Minds Youth PowerPoint – Tobacco, alcohol and drugs (under 15) |
| Lesson Components | Drugs that are referred to here are licit and illicit, so there is a high chance that people in this room are on prescription drugs. Drugs that are prescribed by a medical professional and taken as per the prescription are excluded from the drug reference in this session. As everyone here is under 18, no-one here is legally allowed to purchase or consume alcohol or cigarettes. That being said, it’s very likely that at least some of you have already begun experimenting. It is estimated by the ABS that 20,500 Australians died from smokingrelated illness in 2018 (that’s 13% of all deaths). In 2020, there were 1,452 alcohol-related deaths and 1,842 drug related deaths in Australia. Do these statistics surprise you? |
| Key messages | Prescription drugs, so long as they are taken as prescribed, are not included in this session. It is illegal in Australia for anyone under 18 to purchase or consume tobacco or alcohol products. Self-medication is the use of tobacco, alcohol and/or drugs in an attempt (deliberate or incidental) to manage a mental health concern Self-medicating might provide short term relief, but will only make things worse in the long run. |
| Reflection | Do tobacco, drugs and alcohol have a positive or negative impact on your mental health? |