To print this page: right click it and choose print

Drug use can be very dangerous and is risky to be involved with. However, people also often feel they get something from using drugs. If this was not the case they would not bother using them in the first place. This project is about weighing up the costs of taking drugs.

Select four different drugs. For example, you could focus on alcohol, cannabis, ecstasy and tobacco (you could choose more or different drugs if you wish).

Make a list of the possible costs and benefits of using each of the drugs. To help you do this think about:

• health effects on the body
• effects on people's moods, feelings and behaviour
• effects on relationships and lifestyle
• effects of short and long-term use
• money
• the law
• where people may be using the drug and what they might be doing when using.

Now ask some teachers and students to do the same and write down for you what they think are the costs and benefits of using each of the four drugs. You might choose five teachers and five students. Ask each of them to do it for all four drugs.

Next look through what they have written down and compare their lists to the ones you have made. Look for:

• how their lists compare to yours
• whether they have included things you have not
• whether they have missed important things you put on your lists
• whether there are differences in how the teachers and students see the drugs, and if so, what are they?

Record your findings in your project book. You may also wish to write about what you have found out about:

• why people use drugs
• costs and benefits that are common to different drugs
• how knowledgeable teachers and students are about drugs.

Resources

Here are a selection of websites that may help with your project. Please remember that DrugScope/D-World cannot be held responsible for the content of other sites.

What are the main dangers from using drugs? DrugScope FAQ

How many people die from using drugs? DrugScope FAQ

Why do young people take drugs? DrugScope FAQ

Close window