Have students read all the facts about marijuana in the Facts on Drugs section. Then print out the activity below and allow them time to complete the email. Have students read their emails out loud and discuss.
An Email to an Imaginary Friend
Maybe you haven’t had an imaginary friend since preschool, but we’ve created one for you here. Meet Pedley. He’s your close pal, but he’s taken a wrong turn. Pedley smokes marijuana daily.
Based on what you’ve learned about the drug, what can you tell Pedley to convince him that pot isn’t for him? Fill in the blanks in the email to Pedley below to help him realize that marijuana will get him nowhere fast.
Dear Pedley,
I’m worried about you. You seem out of it. You didn’t even remember to meet me at my locker after school yesterday. I’m afraid all that pot you’ve been smoking is affecting our friendship. Maybe you don’t realize what’s going on inside you when you use that stuff.
Basically, marijuana messes with parts of your brain, including __________, _________________, and ______________________. When these parts of the brain aren’t working normally, you could have trouble with _____________, ______________, and ____________________.
And Pedley, do you know what marijuana smoke can do to your lungs? It can ___________________________________________.
OK. I know you get a ___________, or intoxicated feeling when you smoke a joint. But did you know that comes from a chemical? The chemical is called _____________________. And the release of that chemical leads to frequent use and could lead to ____________________.
I hope this information helps. And I hope the Pedley I know comes back.
Your concerned pal,
__________________________
Once your students have reviewed the information in Facts on Drugs: Marijuana you can use the quiz below to test their knowledge.
The Quiz is available in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format. You must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDF.
