NIDA for Teens: The Science Behind Drug Abuse
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Activities for Teens

Hold an Art or Poster Design Contest

DesignShow off your creative skills! Hold an artwork contest or poster campaign where you, your friends, and your peers create illustrations to showcase what you've learned about prescription drug abuse. Start by researching the effects of different types of drugs such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin, Xanax, and Valium. Create a painting, drawing, poster, sculpture, or use whatever creative medium you like best to illustrate what you have discovered. You might want to focus on the behavioral or physical effects that prescription drug abuse can have on a person. Make sure you have fun with your creation, and don't forget to display your art so that your school and community can see it!

Here's what you'll need:

  • A place to showcase your artwork. Check with your teacher or principal to make sure you and your peers have a secure and large enough space to display your work.
  • Materials to create your masterpiece. What you'll need depends entirely on what you decide to create. Check with your school to see if you can use school art supplies or ask your parents to help you purchase some materials at a local art supply store. Don't forget to check with your art supply store of choice to see if they have a student discount.
  • A description of your piece. Write a brief summary on an index card about what your artwork is trying to say. You can make this description as fancy and artistic as you want!

Here's how to do it:

  • Find inspiration! Click around this Web site and find something that is important or interesting to you. Brainstorm the best way to portray it, and let your imagination run wild! You might choose to create a painting, a collage, a poster, or a sculpture. It's totally up to you. If you need more inspiration, don't hesitate to research images and drawings online or in good old-fashioned books.
  • Consider making this project a group activity! Get together with a few of your friends and collect scrap materials and items from your homes or wherever you can find assorted objects. Use these items any way you want to come up with a cool final product that depicts the consequences of prescription drug abuse. One idea is to create two opposite images. One can depict life as a drug-free teen, and the other can convey the opposite—what happens to a teen's brain after abusing prescription drugs. If you need help, ask your parents or teachers for assistance.

Send Us Feedback

Have you tried this activity in your school or community? Send us feedback by downloading our feedback form [Word - 212 kb], filling it out, saving it, and emailing it to peerx@iqsolutions.com.