Author Description

In the United States, about 570,000 people die annually due to drug use. And while the war on drugs is fought in the streets and at the borders addressing the supply side of the problem we also need to fight the issue of demand by starting with education and conversations in our homes. The rising number of deaths by overdose to epidemic levels is a clear indication the telling our kids to just say no is not enough. We have to talk to them about this. We have to educate them and provide the tools they need to never fall into this deadly trap. We have to support them just as much as we do on the sidelines at their sporting events or in the audience at their performances. Clean and clear is a workbook designed to provide needed information and to serve as a catalyst for dialogue about addiction and drug abuse. Although it is written at the middle school age level, people of all ages will benefit from the contents of this book which covers what addiction is, what the risk factors are, how addiction affects the brain and strategies for preventing addiction. The book discusses illegal drugs, tobacco products, alcohol, and prescription medications and elucidates the fact that addiction can affect people at all stages of life not just teenagers. There are quizzes at the end of each chapter and a quiz key at the end of the book. There is also a short pre-and post test which can be used to measure the degree of learning. A majority of the statistics and information in this book were taken from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.