The Flip Side of Club Drugs
(9-12 grade)

Overview
Students will discuss the cultural influences on use of club drugs, identify specific club drug characteristics and ways they are used, evaluate drug information sources for reliability, and increase community awareness of issues surrounding club drugs.

Estimated Time
Two 90-minute class sessions

Correlation to National Health Education Standards (NHES) and Performance Indicators (PI)

Materials
Internet Access
Printer
Paper and pen

Preparation
Before the day of the lesson, ask students to identify music or movies that address club drugs and/or sexual assault.
CAUTION: Language and content of some songs may be offensive and inappropriate in the school setting therefore, review the lyrics for relevance and appropriateness prior to class.
Or, research your own songs and lyrics to discuss in class. Within some songs that may be deemed offensive, there are particular lines or relevant themes that can be used independently in class for discussion.

Class Period I
Discussion: (15 minutes) (NHES 4: PI 1 & 2)
1. Ask students to relate the lyrics, messages, and/or theme of songs or movies to the class or have the students play a part of the song to the class (if appropriate). Facilitate a discussion on the lyrics, their meaning, their influence on individuals' behaviors, the perception of the singer(s) and/or band(s), frequency and popularity of the songs and groups.

Discussion questions may include: How popular is this song? How do you know it is popular? (i.e., song charts, frequency of playing it within a peer group, awards). What do you picture when you hear the song? Are there any restrictions by parents or others on your listening to this music? What is the message? Why do you like or dislike this song? Are there subtle messages beneath the obvious? Do they influence behavior?

2. Have students list what they believe to be true about club drugs from these lyrics. What drugs are considered "club drugs"? How much are they used? What are the effects? Can they relate any instances of their use in real life?

Research: (35 minutes) (NHES 3: PI 3)
1. Direct students to the NewsHour story at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/youth/july-dec01/ecstasy.html Ask students to compare their earlier perceptions as listed with the information provided in the article, noting the facts next to the perceptions. Discuss their findings, being sure to identify the emotional and physical sensitivity responses.

2. Continue the discussion by examining why they are also called date-rape drugs? Have students identify what lyrics in the songs are in conflict, if any, with current social mores and values in your community? Why or why not? Go beyond drug use to sexuality. What gender roles are involved? Define sexualization (using control and influence to manipulate others, including rape, incest, harassment, flirting). What attitudes contribute to this problem. Do parents, teachers, law enforcement personnel, doctors, and others in the community know about these drugs?

3. Return to the Internet to read the story about Samantha at: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/ghb.html
Extend the discussion to community organizations that become involved in the issue of drug use (law enforcement, legal system, rape crisis centers, pregnancy assistance, hospitals, parents, prevention organizations, etc.) How does the community respond to the use of these drugs?

Extended Learning (45 minutes) (NHES 2: PI 2)
Students may be assigned the following tasks to complete outside of class.

1. Divide students into small groups of three or four. Help students identify persons to interview or survey regarding club drug effects, use in the community, and consequences. Assign each group a community organization or population group (parents, teachers, students, social service organization, law enforcement).
2. Have students prepare a list of interview or survey questions regarding club drugs, an organizations' role, group or individual perspectives on the issue. Examples of questions to include: What do you know about club drugs? How serious is the problem in our community? What do you see as the real issue? What is your organizations involvement in this issue? What recommendations do you have? What should someone do who is faced with this situation?
*The instructor may help students identify an appropriate contact person prior to this assignment.
*For students for whom interviewing and/or surveying community members may be inadvisable, ask them to continue their research at additional Web sites. As they find sites, have them determine the reliability and validity of information by noting the Web site sponsor, date information was updated, and other aspects of determining reliable sources.

Additional sites include:
a. www.clubdrugs.org
b. www.health.org (National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information)
c. http://www.nlm.nig.gov/medline_plus/clubdrugs.html
d. http://www.nida.nih.gov/drugpages/clubdrugs.html
e. http://www.theantidrug.com
f. http://www.jointogether.org/sa/issues/hot_issues

Class Period II. Evaluation and Application of Learning
Discussion ( 15 minutes)
Discuss additional information gathered from the community or Web sites. Did all of the sources of information support each other, or were there differences in the information given? If differences existed, how would you decide which is most correct? How aware of club drugs were members of the community? Summarize all of the information gathered, identifying the most important points.

Community Education Activity (55 minutes)
(NHES 7: PI 5 & 6)
Using the information learned and/or survey responses, have the class prepare a news article for the school paper, community newspaper or a presentation to the school board, PTA or other community group to educate the general public or what needs to be done to make the community a safer, more healthful place. Evaluate the news articles for the following:

*factual information
*clarity of writing
*appropriate approach for the audience
*solutions provided

Conclusion: (10 minutes) (NHES 3: PI 6)
Ask the class to reflect on club drug use in their community and/or personal life in writing or in class discussion. How would they prevent club drug use and sexual abuse and what they can do if they suspect a friend has been drugged or sexually abused. Refer back to the PBS articles, additional research and interviews with professional organization personnel.

Correlation to National Health Education Standards (NHES) and Performance Indicators (PI)
NHES #2. Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid health information and health promoting products and services by researching club drugs online and interviewing or surveying community members.
PI #2. Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate resources from home, school, and community that provide valid health information.
NHES #3. Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks by identifying the risks associated with club drugs and the situations in which they may be used.
PI #3. Students will analyze the short-term and long-term consequences of safe, and risky or harmful behaviors.
PI #6. Students will demonstrate ways to avoid and reduce threatening situations.
NHES #4. Students will analyze the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health by identifying and discussing the attitudes and behaviors promoted through popular song lyrics relative to club drugs and their effects.
PI #1. Students will analyze how cultural diversity enriches and challenges health behaviors.
PI #2. Students will evaluate the effect of media and other factors on personal, family, and community health.
NHES #7. Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health by preparing and presenting a discussion to community members on reducing club drug prevalence.
PI #5. Students will demonstrate the ability to work cooperatively when advocating for health communities.
PI #6. Students will demonstrate the ability to adapt health messages and communication techniques to the characteristics of a particular audience.

Author Mary Ransom, Ph.D. is a private consultant in health education and research from Williamsburg, Kansas. Previously she served as a health promotion director for community organizations, with an emphasis in adolescent pregnancy prevention. She has taught health education classes at the university level, and taught home economics, health and physical education for twelve years in public schools in Kansas.

To find out more about opportunities to contribute to this site, contact Leah Clapman at lclapman@newshour.org