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Let's have kids learn from other kids!
Refusal Skills
As a young person, you face a lot of tough decisions in your life. Since making friends and fitting in are important, peer pressure has a big impact on decisions, especially on those about drug, alcohol, and tobacco use. It is important that not only understand the harms associated with drugs, alcohol, and tobacco but that you practice refusal skills. There are a number of ways you can refuse drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
Ways To Say No
- Say, "No, thanks." It could be just as easy as that! However, if the person offering the cigarette, beer, or joint persists, you will have to back up your "No thanks" with other tactics.
- Be a broken record. Say "no" as many times as you needs to, either to cause the person pressuring you to stop, or to stall until you can think of something else to say.
- Give a reason. This reason could be simply, "I'm not allowed to do that," or, "That's bad for you." It could state the consequences, such as, "I don't want to do that; it will make me sick," or, "You can die from doing that." The important thing is that you state your reason for saying "no" with confidence. It's important that you not to get into an argument; the goal is to refuse what is being offered.
- Walk away or ignore the offer. This doesn't work in all situations. Sometimes you will be alone or in some other situation where he can't walk away.
- Change the subject or suggest doing something else. By saying, "Let's do ____ instead," you have the potential to not only refuse an offer of drugs, alcohol, or tobacco, but to prevent a friend from using them too.
- Assert yourself. This is an important part of all the above tactics. If you can stick up for yourself, you are learning an important life skill.
Remember, the best way to refuse drugs, alcohol, and tobacco is to spend time with people who don't use these substances.
Source: SAMSHA
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