Substance Awareness

Freshman Year · Health · Required Lesson

Substance Awareness

25–30 minutes Medium Required

Destination

By the end of this conversation, the mentee should be able to name one safety fact that could protect them or a friend, and know what to do in an emergency.

Stop 1 of 4

Talk

Goal: This conversation is about safety, not policing. The point is to make sure the mentee has accurate information and knows what to do in an emergency—not to extract a confession or deliver a lecture.

“This isn’t about telling you what to do with your life. It’s about making sure you have real information—because the stuff people hear from friends or social media isn’t always accurate, and getting it wrong can be dangerous.”

Choose three to five questions

1. What have you heard about alcohol, vaping or other substances—from friends, social media, or school?
2. Have you ever been in a situation where people around you were using something, and it made you uncomfortable?
3. Do you know what to do if a friend seemed really out of it or wasn’t responding normally?
4. Do you feel like you’d know what’s actually true versus a myth when it comes to this stuff?
5. If something went wrong at a party or hangout, who would you call?
Mentor Tip: Keep this factual and calm—avoid moralizing, scare tactics or fishing for a personal confession. The goal is that the mentee walks away with real safety knowledge and knows they can come to you with questions or in a crisis without fear of judgment.

Stop 2 of 4

Learn

Why the teenage brain matters here

The part of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control and weighing long-term consequences—the prefrontal cortex—isn’t fully developed until the mid-20s. This isn’t a character flaw; it’s biology. It means substances can affect a teenage brain differently, and sometimes more intensely, than an adult brain.

Route 21 Big Idea:
This isn’t about good kids versus bad kids. It’s about your brain still being under construction—and giving it the best shot at building well.

The facts, without the lecture

Quick Facts
Alcohol is the most commonly used substance among teens and carries real risks, including alcohol poisoning, which can be fatal.
Vaping/nicotine is highly addictive, and teen brains are especially prone to developing nicotine dependence quickly.
Marijuana laws vary by state, but it remains illegal for anyone under 21 everywhere, and regular use during adolescence is linked to effects on memory and learning.
Prescription medication misuse—taking someone else’s medication, or more than prescribed—carries real risks even though the substance itself is “legal” for someone else.

The fentanyl risk

Counterfeit pills sold as prescription medication are increasingly contaminated with fentanyl, a substance so potent that even a small, invisible amount can be fatal. There is no way to tell by looking, smelling or tasting whether a pill is counterfeit or contaminated—this risk exists regardless of a person’s overall choices around substances.

Recognizing an alcohol or drug emergency

Warning Signs (Sometimes Called “PUBS”)
🤮Puking while unconscious or unable to wake up
😵Unresponsive to being shaken or spoken to loudly
🫁Breathing that’s slow, irregular, or has stopped
🩵Skin that’s bluish, pale, clammy or cold

What to actually do in an emergency

1Call 911 immediately—don’t wait to see if they’ll “sleep it off”
2Stay with the person and keep them on their side if they’re vomiting
3Tell responders exactly what was taken, if you know
4Don’t leave them alone, even if you’re scared of getting in trouble
Good Samaritan laws: Many states have laws that protect people who call for help during an overdose or alcohol emergency from being charged with certain drug or alcohol offenses. Calling for help is almost always the right call, legally and otherwise.

Stop 3 of 4

Try

Practice saying no—your way

Refusing something doesn’t require a big speech. A short, confident line is usually enough. Try a few together and see which feel natural.

“Nah, I’m good.”
“Not my thing, but you go ahead.”
“I’ve got somewhere to be early tomorrow.”
“My [mentor/parent/coach] would kill me—literally not worth it.”
Which of these feels most like something you’d actually say?

Choose Your Route

Pick the video that best fits your time and interest today. You only need to watch one.

Level 1 · Quick Stop

Teen Health: Substance Use and Abuse

Approximately 3–5 minutes

A quick, factual look at how substances interact with the teenage brain’s still-developing reward system.

Watch the Quick Stop
Talk afterward: Did anything in the video surprise you about how the brain works?

Level 2 · Scenic Route

Teen Substance Use & Abuse Overview

Approximately 8–10 minutes

A broader overview covering alcohol, tobacco, vaping and marijuana at a factual, non-judgmental level.

Take the Scenic Route
Talk afterward: Which substance discussed in the video do you think teens encounter most often?

Level 3 · Open Road

Youth Substance Use Prevention & Harm Reduction

Approximately 30+ minutes

A deeper webinar on prevention and harm reduction strategies, including the rising risk of fentanyl-contaminated pills. Best watched in sections.

Explore the Open Road
Talk afterward: Was there anything in the video you’d want to share with a friend?
Mentor Reminder: Let the mentee choose the route whenever possible. The safety information and refusal practice above matter more than which video gets picked.

Stop 4 of 4

Grow

Reflection

What’s one fact from today you didn’t know before?
If you saw the warning signs we talked about in a friend, what would you do?
Who would you call in an emergency, and do you have that number saved?
What questions do you still have?

A safety net, not a trap

The point of today wasn’t to catch you doing anything wrong. It’s so that if you’re ever in a risky situation—your own or a friend’s—you know exactly what to do and who to call.

How can your mentor help?

How can Route 21 help?

Would it help to have a printed emergency contact card, or information about naloxone (the medication that can reverse an opioid overdose) and where to access it?
Mentor Wrap-Up:
Did the mentee leave knowing what to do in an emergency, regardless of their own choices around substances? Did the conversation stay judgment-free enough that they’d actually come to you if something happened?