Lesson 12.3: Influences on the Use of Medications and Drugs

Overview

This lesson focuses on factors that influence the use of OTC medications and drugs, such as media and advertising techniques. An emphasis is also placed on healthy alternatives to using drugs.

Learning Targets

  • Identify three factors that influence teens to use medications and drugs.
  • Review the three things drug ads are required to tell consumers.
  • Analyze three techniques marketers use to influence teens to purchase items.
  • Differentiate between three healthy alternative activities you could do instantly without any planning and three healthy alternative activities you would have to plan ahead of time to be able to do.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the journal question on the board, or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 12.3 PowerPoint slides, or make copies of the Lesson 12.3 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 12.3 Analyzing Influences Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: Who or what is your biggest positive influence and why? Who or what is your biggest negative influence and why? Who are your biggest external influencers when it comes to making big decisions in your life? Why are they so important to you?
    • Option: Write or project the question, and have students respond in their journals as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in partners, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 12.3 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 12.3 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quizzes, and use them alongside posttests to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Option: Use the Lesson 12.3 PowerPoint slides to review the chapter content.

Option: Have students use the Lesson 12.3 Note-Taking Guide to review chapter content. Ask students to work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Review the questions as a class if time permits.

Lesson Focus: Analyzing Influences

  1. Give each student a copy of the Analyzing Influences Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.
  2. Have students work individually to complete the worksheet.
  3. Ask students to pair up and share their responses.
  4. Have each pair of students select one advertisement from their worksheets and share their answers to the following questions (from worksheet) about the advertisement they selected:
    • What type of media was used?
    • What company or organization is responsible for the advertising?
    • What was the method being used to try to sell you this product (choose one of the eight in the list)?
    • What is the ad trying to get you to buy, do, or think?
  5. Follow up with each group of students and ask, “How effective was this ad on you?”

Challenge Activity

Have students who need an additional challenge work on the following critical-thinking task.

Using the five influencers—family, peers, media, social media, and you—write down an item you have purchased or something you have done because of each of the influencers. Include both positive and negative things you have purchased or done. Put a star next to the ones that were positive choices and a check mark next to the ones that were negative choices.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets, and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you…

  • Identify three factors that influence teens to use medications and drugs?

    • Factors that will influence teens to use or not use medications and drugs include the following:

    • Family influence: If you have a sibling who uses any type of drug, you will be at a higher risk of using.
    • Peer influence: If you have friends who are using drugs, chances are you will also use because peer pressure can be difficult to resist.
    • Media influence: TV and movies often contain some use or reference to drugs. Media can include billboards, newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, Internet, and social media, all of which can influence a teen to use substances in an illegal manner.
    • Social media influence: More teens use Snapchat and Instagram than any other social media platforms. Many teens follow their favorite singers, athletes, and actors, and often those celebrities post pictures of themselves in party situations where drugs are being used. You may also see pictures of your friends in party situations where drugs are being used, and that may influence you to use.
    • You as an influence: You have to decide what is best for you. Sometimes, you may feel that drugs help you feel better about your problems, but you know in the end this is not true.
    • Life influence: There are also specific periods of time, such as major transitions in your life, when drug use may happen. The first important transition is when students move from elementary school to middle school. This is a time when they experience new academic and social situations and more freedom and make new friends. It may also be the first time they encounter drugs.

  • Review the three things drug ads are required to tell consumers?

    • Federal law states that advertising must be truthful and backed by scientific evidence. Drug ads are required to tell the consumer three things:

    • At least one approved use of the drug
    • The generic name of the drug (A generic drug is a copy that is the same as a brand-name drug in dosage, safety, strength, how it is taken, quality, performance, and intended use.)
    • All the risks of using the drug
  • Analyze three techniques marketers use to influence teens to purchase items?

    • Techniques advertisers use to influence teens include the following:

    • Making interesting commercials
    • Engaging the teen by incorporating an experience in the ad, such as games, apps, and contests, to hold their attention
    • Using emotions to have teens identify with a product
    • Taking advantage of teens’ insecurities by appealing to their need to fit in and to be viewed as attractive, athletic, or popular
    • Using celebrities and athletes to endorse their products
    • Using messages that imply that everyone is doing it
    • Tracking their digital trail to determine their tastes, interests, purchases, preferences, and even location
    • Using peer influence on social media by having teen followers market their products for them
  • Differentiate between three healthy alternative activities you could do instantly without any planning and three healthy alternative activities you would have to plan ahead of time to be able to do?

    • Healthy alternative activities to do instantly include going for a walk or hike, reading a book, or listening to music. Healthy alternative activities to plan for include making dinner for your family, having a movie marathon, or volunteering for a cause you think is important.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

  • Quiz: Have students take the Lesson 12.3 Quiz.
  • Vocabulary Review: Collect the Lesson 12.3 Vocabulary Review Worksheets, and evaluate them for accuracy.
  • Note-Taking Guide: Collect the completed Lesson 12.3 Note-Taking Guide, and spot check one or more items for completion and accuracy.
  • Skill-Building Worksheet: Have students submit the Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Accessing Reliable Information and use the Holistic Rubric: Accessing Valid and Reliable Information to evaluate their skill development.
  • Journal Question: Ask students to respond to the journal question again, adding information they learned from today’s class. Require a one-paragraph response that uses proper grammar.

Take It Home

Talk to a family member about a purchase they have made because of an advertisement they saw. Referring to the advertisement techniques you learned in this lesson, ask your family member which technique they think made them more likely to purchase the item. Ask the family member how they think advertising influences the purchases they make over time.