essay about no to drugs

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Essay on Drug Abuse in 250 and 500 Words in English for Students

• Updated on  
• Apr 2, 2024

Drug abuse refers to the excessive and frequent consumption of drugs. Drug abuse can have several harmful effects on our mental and physical health. Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the USA, passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and initiated the War on Drugs . He said, ‘Let us not forget who we are. Drug abuse is a repudiation of everything America is.’

Consuming drugs not only harms the individual himself but also affects society as a whole. Studies have shown that people who consume drugs become addicted to it. This addiction turns into substance abuse, resulting in self-damage, behaviour changes, mood swings, unnecessary weight loss, and several other health problems. Let’s understand what drug abuse is and how to fight it.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Drug Abuse in 250 Words
• 2.1 Why Do People Consume Drugs?
• 2.2 Why Is Drug Abuse Bad?
• 2.3 Laws in India Against Drug Consumption
• 2.4 Steps to Prevent Drug Addiction
• 2.5 Conclusion
• 3 10 Lines Essay on Drug Abuse

Quick Read: Essay on CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act)

Essay on Drug Abuse in 250 Words

‘When people consume drugs regularly and become addicted to it, it is known as drug abuse. In medical terminology, drugs means medicines. However, the consumption of drugs is for non-medical purposes. It involves the consumption of substances in illegal and harmful ways, such as swallowing, inhaling, or injecting. When drugs are consumed, they are mixed into our bloodstream, affecting our neural system and brain functioning.

The Indian government has taken significant steps to help reduce the consumption of drugs. In 1985, the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act came into force. This act replaced the Opium Act of 1857, the Opium Act of 1878, and the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1930. 

Drug abuse can lead to addiction, where a person becomes physically or psychologically dependent on the substance and experiences withdrawal symptoms when attempting to stop using it. 

Drug abuse can have serious consequences for the individual and society as a whole. On an individual level, drugs can damage physical health, including organ damage, infectious diseases, and overdose fatalities. Not only this, a person already suffering from mental health disorders will face more harmful aftereffects. Addiction disrupts our cognitive functioning and impairs our decision-making abilities.

To fight drug abuse, we need collective action from all sections of society. Medical professionals say that early intervention and screening programmes can identify individuals at risk of substance misuse and provide them with the necessary support services. Educating people, especially those who are at-risk, about drug abuse and its harmful effects can significantly help reduce their consumption.

Drug abuse is serious and it must be addressed. Drug abuse is killing youth and society. Therefore, it is an urgent topic to address, and only through sustainable and collective efforts can we address this problem.

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Essay on Drug Abuse in 500 Words

Drug abuse is known as frequent consumption. In time, these people become dependent on drugs for several reasons. Curiosity drives adolescents and teenagers, who are among the most susceptible groups in our society. Cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, etc. are some of the popular drugs consumed. 

Why Do People Consume Drugs?

The very first question about drugs is: why do people consume drugs? Studies have shown that more than 50% of drug addicts consider drugs as a coping mechanism to alleviate emotional or psychological distress. In the beginning, drugs temporarily relieve feelings of anxiety, depression, or trauma, providing a temporary escape from difficult emotions or life circumstances. 

Some consume drugs out of curiosity, some under peer pressure, and some want to escape the painful experiences. Some people enjoy the effects drugs produce, such as euphoria, relaxation, and altered perceptions. Recreational drug use may occur in social settings or as a form of self-medication for stress relief or relaxation.

Why Is Drug Abuse Bad?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that drugs can worsen our eyesight and body movement, our physical growth, etc. Marijuana, one of the most popular drugs, can slow down our reaction time, affecting our time and distance judgement and decreasing coordination. Cocaine and Methamphetamine can make the consumer aggressive and careless.

Our brain is the first victim of drugs. Drugs can disorder our body in several ways, from damaging organs to messing with our brains. Drugs easily get mixed into our bloodstream, and affect our neural system. Prolonged and excessive consumption of drugs significantly harms our brain functioning.

The next target of drug abuse is our physical health and relationships. Drugs can damage our vital organs, such as the liver, heart, lungs, and brain. For example, heavy alcohol use can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, while cocaine use can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Laws in India Against Drug Consumption

Here is an interesting thing; the USA has the highest number of drug addicts and also has strict laws against drug consumption. According to a report by the Narcotics Control Bureau, around 9 million people in India consume different types of drugs. The Indian government has implemented certain laws against drug consumption and production.

The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS), prohibits the production, sale, purchase, and consumption of narcotics and other illegal substances, except for scientific and medical purposes.

Also, Article 47 of the Indian Constitution states that ‘ The State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are injurious to health.’

Quick Read: Essay on Indian Festivals in 500 Words

Steps to Prevent Drug Addiction

Several steps can be taken to prevent drug addiction. But before we start our ‘War on Drugs’ , it is crucial to understand the trigger point. Our social environment, mental health issues and sometimes genetic factors can play a role in drug abuse.

• Education and awareness are the primary weapons in the fight against drugs. 
• Keeping distance from people and places addicted to drugs.
• Encourage a healthy and active lifestyle and indulge in physical workouts.
• Watch motivating videos and listen to sound music.
• Self-motivate yourself to stop consuming drugs.
• Talk to a medical professional or a psychiatrist, who will guide you to the right path.

Drug abuse is a serious problem. The excessive and frequent consumption of drugs not only harms the individual but also affects society as a whole. Only a collective approach from lawmakers, healthcare professionals, educators, community leaders, and individuals themselves can combat drug abuse effectively. 

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10 Lines Essay on Drug Abuse

Here is a 10-line essay on drug abuse.

• Drug abuse can significantly affect our physical growth
• Drug abuse can affect our mental functioning.
• Drug abuse may provide instant pleasure, but inside, it weakens our willpower and physical strength.
• Educating people, especially those who are at-risk, about drug abuse and its harmful effects can significantly help reduce their consumption.
•  Drugs easily get mixed into our bloodstream, and affect our neural system. 
• Prolonged and excessive consumption of drugs significantly harms our brain functioning.
• In 1985, the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act came into force.
• The USA has the highest number of drug addicts and also has strict laws against drug consumption.
• Drug addicts consider drugs as a coping mechanism to alleviate emotional or psychological distress.
•  Adolescents and teenagers are the most vulnerable section of our society and are driven by curiosity.

Ans: Drug abuse refers to the excessive and frequent consumption of drugs. Drug abuse can have several harmful effects on our mental and physical health.

Ans: ‘When people consume drugs regularly and become addicted to it, it is known as drug abuse. In medical terminology, drugs means medicines. However, the consumption of drugs is for non-medical purposes. It involves the consumption of substances in illegal and harmful ways, such as swallowing, inhaling, or injecting. When drugs are consumed, they are mixed into our bloodstream, affecting our neural system and brain functioning.

Ans: Drug abuse is known as frequent consumption. In time, these people become dependent on drugs for several reasons. Adolescents and teenagers are the most vulnerable section of our society who are driven by curiosity. Cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, etc. are some of the popular drugs consumed.  The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS), prohibits the production, sale, purchase, and consumption of narcotics and other illegal substances, except for scientific and medical purposes.

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With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Self-Control

How to "just say no" to drugs with self-compassion, the harsh voice of the internal critic makes it especially hard to comply..

Posted May 14, 2018

• What Is Psychopharmacology?
• Find a therapist near me

Since well before the War on Drugs, we've been taught to "just say no." Today we know the pitfalls of pure prohibition and denial . We know the value of "just saying yes" to sobriety instead. Still, we often do have to say No to ourselves. Perhaps many times a day.

What I'm interested in is the tone of voice we use to say it. And how we feel as a result.

I've written and spoken a lot about ego fatigue ( ego depletion ). It's a well-studied psychological phenomenon: the loss of cognitive control that comes when we continuously try to inhibit an impulse. Many regions of the prefrontal cortex are designed for inhibition. Some forms of inhibition are rapid, automatic and unconscious , some are at the borders of consciousness, and some are completely conscious. Ego fatigue may strike at several of these levels. But let's think now about conscious inhibition: saying to yourself, "No, don't do it!"

So there you are, craving to get high "one more time," and saying to yourself over and over again: No, don't do it! Then ego fatigue creeps up. Some part of your cognitive hardware gives up the battle. The impulse takes over. Each of the five biographical chapters in my last book shows how that plays out in the life of someone addicted to something. But here's the Catch-22: Psychologists have shown that suppression (just saying No) makes ego fatigue worse. Suppressing the impulse gives it more power. The only way to stay on top of ego fatigue is to reinterpret or reframe the situation: "that's no fun, that's not what I want."

Okay, all fine in theory. But in real life, you simply can't reframe the wish to get high every time it pops up in your brain, especially during the weeks or months that follow quitting. You have to say No to yourself some of the time, maybe even most of the time.

But what's the tone of that internal message? What's the tone of the "No, don't"? The tone of the internal prohibition is often one of parental criticism. It's often a tone that's warning, disapproving, judgmental, perhaps accusing, or menacing. "You'd better not!" it seems to say. Very often with an expletive or two on board.

So how do we feel when we receive this harsh prohibition time and time again? We feel frustrated, obstructed, denied the thing we want. And what's worse, we feel put down and misunderstood. Don't I deserve some relief, today of all days? No, you don't! Shut up!

This internal dialogue may be playing out in your head, just on the fringes of consciousness. Or maybe you are quite conscious of the sense of being suffocated or denigrated. I know this was frequently the case for me when I ran around stealing drugs. I felt that oppressive edict like a dark, overhanging cloud.

So what I would often do is rebel. I'd finally say, F__ you, I will if I want to! And there was a palpable sense of relief, a sense of lightness, the straps of a harness being peeled off. And then I would get high for a few days. And then I would suffer the after effects.

This scenario is surely a case of ego fatigue. But it's more than that. It's also a voice that makes you feel frustrated, alone, put down, anxious , and probably angry. An ideal circumstance for going back to drugs or drink.

When we realize this, I think we acquire the power to shift the dialogue, to make it more friendly, less hostile.

The tone of voice with which we say No to ourselves makes all the difference. It's very possible to link the No with a Yes. To make it a message of support and hope, not just denial and obstruction. We can take on the voice of a critical parent. Or we can take on the voice of a friend, ally, loving parent, big brother or sister... Instead of saying "You'd better not," we can say, "Let's not do this; let's do that instead. This isn't what we want." Even just by making the voice say "we" instead of "you" we shift the dialogue. We make it supportive rather than punitive.

Marc Lewis, PhD has been a professor of developmental psychology and neuroscience for over 20 years and is the author of Memoirs of an Addicted Brain and The Biology of Desire.

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Essay on Drug Addiction | Drug Addiction Essay for Students and Children in English

February 12, 2024 by Veerendra

Essay on Drug Addiction: Addiction refers to the harmful need to consume substances that have damaging consequences on the user. Addiction affects not just the body but also on the person’s mental health and soundness of mind. Addiction is one of the most severe health problems faced around the world and is termed as a chronic disease. A widespread disorder ranges from drugs, alcohol addiction to gambling, and even phone addiction.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

One of the most unfortunate yet common addictions that affect millions today is drug addiction. Also referred to as substance – use disorder, it is the addiction to substances that harm neurological functioning and a person’s behavior. The essay provides relevant information on this topic.

Long and Short Essay on Drug Addiction in English for Students and Kids

There are two essays listed below. The long essay consists of 500 words and a short essay of 200 words.

Long Essay on Drug Addiction in English 500 words

Drug addiction, also known as substance–use disorder, refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of legal and illegal drugs. This leads to many behavioral changes in the person as well as affects brain functions. Drug addiction includes abusing alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opioid, painkillers, and nicotine, among others. Drugs like these help the person feel good about themselves and induce ‘dopamine’ or the happiness hormone. As they continue to use the drug, the brain starts to increase dopamine levels, and the person demands more.

Drug addiction has severe consequences. Some of the signs include anxiety, paranoia, increased heart rate, and red eyes. They are intoxicated and unable to display proper coordination and have difficulty in remembering things. A person who is addicted cannot resist using them and unable to function correctly without ingesting them. It causes damage to the brain, their personal and professional relationships. It affects mental cognition; they are unable to make proper decisions, cannot retain information, and make poor judgments. They tend to engage in reckless activities such as stealing or driving under the influence. They also make sure that there is a constant supply and are willing to pay a lot of money even if they are unable to afford it and tend to have erratic sleep patterns.

Drug addiction also causes a person to isolate themselves and have either intense or no food cravings. They stop taking care of their hygiene. Drug addiction affects a person’s speech and experience hallucinations. They are unable to converse and communicate properly; they speak fast and are hyperactive. Those addicted have extreme mood swings. They can go from feeling happy to feeling sad quickly and are incredibly secretive. They begin to lose interest in activities they once loved. Substance abusers also undergo withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms refer to the symptoms that occur when they stop taking the drug. Some withdrawal symptoms include nausea, fatigue, and tremors. They stop and starting using again, an endless cycle that could be life-threatening. Drug addiction can be fatal if not treated timely. It can cause brain damage and seizures as well as overdose, heart diseases, respiratory problems, damage to the liver and kidneys, vomiting, lung diseases, and much more.

Though chronic, treatment is available for drug addiction. Many techniques are used, such as behavioral counseling, medication to treat the addiction, and providing treatment not just for substance abuse but also for many factors that accompany addiction such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Many devices have developed to overcome addiction. There are rehabilitation centers to help people. After treatment, there are numerous follow-ups to ensure that the cycle does not come back. The most important is having family and friends to support the effect. It will help them build confidence and come over their addiction.

The United Nations celebrates International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the 26th of June. Drug addiction impacts millions and needs to be treated carefully to prevent further harm to the individual and letting them live a better life.

Short Essay on Drug Addiction in English 250 words

Drug addiction refers to taking substances that are harmful to our bodies. They cause changes to a person’s behavior as well. Many people take these drugs to feel happier and better about themselves. These dangerous substances make the brain produce a chemical that makes us happy, called dopamine. Producing large amounts of these causes the person to take the drug consistently.

Some of the drugs include alcohol, nicotine, and other unhealthy substances. Taking these substances can lead to many symptoms. These include unable to think correctly, cannot remember things, and unable to speak clearly. They steal and keep secrets from their close ones. Those addicted cannot sleep; they become happy and sad quickly. They stop doing the activities that they liked doing. They are not aware of their surroundings. Taking these dangerous substances can cause many health problems such as vomiting, unable to breathe, brain, and lung damage. It also affects their family, friends, and work.

Drug addiction is life-threatening. However, people with this addiction can be treated and helped with therapy, counseling, and taking medicines along with rehab centers. They do follow-ups to ensure that they never retake these drugs. They must have their family and friends to support them as they recover.

10 lines About Drug Addiction Essay in English

• Drug addiction refers to taking harmful substances that affect a person’s brain functions and behavior. It involves taking legal and illegal drugs, and the person is unable to stop using them. It is also referred to as substance- use disorders
• Harmful drugs include alcohol, cocaine, heroin, opioids, painkillers, nicotine, etc.
• The harmful drugs cause an excessive release of dopamine or the happy hormone, which causes the person to take more.
• Drug addiction can affect mental cognition, including decision making, judgments, and memory. It also causes speech problems.
• It can cause anxiety paranoia and increased blood pressure. They have erratic sleep patterns and isolate themselves. It causes problems in their personal and professional relationships.
• Those addicted become moody, hyperactive, and hallucinate. They also engage in reckless activities.
• They experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop using substances. These include nausea, fatigue, and tremors.
• It can have many effects on the body, such as brain damage, seizures, liver and kidney damage, respiratory and lung issues.
• Treatment is available. It includes behavioral therapy, medication, rehabilitation, as well as a follow-up to prevent relapse.
• The United Nations celebrates International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on the 26th of June.

Frequently Asked Questions on Drug Addiction Essay

Question  1. What is drug addiction?

Answer: Drug addiction, also known as substance – use disorder, refers to the dangerous and excessive intake of legal and illegal drugs. This leads to many behavioral changes in the person as well as affects brain functions.

Question 2. Why does drug addiction occur?

Answer: People become addicted to these drugs because they want to feel happier. The drugs cause a chemical called dopamine, which induces happiness to be released. The brain starts to increase dopamine levels, and thus the person becomes addicted to the drug to match the increasing levels.

Question 3. What is the difference between dependence and addiction?

Answer: Dependence and addiction vary. While dependence is an intense craving for the drug by the body, addiction also refers to the changes in behavior and bodily functions due to repeated use of the drug, which has severe consequences.

Question 4. Can we treat drug addiction?

Answer: Yes, drug addiction can be treated. The various treatment methods are behavioral counseling, medication, and treatment of anxiety and depression. There are rehabilitation centers available. This is followed by a check-up to prevent relapse.

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Understanding Drug Use and Addiction DrugFacts

Many people don't understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting usually takes more than good intentions or a strong will. Drugs change the brain in ways that make quitting hard, even for those who want to. Fortunately, researchers know more than ever about how drugs affect the brain and have found treatments that can help people recover from drug addiction and lead productive lives.

What Is drug addiction?

Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences. The initial decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, but repeated drug use can lead to brain changes that challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. These brain changes can be persistent, which is why drug addiction is considered a "relapsing" disease—people in recovery from drug use disorders are at increased risk for returning to drug use even after years of not taking the drug.

It's common for a person to relapse, but relapse doesn't mean that treatment doesn’t work. As with other chronic health conditions, treatment should be ongoing and should be adjusted based on how the patient responds. Treatment plans need to be reviewed often and modified to fit the patient’s changing needs.

Video: Why are Drugs So Hard to Quit?

What happens to the brain when a person takes drugs?

Most drugs affect the brain's "reward circuit," causing euphoria as well as flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. A properly functioning reward system motivates a person to repeat behaviors needed to thrive, such as eating and spending time with loved ones. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy behaviors like taking drugs, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.

As a person continues to use drugs, the brain adapts by reducing the ability of cells in the reward circuit to respond to it. This reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug to try and achieve the same high. These brain adaptations often lead to the person becoming less and less able to derive pleasure from other things they once enjoyed, like food, sex, or social activities.

Long-term use also causes changes in other brain chemical systems and circuits as well, affecting functions that include:

• decision-making

Despite being aware of these harmful outcomes, many people who use drugs continue to take them, which is the nature of addiction.

Why do some people become addicted to drugs while others don't?

No one factor can predict if a person will become addicted to drugs. A combination of factors influences risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction. For example:

• Biology . The genes that people are born with account for about half of a person's risk for addiction. Gender, ethnicity, and the presence of other mental disorders may also influence risk for drug use and addiction.
• Environment . A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to economic status and general quality of life. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, early exposure to drugs, stress, and parental guidance can greatly affect a person’s likelihood of drug use and addiction.
• Development . Genetic and environmental factors interact with critical developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction risk. Although taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the earlier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to addiction. This is particularly problematic for teens. Because areas in their brains that control decision-making, judgment, and self-control are still developing, teens may be especially prone to risky behaviors, including trying drugs.

Can drug addiction be cured or prevented?

As with most other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma, or heart disease, treatment for drug addiction generally isn’t a cure. However, addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed. People who are recovering from an addiction will be at risk for relapse for years and possibly for their whole lives. Research shows that combining addiction treatment medicines with behavioral therapy ensures the best chance of success for most patients. Treatment approaches tailored to each patient’s drug use patterns and any co-occurring medical, mental, and social problems can lead to continued recovery.

More good news is that drug use and addiction are preventable. Results from NIDA-funded research have shown that prevention programs involving families, schools, communities, and the media are effective for preventing or reducing drug use and addiction. Although personal events and cultural factors affect drug use trends, when young people view drug use as harmful, they tend to decrease their drug taking. Therefore, education and outreach are key in helping people understand the possible risks of drug use. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction.

Points to Remember

• Drug addiction is a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, despite harmful consequences.
• Brain changes that occur over time with drug use challenge an addicted person’s self-control and interfere with their ability to resist intense urges to take drugs. This is why drug addiction is also a relapsing disease.
• Relapse is the return to drug use after an attempt to stop. Relapse indicates the need for more or different treatment.
• Most drugs affect the brain's reward circuit by flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine. Surges of dopamine in the reward circuit cause the reinforcement of pleasurable but unhealthy activities, leading people to repeat the behavior again and again.
• Over time, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine, which reduces the high that the person feels compared to the high they felt when first taking the drug—an effect known as tolerance. They might take more of the drug, trying to achieve the same dopamine high.
• No single factor can predict whether a person will become addicted to drugs. A combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors influences risk for addiction. The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that taking drugs can lead to addiction.
• Drug addiction is treatable and can be successfully managed.
• More good news is that drug use and addiction are preventable. Teachers, parents, and health care providers have crucial roles in educating young people and preventing drug use and addiction.

For information about understanding drug use and addiction, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drug-abuse-addiction

For more information about the costs of drug abuse to the United States, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics#costs

For more information about prevention, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/prevention

For more information about treatment, visit:

• www.nida.nih.gov/related-topics/treatment

To find a publicly funded treatment center in your state, call 1-800-662-HELP or visit:

• https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/

This publication is available for your use and may be reproduced in its entirety without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated, using the following language: Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

How hard is it to say ‘no’ to drugs?

Senior Lecturer & Program Manager - Youth Work and Youth Studies. School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, RMIT University

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Kathryn Daley has received funding from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and previously worked for the Youth Support + Advocacy Service.

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I Need to Know is an ongoing series for teens in search of reliable, confidential advice about life’s tricky questions .

As someone who has never touched drugs before, how hard is it really to say no to illicit substances? Anonymous, 17, Newington

• The easiest way to say “no” is by explaining why you don’t want to take drugs (while at the same time not sounding judgemental)
• alcohol is the most commonly used drug
• most young people don’t use illicit drugs.

Hi and thanks for the question. Can young people really “just say no” to illicit drugs? There are a few things to consider, so let’s talk them through.

1. Are all teenagers trying drugs?

It might feel as though your friends are going to go through a phase of experimenting with illicit drugs. But in fact, most young people don’t take illicit drugs .

Alcohol is by far the most commonly used drug, though rates of alcohol use are generally decreasing. A national survey of secondary students found 46% of 12-17 year olds had tried alcohol in the past year, but only 25% had in the past month. Similarly, another survey found young people were trying alcohol for the first time later (about age 16) and more were abstaining than ever before (82%).

Cannabis is often the first illicit drug young people are exposed to (about 7% of 12-17 year-olds have tried it). Later on, generally in your early 20s, you’ll start to encounter people trying harder drugs such as ecstasy and amphetamines (see in the graph above how this number dramatically increases between the two age groups). Even then, the majority of people don’t regularly use these drugs.

Read more: Three Charts on who uses illicit drugs in Australia

2. Will people actually offer me drugs?

There is a widespread assumption that drugs are frequently offered to people your age. This isn’t always the case. Drug use is an illegal activity, so people who have them and who sell them tend to be a little cautious who they talk to about it. You might not ever be offered them directly.

But if most of your peer group are experimenting with substances, you almost certainly will be offered them. So…

3. How to say ‘no’ without it being a big deal

Although most young people don’t use drugs, some studies point out they’re open to other people doing so. This is referred to as the “normalisation” of illicit substance use: in simple terms, it’s being OK with your friends drinking alcohol or doing drugs even if you choose not to.

If you don’t want to drink or take drugs, you’ll find yourself in a position where you have to explain why. It might be useful to say something like:

It’s not my thing, but I don’t care if you’re into it.

Or if you feel like you need to give a reason, perhaps,

I always react badly when I drink alcohol/smoke joints, so I just don’t like it. I have a game tomorrow and don’t want to feel bad. I have bad come downs, so the high’s just not worth it for me. I have a family thing tomorrow and don’t want to be hungover / coming down.

Hot tip: try not to make the other people feel like you you are judging them, but don’t feel like you need to justify why you don’t want to use drugs either.

4. Can you be the only one in the group who doesn’t use them?

When you do something you don’t want to do, you won’t feel good about it or about yourself. So you might have your friends, but you might not be happy – that’s not a great trade-off!

Make a point of being around people and friends who make you feel good. You might not enjoy hanging out with people when they’re affected by drugs, so don’t! Spend time with people who don’t pressure you to do things, and perhaps skip the parties, meet-ups and hangouts where you think there’s a good chance you won’t have fun.

If your friends are using drugs a lot and it’s impacting their lives in other ways, you might want to help them get some help – here are some tips on how to do that .

Read more: I Need to Know: 'My friend is using ice and smoking pot. What do I do?'

If you’re the only person in your group not using drugs, you might want to find some other like-minded friends – perhaps through school, a part-time job or sport.

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‘Just say no’ didn’t actually protect students from drugs. Here’s what could

LA Johnson / NPR

College sophomore Elias Myers thinks his friends are lucky to be alive.

The 19-year-old recounts a recent incident in which his friends got ahold of a drug that test strips showed was laced with fentanyl, a potent, often deadly, synthetic opioid.

"That's kind of when I decided that caution is not, like, a best practice, but a survival technique," says the University of California, Berkeley, student.

And yet those survival techniques were never talked about in Myers' middle and high school drug education classes. In fact Myers says they didn't mention fentanyl at all. He says those classes failed to prepare him and his peers for an increasingly dangerous drug landscape in which a single high can have deadly consequences.

Myers says everything he learned about fentanyl has been from friends and older siblings.

"But it didn't have to be that way. We could have learned safety way ahead of time," he says.

For decades, students like Myers have been told to just say no to drugs. The message was repeated in public service announcements and in classroom presentations. But research shows this approach alone doesn't work. And now, overdose deaths among teenagers have skyrocketed — largely due to fentanyl. The synthetic opioid was involved in the vast majority of teen overdose deaths in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Many of those deaths involved fentanyl-laced counterfeit prescription pills that didn't come from a pharmacy. And the problem has followed teens onto college campuses .

Some experts say drug education that focuses on harm reduction techniques – designed to keep people safe when they do choose to use – could help save lives. Here's what that looks like.

Teaching safety measures for when students do choose to use

"The most important tenet of drug education is to be honest," says professor Bonnie Halpern-Felsher. "And to have a balanced perspective. We cannot lie, we cannot exaggerate to teens."

Halpern-Felsher directs Stanford University's REACH Lab, which focuses on understanding, preventing and reducing teen and young adult substance use, among other risky behaviors.

Her lab maintains a high school curriculum called Safety First (initially developed by the nonprofit Drug Policy Alliance), which encourages young people to abstain from drug use while also providing them with information to reduce their risk of addiction and death if they or their friends do choose to use. The concept is called harm reduction.

First, Halpern-Felsher says, students need to know the facts about drugs — including their benefits and their harms.

For example, opioids like fentanyl have been used safely in healthcare facilities for decades to treat patients' pain. But when used recreationally — either purposefully or unknowingly — it's extremely dangerous, because very small amounts can lead to an overdose.

Activities — not just lectures — should be used to demonstrate a lesson, Halpern-Felsher explains. The Safety First curriculum includes an activity that asks students to add sugar to one pitcher of water and salt to another.

"You cannot see the difference. But one can and potentially will really hurt you. And this is why it's so important for you to understand that you cannot just simply pick up a drug and go ahead and use it," she says.

The curriculum also outlines safety measures for when students or their friends do choose to use drugs. Messages like:

• If you’re using drugs, the healthiest choice is to stop using, or at least cut down on how much and how often you use.
• Ideally, you’re using drugs only as recommended by a doctor or a pharmaceutical label. But if you’re not, don’t take a lot of any drug. Wait and see how it affects you before taking any more.
• Consider your mindset before using drugs. What you’re thinking and feeling before and during substance use can affect your experience.
• Consider the setting. Where and with whom you’re using drugs can reduce your chance of injury or death.
• Check the substance before you use it. Testing a drug for things like fentanyl can reduce the risk of harm. But even test strips aren’t always 100% accurate.
• Don’t mix drugs. The effects from combining drugs  may be stronger and more unpredictable  than one drug alone, and even deadly.
• Know how to respond in an emergency: Spot the signs of an overdose. Call 911. Place someone on their side to prevent choking. Administer the opioid reversal medication naloxone, often sold under the brand name Narcan.

Halpern-Felsher knows some people might interpret harm reduction as encouraging teens to use drugs. But she says that's a misperception.

"The most important piece of this curriculum is not to use, but if they are using or if they're in situations where they might be using, we are just trying to keep them safe," she says.

There are few studies that focus on harm reduction drug education programs in schools, and more research is needed to evaluate their efficacy. But experts told NPR that harm reduction could help save lives at a moment when teens are dying at alarming rates.

A pilot study of the Safety First curriculum found it significantly increased high school students' knowledge of harm reduction techniques and behaviors, and found a decrease in overall substance use.

What harm reduction looks like in the classroom

Last spring, Cameron McNeely stood in front of a group of high schoolers and told them they had a choice to make: will they or won't they use drugs.

"I'm not here to judge you for that," he told the Indianapolis teens. "But hopefully I can present you some information that gets you to understand the consequences of those choices — yes or no — a little bit better, and, hopefully, to get you to steer clear of substance use."

McNeely, 28, is the director of youth education for Overdose Lifeline, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit that created a drug education program, with an emphasis on opioids, for students in grades six through 12.

In this presentation at Perry Meridian High School, McNeely shared statistics on drug-related deaths, explained how opioids affect the body, emphasized addiction is a disease — not a moral failing — and explained why it's a good idea to carry naloxone.

To hammer that point home, McNeely shared a personal story: One night, while in college, he and his friend took some pills to relax. Shortly after, he noticed his friend had fallen asleep, and it looked like he was struggling to breathe.

"Little did I know, about five feet away from me, my friend was having an overdose," McNeely told the students. He called 911 and emergency responders were able to revive his friend with Narcan.

"It saved his life," he said. "Narcan buys time, which is the most important thing to have in an overdose."

After the presentation, McNeely told NPR he had little to no drug education in high school.

"Nobody ever told me about how to drink safely and how, if I use pills, you know, they have different effects on you and what those effects are, and how it could just kill you — just one night, bad pill, it could all go down the drain."

McNeely's experience isn't uncommon. Drug education across the country is ad-hoc, often outdated or not provided at all. In a 2021 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, only about 60% of 12-17-year-olds self-reported that they saw or heard drug or alcohol prevention messaging in school. And there's no way to track what type of drug education programming is being offered in schools nationwide.

"I just wanted to fill in those gaps that I felt as I was growing up in my drug education," McNeely said.

The "just say no" messaging of the past didn't work

McNeely's presentation is a far cry from the drug education of prior decades — like the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, commonly known by the acronym D.A.R.E. Launched in 1983 , D.A.R.E. was taught by police officers in classrooms nationwide. Their presentations warned students about the dangers of substance use and told kids to say no to drugs. It was a message that was repeated in PSAs and cheesy songs . Former First Lady Nancy Reagan even made it one of her major causes .

Teaching drug abstinence remains popular among some groups, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's messaging to teenagers still focuses on the goal that they should be "drug-free." But numerous studies published in the 1990s and early 2000s concluded programs like D.A.R.E. had no significant impact on drug use. And one study actually found a slight uptick in drug use among suburban students after participation in D.A.R.E. In 2009, D.A.R.E. rebranded with new curriculums for students dubbed "keepin' it REAL." But the programming doesn't focus on how students can minimize their risk of harm if they do choose to use drugs.

"It is clear that just saying no is not sufficient," says Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "We'd like the theoretical perfect: don't touch a drug — abstinence. But that's not necessarily the reality for everyone."

Volkow says the failures of past drug education programs haunt current efforts to inform young people of the risks of fentanyl.

For years, anti-drug curriculums exaggerated the effects of certain types of substance use, she says. For example: Students were taught that using cannabis would destroy their brain or make them dumb. And while there is data to suggest cannabis use can have detrimental effects — particularly for young people — that messaging didn't always match students' lived experiences.

College sophomore Elias Myers remembers the dire warnings. But he also had classmates who used the drug.

"I couldn't understand, like, if these people can smoke weed after class and be totally fine, how can this curriculum be true?" Myers says. "I remember coming away from that in like middle school and early high school feeling really unsatisfied with the education. I remember feeling as though what I was being told perhaps wasn't the truth."

Volkow says that loss of credibility makes it harder to give students life-saving information about drugs now.

"It has weakened our position because a lot of people know others that take marijuana and they are functioning and they don't see any evidence of ill effects," she says.

And now the consequences of drug use are deadlier than ever. Teens are dying after taking what they thought was Adderall or Percocet, but turn out to be fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills.

"They actually taught us when we were children: If you cry wolf too many times, when the wolf really comes, no one is paying attention," Volkow says. "And this is, I fear, where we are a little bit with fentanyl, because it is such a dangerous moment in the history of illicit drugs right now."

Meet young people where they are, not where you want them to be

Volkow and Bonnie Halpern-Felsher say school curriculums that teach kids how to reduce the harms related to drug use can help save lives — but they're not a cure-all.

Halpern-Felsher says schools alone can't solve the fentanyl crisis; rather, it requires a cultural shift. Educators, families and communities at large need to start having honest conversations about drug use.

"And until we do, you know, just having a 50-minute class on fentanyl is not going to be the sole defining moment for anybody."

Myers, in California, serves on the Youth Action Board for Halpern-Felsher's REACH Lab, and he's familiar with the Safety First curriculum.

"I think it's realistic," Myers says of the program. "You've got to meet children and teens and youths where they are, rather than meeting them where you want them to be."

Myers says he wishes he and his peers had had access to drug curriculums like this when he was in high school.

"I think that we would have adopted ideas of safety through school and not through having to actually experience times of danger," Myers says.

"I think that we were very lucky in so many different ways... You hear often about those who don't experience that luck. And I feel like those lives could have been saved."

Edited by Nicole Cohen. Visual design and development by LA Johnson. Audio story produced by Janet Woojeong Lee.

Copyright 2023 WFYI Public Media. To see more, visit WFYI Public Media .

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11 Effective Ways to Turn Down Drugs and Alcohol

Last Updated: August 13, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Tala Johartchi, PsyD and by wikiHow staff writer, Ali Garbacz, B.A. . Dr. Tala Johartchi is a Clinical Psychologist based in the Los Angeles, California metro area. With expertise and advanced training in Evidence-Based Practices and therapeutic/behavioral frameworks, Dr. Johartchi specializes in working with individuals, couples, and families experiencing Substance Disorders, Love Addiction and Codependency, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as well as common co-occurring disorders such as Depression, Anxiety, and Relational/Attachment difficulties. She earned an MA and PsyD in Clinical Psychology from The American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University, San Francisco. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 546,670 times.

When it comes to peer pressure, usually a simple “No thank you” will keep others from pushing you to try drugs and alcohol. However, there also might be times when you need to be a bit more firm to get others to stop. We know it can be a bit nerve-wracking to stand up to others, especially if they’re your friends. So to help, we’ve come up with a bunch of different ways to say no. We’ll start with some simple options that usually work for most situations, but we’ll also be sure to give you more specific advice in case you’re still feeling pressured.

Things You Should Know

• Make up an excuse for why you can't participate. For example, say you have to wake up early the next day or are meeting up with a friend later.
• Tell them you're the designated driver for the night and therefore need to stay sober.
• If someone continues pressuring you, don't be afraid to be firm. Say, “I said no. Please don’t ask me again."

Make an excuse.

• “No thanks, my parents will probably know if I come home high.”
• “I can’t stay long, I have to go help my dad with something.”
• “I’m supposed to meet my friend in a few minutes, so I can’t.”
• “I promised my friend I’d take them home soon.”
• “My job does routine drug tests, so I’d rather not risk it.”

Use a little humor.

• “No thanks, I need all the brain cells I can get.”
• “Doesn’t that stuff stunt your growth? I’m too short already!”
• “No thanks. My friends already have enough embarrassing videos of me from when I was drunk.”
• “I’d love to, but I have to chaperone my friends over there. Who knows what they’ll get up to?”

Change the subject.

• “I’m good. Wanna go play basketball?”
• “No thanks. Let’s go grab some food.”
• “How about we go and check out the new cafe down the street instead?”
• “Nah, I’m good. Hey, did you hear about what happened to Billy the other day?”
• “No thanks. So what do you guys think about taking a trip this summer?”

Offer to be the designated driver.

• “Hey guys, I’ll be our DD tonight. No drinking for me!”
• “I’m all good, I’m staying sober so I can drive everyone home tonight.”
• “I’m cool with driving tonight so don’t worry about me.”
• “I think it’s my turn to be DD.”

Act like you’re too busy.

• “No thanks! I’m way too busy!”
• “And leave the dance floor? Nah, I’m good!”
• “Sorry, but my friend and I haven’t seen each other in a while and we wanted to catch up.”

Explain the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

• “No thanks. That stuff is so bad for you.”
• “Haven’t you heard about the kids on the news who died from doing that?”
• “Your health can get pretty messed up from doing that. I just want to stay safe.”
• “I heard that your teeth turn super yellow from smoking. So I’d rather not.”
• “No thanks. It’s really bad for your liver.”

• “No thanks. I just really don’t like the taste/smell.”
• “My parents would kill me if they found out.”
• “I could get kicked off the team for doing that.”

• “My uncle did drugs in high school and I saw what it did to him. I’d rather not have that happen to me.”

Keep saying no.

• Them: “Hey, do you want a drink?” You: “No thanks.” Them: “You sure? It’s pretty good.” You: “No, I’m good.” Them: “Seriously? It’s one drink.” You: “I said no.”
• If a simple “no” really isn’t working, move on to a different method, like using humor or making up an excuse.
• If you need to be more forceful, say something like, “I said no, and I’m not going to change my mind. Please stop asking.”

Explain that you’re in recovery.

• “No thanks, I’m actually 6 months sober as of today.”
• “I’m all good. That stuff really messes me up, and I’m trying to kick the habit.”
• “I’ve been making really good progress, and I don’t want to start back from square one.”
• “I’m really trying to make better choices and would appreciate it if you’d respect my decision.”

Take a nonalcoholic drink with you at parties.

• Try pouring your drink into a plastic cup so other people can’t tell it’s only something like soda or iced tea.
• If your friends are doing shots, ask for a water shot so you can still participate with them.
• If someone offers to get you a drink, say, “I'm definitely open to grabbing a drink, but could you get me something that's nonalcoholic?”

Leave the situation.

• “I’ve got practice in 20 minutes.”
• “I’ve really got to study for this test.”
• “My curfew is at 10, and if I’m late my parents are going to be so mad.”
• “My friend is calling me. I need to take this.”
• “I don’t feel so well. I’m going to go outside for a bit of fresh air.”

Expert Q&A

• If someone is constantly pressuring you to do drugs or drink alcohol, talk to a trusted adult. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Make friends who respect your decision to stay away from drugs and alcohol. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

• If you go to a party or event where there may be drugs, never leave your drink unattended. There’s a possibility that someone could put drugs into it without you knowing. [13] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://treatmentsolutions.com/blog/15-ways-a-teen-can-say-no-to-alcohol-and-drugs/
• ↑ https://www.poehealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RefusalSkills_WEBPDF-1.pdf
• ↑ https://www.oxfordclinicalpsych.com/view/10.1093/med:psych/9780199334513.001.0001/med-9780199334513-appendix-24
• ↑ https://health-education-human-services.wright.edu/sites/health-education-human-services.wright.edu/files/page/attachments/HOPECurriculum_Grade8_Lesson2_August2020.pdf
• ↑ Tala Johartchi, PsyD. Clinical Psychologist. Expert Interview. 16 July 2021.
• ↑ https://illuminaterecovery.com/blog/how-to-get-through-the-holiday-season-as-a-recovering-addict/
• ↑ https://www.girlshealth.gov/substance/drugs/sayno.html

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Say No To Drugs (Essay Sample)

No to drugs.

Drugs are chemicals which affect the neurochemical balance in the brain which then affects how a person feels and acts. Drugs are generalized into two factions: one for medication and one for illegal use or what is commonly known as drug addiction.

Drugs have been used for many years, especially by those who deny the severity of the consequence upon consuming them, the curious teenagers wherein some, if not most, dwell on the satisfaction they get from them, starting a cycle of addiction, and bankruptcy, and there are some who desperately try to self-medicate themselves out of depression, low-self-esteem, stress, or any other negative emotion.

There are many reasons as to why you should say no to drugs, at least the illegal ones and this paper will stress some, if not most of them.

• Although drugs give the body increased energy, it also leads to high blood pressure and rapid heart rate. After the sudden boost of energy, the person will then feel lethargic and this will give them the feeling of dependency that they need drugs in order to get that feeling of being energetic and being “happy”.
• Drugs mess with the neurological function of the mind. Drugs can cause you to lose your capacity to remember, impairs your cognitive ability, and speak coherently. Drugs delay and lessen your sense of alertness and awareness. Drugs, if they mess with your cognitive ability, will cause you to act in a strange and usually violent way.
• Drugs mess with finances. Let us face it, drugs are not cheap. Drugs as explained earlier affect your cognitive ability and overall health which in turn makes it harder for you to earn money. In essence, buying drugs is like paying a killer to ultimately destroy you, your body, and your wallet.
• Drugs mess with the body. Generally speaking, drug abuse can lead to an overdose which can kill someone. Drugs are after all, toxic to the body.
• Drugs mess with ambition. Drug addicts literally lose sights of their goals and aspirations and instead would prefer having an immediate supply of what can give them satisfaction, regardless they be temporary or cause permanent damage. All humane considerations for any act in the achievement of their ambitions are gone along with the appearance and the permanence of drug addiction unless they cater to their actual needs and rehabilitate themselves in order to once more, set sight on what they should be accomplishing.
• Drugs mess with travel plans. Logically speaking, airports will definitely not allow you to travel nor do other modes of transportation should they see you not fit in riding their vehicles. You will generally lose your very right to go out on an adventure should you be found guilty of having the intake of drugs.
• Drugs ruin lives. It is no mystery that drugs and their regular intake will eventually ruin one’s life. From simple curiosity to addiction, the intake of drugs not only ruin your future, but ruin your relationship with the people you love, inherently gives you the idea that your entire life revolves around the drug(s) you take, and leads you to commit federal crimes.

In essence, drugs ultimately ruin everything a person treasures, be it his dreams, his aspirations, his plans, his relationships, his society, his finances, his body, and his mind. Drugs makes one lose his willingness to strive and his competency in order to have a better future. If you are not willing to throw away your life in these manners, then say no to drugs and anything that will ruin life.

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Paragraph on Say No To Drugs

Students are often asked to write a paragraph on Say No To Drugs in their schools. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 200-word, and 250-word paragraphs on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

Paragraph on Say No To Drugs in 100 Words

Saying no to drugs is very important. Drugs are bad for your health and can make you very sick. They can hurt your brain and make it hard to think or learn new things. If someone ever offers you drugs, you should always say no and walk away. Remember, your body is like a treasure, and you need to take care of it by eating good food, playing, and getting enough sleep. Just like superheroes say no to villains, you can be strong and say no to drugs. Always talk to your parents, teachers, or a grown-up you trust if you need help.

Paragraph on Say No To Drugs in 200 Words

Saying “no” to drugs is very important for everyone, especially for kids like you in school. Drugs are bad for your health and can stop you from being your best at school, sports, and with friends. Imagine your body is like a superhero, strong and full of energy. Drugs are like villains that can weaken your superhero powers. They can make you feel sick, confused, and can even hurt your heart and brain. Just like superheroes, you should be strong and fight off these villains. You can do this by saying “no” to drugs. If someone offers you drugs, it’s okay to say “no, thank you” and walk away. You’re not being rude; you’re being smart and safe. Always talk to your parents, teachers, or a trusted adult if you’re worried about drugs or if someone is trying to get you to try them. They are like your sidekicks in keeping you safe. Remember, your health is precious, and you have the power to make smart choices. Keep that power strong by staying away from drugs. Your future is bright and full of amazing possibilities when you say “no” to drugs.

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Paragraph on Say No To Drugs in 250 Words

Saying no to drugs is one of the most important choices you can make for a healthy life. Drugs are harmful substances that can change the way your body and mind work. They can make you feel sick, confused, and can even cause serious harm to your brain and the rest of your body. When people start using drugs, they might think it helps them feel better or escape problems, but this is not true. Drugs can quickly take over someone’s life, leading to bad grades, lost friendships, and trouble with family and the law. It’s not just illegal drugs that are dangerous; misusing medicines that a doctor gives you can be just as bad. Always follow a doctor’s advice and never take someone else’s medicine.

Drugs can also make it hard for you to control your actions and thoughts. This can lead to doing things you wouldn’t normally do, like stealing or driving unsafely. Additionally, if drugs are used for a long time, they can make it tough to enjoy normal, fun activities because nothing feels as exciting as using the drug. This can lead to loneliness and sadness. Remember, you have the power to make smart choices about your health. Stay away from drugs, focus on your hobbies, sports, studies, and friendships. If you ever feel pressured to try drugs, be strong and say no. You have a bright future ahead, and staying drug-free is key to achieving your dreams and living a long, happy life.

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• What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications

A fter Jackie Trapp was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer , in 2015, she thought her biggest health shock was behind her. Then came the bills for Revlimid, a powerful cancer drug that her doctor said was her best hope for controlling the disease. The first month’s supply cost $11,148; the second, $12,040—and her insurer denied coverage. “I’d need to take the drug every month, for years,” says Trapp, 59, a former high school teacher and realtor from Muskego, Wis. “My husband and I had done well in our careers, we’d been frugal and we’d saved, but there was no way paying $120,000 a year or more was sustainable.”

Figuring out how to pay for the drug that’s keeping her alive has become an all-consuming project. Trapp fought her insurer’s denial and won, and has switched health plans twice to ensure continued coverage. To afford her annual co-pays for Revlimid—$15,000 to $21,000 a year recently, before a new law capping out-of-pocket costs for people on Medicare took effect in 2024—she’s tapped into assistance programs from drug makers and grants from health care foundations. She has also drawn down savings, taken out two mortgages, sold her car, some furniture, and her husband’s classic truck, and lives as cheaply as possible, growing her own vegetables and DIY-ing everything from lawn care to hair cuts.

“I am grateful for the drug that has saved my life,” says Trapp. “But I am also resentful that the financial burden is draining my life at the same time.”

Nearly three in 10 Americans, like Trapp, struggle to afford the medications they need , according to a poll last year by health policy organization KFF. Some cope by not filling prescriptions or skipping doses, taking on debt to pay for their meds, or even foregoing basic needs like gas and groceries, according to research published last year in JAMA Network Open. But the same study found that many people have landed on creative workarounds that do not threaten their physical or financial health, including using discount coupons, switching to cheaper medications, or comparison shopping among pharmacies to find the lowest price.

“There are a range of easy solutions that may be available to you,” says Stacie Dusetzina, the study’s lead author and a health policy professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. “They may not work for everyone, but they’re worth trying for anyone struggling to pay.”

Here is a closer look at six strategies that have helped lower costs dramatically for some families—and how they may help you save too.

Ask members of your care team for help

The first step when you’re hit with an unaffordable price for a medication you need, says Dusetzina: talk with your doctor and pharmacist. They may be able to recommend a similar, less expensive drug that works just as well, give you free samples, or be familiar with insurance strategies and programs that can help lower your costs.

For Melissa Tavares, 32, asking the doctor if there was a more affordable drug than Vimpat, the medication prescribed to control her two-year-old daughter’s epilepsy , was initially uncomfortable. “I had some mom guilt about shopping and negotiating as if I were buying a mattress instead of life-saving medication for my child,” says Tavares, a school-based occupational therapist from Edgewater, Md. But Vimpat cost her $102 a month, nearly 10 times what she paid for Keppra, an anti-seizure medication prescribed for her three-year-old son, who also has epilepsy. “It may not be a lot of money to some people, but it was pricey for my family,” Tavares says.

As it turned out, there wasn’t a good alternative drug, but a nurse who was part of her daughter’s health care team suggested Tavares might save money by switching to mail-order delivery instead of buying the drug at a brick-and-mortar pharmacy. That reduced her out-of-pocket cost from $306 to $212 for a three-month supply. Then, an insurance representative suggested she could work with her doctor on an appeal, or medical justification, to have Vimpat covered at the same price as Keppra, since they’d tried the cheaper drug first for her daughter but found it didn’t work.

Tavares is in the middle of that process now and hopeful the cost will come down. And while the stress has taken a toll—she struggles with anxiety, depression, and TMJ, which causes her jaw to lock painfully—it’s also revealed a strength she didn't know she had. “I’m just here to advocate for my daughter and get these prices where they need to be,” she says.

Be a comparison shopper

When Margot Cochran, 67, developed a severe intestinal infection called C. diff last year, she was stunned by the price of the cure: $1,200, after insurance, for a month’s supply of the antibiotic Vancomycin at her local CVS in Montclair, N.J. A physician friend suggested trying GoodRx , a pharmacy cost-comparison site, to see if she could get a better price elsewhere. Success! A nearby RiteAid was selling the same medication for $183 for the first month, then $153 for subsequent doses. Total savings for her three-month supply: $3,111.

“I was surprised by how much prices fluctuated from place to place,” says Cochran, a retired human resources manager. "I walked out of that RiteAid feeling on top of the world."

Those cost differences can easily run to hundreds of dollars, sometimes even thousands, for the same medication and dosage, says Rich Sagall, founder of NeedyMeds , a nonprofit that tracks money-saving prescription programs and also offers a drug-price comparison tool . That’s partly because there isn’t a standard price that all pharmacies pay for the prescription drugs they sell; instead, individual pharmacies and drugstore chains negotiate prices directly with middlemen (called pharmacy benefits managers), then impose their own mark-ups . No single pharmacy consistently offers the best price and costs change frequently, Sagall says, so check regularly—on both new prescriptions and meds you take on an ongoing basis—to make sure you have the lowest price.

Hunt for discounts

GoodRx and NeedyMeds are also among a number of sites that offer discount coupons to reduce drug costs, in some cases by as much as 80%. Other sites that provide discounts include Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company , RxSaver , SingleCare , Blink Health , and WebMDRx .

You can also nab discounts by joining a retailer’s prescription drug plan. Amazon’s RxPass program , for example, allows Prime members to purchase more than 50 common medications for a flat fee of $5 a month. GoodRx Gold ($9.99 a month; $19.99 for families) provides discounts of up to 90% on thousands of generic and brand-name drugs. Costco , Walmart , and supermarkets such as Shoprite have programs as well. 

Important to note: you can’t combine pharmacy discounts and health insurance to pay; it’s an either-or proposition. And if you use the discount, your outlay won’t count toward your deductible, when better coverage kicks in. But the savings can be worth those drawbacks, says Dusetzina: “You may find you can get your drug for much, much less money if you pay cash.”

One other place to look for coupons: your drug manufacturer’s website. When Bob Parant, 71, a retired health insurance sales executive from Westbury, N.Y., was prescribed Entresto to treat heart failure in 2020, his first month’s bill came to $765, even with his Medicare Part D drug coverage. A one-time-use coupon for Medicare recipients from Novartis, the drug’s manufacturer, reduced the cost to zero. He has also used coupons to help manage spending to control his Type 1 diabetes.

“As a retiree on Social Security with no other income, it’s been stressful to see my savings whittled down each year by the cost of living with diabetes and heart failure,” says Parant, who now volunteers with a nonprofit called Patients for Affordable Drugs. “Every dollar I save helps.”

Seek help from the drug maker

Many pharmaceutical companies also have financial assistance programs that help with copays for patients who have commercial or private insurance (people on Medicare are usually not eligible) or provide drugs at low or no cost to patients who meet certain income requirements. The limits are often fairly generous, Sagall says, noting that a maximum of 400% above the poverty level—$60,240 for individuals and $103,280 for a family of four in 2024—is not uncommon, and some programs may be even higher. (Find a list of programs here and here .) 

Using a drug maker’s assistance program has helped Jacquie Persson, 35, sharply cut her out-of-pocket costs for the medications she takes for frequent migraines and Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel condition . A graphic designer from Waterloo, Iowa, Persson has good insurance through work but faced a co-pay of around $200 a month for a drug called Stelara (list price: $27,843 for a monthly shot) to manage Crohn’s; a manufacturer’s program brought her copays down to $5. She recently switched to an assistance program for specialty meds offered by her insurer that has brought the costs down even further, to zero. Still, she says, “Not a day goes by that I don’t worry about the what-ifs: What if my insurance changes at work or what if I lose my job?”

Persson knows first hand how quickly things can change when it comes to her meds. In past years, she was able to get a monthly 16-tablet supply of Nurtec (list price: $2,123), a migraine medication, for free from the manufacturer. But that program was discontinued and her insurer initially declined coverage. Eventually she got approval from her insurer, but for only half the previous dosage, forcing Persson to bridge the gap with samples from her doctor and ration her usage; she waits to take the drug, she says, until her pain becomes unbearable. “All this just ends up running your whole life,” Persson says. “All my career moves and personal financial decisions are dictated by making sure I can pay for the drugs I need to function.”

Get a hand from nonprofits

Grants from health care foundations and associations that specialize in particular diseases can also be hugely helpful, as Janet Kerrigan, 68, a former critical care nurse from Myrtle Beach, S.C., has learned. (Check out a database of charitable organizations that offer financial assistance with drugs and other healthcare costs here .) 

Kerrigan, who has multiple myeloma like Jackie Trapp, faced similarly staggering costs for the cancer drug Revlimid. After being diagnosed in 2011, Kerrigan’s first monthly co-pay for the drug came to $11,000, setting off a multi-year struggle to find ways to make her medications more affordable. “I’d spend eight hours a day researching, like a full-time job, while I was tired and drained from the cancer,” she says. 

That work has paid off. Over the years, Kerrigan has gotten grants, averaging $11,000 each, from the PAN Foundation, the HealthWell Foundation, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She’s also gotten financial help from Revlimid’s manufacturer.

Still, these efforts have not been able to stave off financial hardship. To help pay for her meds, Kerrigan has also run through her 401(k), cashed in a small pension and life insurance policy, and sold her grandmother’s silver. “I’m grateful I’ve been able to live many years with a disease I was told was terminal,” she says. “But no one should have to live with this constant worry, wondering if the drugs keeping you alive will be covered.”

Lean on government aid

Some good news for patients: measures designed to help lower prescription drug costs, passed as part of 2022’s Inflation Reduction , have started to kick in. That includes, for the first time, a cap on out-of-pocket spending for anyone with prescription-drug coverage under Medicare Part D—$3,300 this year, $2,000 in 2025—plus a $35 monthly out-of-pocket cap for insulin. Starting in 2026, Medicare will negotiate directly with drug companies to lower prices on the first 10 of an eventual 60 medications.

“The savings for patients is going to be life-changing,” says Merith Basey, executive director of Patients for Affordable Drugs, a Washington D.C. nonprofit. “Medicare negotiation is the biggest lever we have to pull to help lower drug prices.”

States are also taking action. AARP reports that last year states passed nearly two dozen bills to make prescription drugs more affordable, with another 45 bills in 17 states in play this year. The 2023 measures included moves to import cheaper medications from Canada, impose caps on out-of-pocket spending, and expand statewide drug savings programs. To find out what you might qualify for in your state, check this database from the National Conference of State Legislatures and the status of recent and pending state laws from the National Academy for State Health Policy. 

It was a state law requiring insurance parity for certain oral cancer medications that gave Trapp the ammunition she needed to successfully fight the initial denial of coverage for the drug that’s helped keep her alive over the past nine years. As a result, her prescription for Revlimid was processed as a medical benefit, instead of a pharmaceutical benefit. She says she feels like she’s been fighting ever since.

That’s tough to do, especially when you’re not feeling well, but patients say the potential payoff is worth the fight. “My advice is not to give up,” says Jacquie Persson, who pushed back against three denials of coverage before her latest prescription for migraine meds was approved by her insurance company. “Sometimes it feels like you hit a roadblock or you’re out of options, but if you just keep at it, all of sudden you find out about a new program or strategy, and somehow it all works out.”

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Readers respond to essays on long Covid, hypochondria, and more

By Patrick Skerrett June 22, 2024

F irst Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and maybe even provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others.

To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to the Editor received in response to them. You can submit a Letter to the Editor here , or find the submission form at the end of any First Opinion essay.

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“Long Covid feels like a gun to my head,” by Rachel Hall-Clifford

Thank you for this. I’m a 65-year-old woman who’s Covid cautious and wears a mask in public places (yes, in 2024). I’ve never had Covid as far as I know, and I try to keep up with the research. I feel like everybody would be more cautious if they read this article on long Covid, because it helps to really understand the horrible ways that a mild case of Covid can affect your life in ways that are unimaginable.

— Hildy Hogate

“I’m a hypochondriac. Here’s how the health care system needs to deal with people like me,” by Hal Rosenbluth

Health anxiety is the less biased term, rather than hypochondria with all its comic baggage.

Though the writer likes full body scans for himself and they suit his particular fears, many, many people with health anxiety, including me, wouldn’t get within 10 feet of a full body scan. It would be the opposite of reassuring.

Even if it did reassure for the moment, anyone with health anxiety knows reassurance is short-lived. A scan done in, say, January, might reassure a non-anxious person for the next six months. But it would be the rare person with health anxiety who would feel reassured for more than a couple of weeks.

And why on earth would you want to create a separate billing code for this, which would, without question, be used to pick out, stigmatize, and limit access to medical care? That doesn’t help patients, it soothes and enriches insurers, who would undoubtedly limit access to care based on a scan. How long would it take before you called to make an appointment with your doctor and were told sorry, your insurance won’t cover an office visit — your scan said you have no problems?

The writer’s personal experience, psychology, and taste for scans are just that, personal. They don’t generalize to most, or even many, of those who suffer from health anxiety.

— Maria Perry

“NIH needs reform and restructuring, key Republicans committee chairs say,” by Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Robert B. Aderholt

I agree with the authors that NIH needs reform. I was an athletic, otherwise healthy person who was struck down and disabled by long Covid in January 2022. For over two years, I’ve watched life pass me by as NIH has fumbled the $1.15 billion allocated to it by Congress to study and treat long Covid. This initiative, known as RECOVER, has failed to publish any research that furthers our understanding of the underlying cause of long Covid and the vast majority of clinical trials they’ve launched are for drugs that people have already tried and found unhelpful.

Perhaps NIH would not have bungled the long Covid funding had it not completely ignored other post viral diseases, namely myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) for the past 40 years. ME receives only $15 million a year — the most underfunded disease per patient burden at the NIH.

NIH should reevaluate how it allocates funding to diseases and base allocations on objective patient burdens. HIV, a disease with treatments that allow people with it to live mostly normal lives, receives $3.3 billion annually through NIH. Meanwhile, ME patients are disabled, have no approved treatments, and suffer a higher patient burden. Covid long haulers are suffering the same fate, many struck down as first wavers in March of 2020 are still disabled and sick as ever over four years later. Despite this, there is still no yearly allocation for long Covid in NIH’s baseline budget, as funding has only ever come from one time appropriations. NIH should right-size funding for ME and long Covid and start taking these diseases seriously.

— John Bolecek, long Covid patient

“Addressing health care workers’ trauma can help fight burnout,” by Sadie Elisseou

Thank you for writing this essay on the trauma and burnout that are all too common among today’s health care workforce. I applaud you for underscoring the importance of trauma-informed organizations and the critical value of workplaces that are safe, supportive, and flexible.

As a nurse educator and researcher, I have come to understand the important role of resilience in the work that nurses do. Considering two-thirds of nurses (65%) experience burnout, resilience-building skills are critical to mitigating nurse exhaustion and preserving our nation’s nursing pipeline. If actions are not taken to better protect the physical and mental health of our healthcare workforce, patient care will suffer. Lawmakers must take notice.

Some efforts in Congress have been successful. Congress has introduced legislation to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Provider Protection Act , bipartisan legislation that recognizes the need for mental health resources and support programs for healthcare professionals. Since its original enactment, this act has been instrumental in funding grant programs for mental health training, education, peer support, and crisis intervention services.

The reauthorization of this measure would expand grants to more than 200,000 other types of health care settings as well as renew the focus on reducing administrative burden for health care workers. While this bill is not a perfect solution, it does provide needed to support for a workforce that is understaffed, overworked, and in need to relief.

I urge Congress to finish the job and fully reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Provider Protection Act this year.

— Stephanie Turner, R.N., Ed.D., M.S.N., ATI Nursing Education

About the Author Reprints

Patrick skerrett.

Acting First Opinion Editor

Patrick Skerrett is filling in as editor of First Opinion , STAT's platform for perspective and opinion on the life sciences writ large, and host of the First Opinion Podcast .

STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect

To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page .

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5 Ways to Make Your Scholarship Essay Stand Out

U.S. News & World Report

July 1, 2024, 8:00 PM

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It’s no secret college is expensive . One way to alleviate the cost burden is through scholarships , a form of financial aid that doesn’t need to be repaid. Scholarships can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, but winning them requires strong credentials and a well-crafted essay.

With so many components to the college application , experts say it’s common for students to rush through certain parts. But applying for scholarships and writing strong essays should receive careful attention, experts say.

“A scholarship can mean the difference between graduating debt-free or accumulating substantial student loans,” says Liz Doe Stone, president of Top Tier Admissions, an admissions consulting company. “The financial relief can also provide more freedom in choosing a career path without the pressure of loan repayments and open up other professional opportunities, since (scholarships) look great on a resume and may facilitate networking opportunities.”

[ What Students Can Use Scholarship Money For ]

Students should approach scholarship applications and essays as if they’re applying for a job, says Haley Lindsey, director of financial aid at Missouri Western State University .

“Essentially, you’re trying to obtain money,” says Lindsey, whose role also includes reviewing scholarship applications. “When you’re writing your essay, be professional. You want to put your best foot forward.”

Here are five ways students can make their scholarship essays stand out.

Start Early

Scholarships will set deadlines throughout the year, but experts say a majority — especially local scholarships — typically set deadlines from January through April of a student’s senior year. Regardless of the deadline, experts agree on when to start writing essays: the sooner the better, as procrastination typically leads to poor writing.

“It’s critical to give yourself enough time to research, write, revise and seek expert feedback,” Stone says. “Your final draft should clearly make the case that your goals align with the scholarship’s mission and values, and this process takes time.”

Students can save a lot of time by pre-writing and reusing essays, but they should be prepared to carefully tailor them to the specific school or organization awarding the scholarship, experts say.

Pre-writing essays can be especially useful for students applying for a high number of scholarships. If students try to write a unique essay for every scholarship, there’s a chance they could experience burnout, which could negatively affect the quality of their essays, says Bethany Hubert, financial aid specialist and manager of high school partnerships at Going Merry, a free scholarship application platform.

“I would much rather a student have two or three essays in their pocket that they’re super confident about, that they spent hours on over the summer and can use again,” she says.

Craft a Strong Opening

Scholarship committees often sift through hundreds of applications and essays — or more. The ones that stand out capture the reader’s attention from the start with a strong hook that creates curiosity in the reader’s mind, says Andrew Simpson, editorial director for College Essay Guy, which offers coaching on college admissions and essay writing.

The following example from an “open topic” prompt shows this well, he says.

Fedora? Check. Apron? Check. Tires pumped? Check. Biking the thirty-five minutes each evening to the cafe and back to work a six-hour shift was exhausting, but my family’s encouragement and gratitude for the extra income was worth it.

This opening “clearly sets up the experience and stakes that drive the essay forward, but again does so relatively succinctly,” Simpson says.

Introductions like this, which drop the reader into the action through an anecdote or personal story, tend to be effective and persuade the reader to keep reading, Stone says.

“Remember, the classic advice to ‘show, not tell’ is key,” she says. “Use descriptive language to paint a picture and immerse your reader in the action.”

Tell Your Story

Committees want to see how students are able to connect their personal achievements to their future goals and how the scholarship will help them achieve them. Committees don’t need applicants to be “level 10/10 vulnerable,” Simpson says, “but a lot of strong scholarship essays we’ve seen include moments or details that make us feel connected to the students, that make us root for them.”

[ Read: How to Avoid Scholarship Scams. ]

Students can do this is by sharing their personal story. For example, Hubert says she won several scholarships by writing about her journey as a first-generation college student . Sharing such background allows scholarship committees to understand an applicant at a deeper level.

One student Hubert worked with wrote a scholarship-winning essay about attending college despite her parents not doing so, explaining how she plans to forge her own path.

Everyone makes mistakes, but it is those who learn from their mistakes who are successful. I am learning from their mistakes. Where they got stumped, I find a way to get over. Where they may have stumbled, I continue to run. I have to keep running for my goals in life. Even after reaching my goal I will continue to strive towards greatness. People use the saying, “the sky is the limit,” but it isn’t.

“This made me feel something, and it resonated with me on a personal level,” Hubert says. “Statements that are direct, clear and evoke an emotion are great for essays asking you to discuss a personal experience.”

Authenticity is important to scholarship committees, so applicants should focus on what makes them “a uniquely deserving candidate for this award,” rather than what they think the committee wants to hear, says Carolyn Pippen, a college admissions counselor at admissions consulting firm IvyWise.

“A great essay about a seemingly mundane or ‘unimpressive’ topic that helps the reader understand you more clearly will always be more effective than a generic, surface-level response about a more ‘exciting’ topic,” Pippen wrote in an email.

Be cautious of tone, however. While applicants don’t want to come across as arrogant, they should sound confident in their essays and still be the main character in their story, Stone says.

“It’s easy to write an essay about a meaningful mentor, family member or friend,” she says, “but these details distract from what the scholarship committee wants to know about: you! An effective scholarship essay will highlight your achievements and/or discuss the challenges you have overcome through concrete experiences that make your essay more memorable.”

Answer Prompts Directly and Thoroughly

Scholarship essays vary in length, but in many cases students have around 500 words to share their message. Some essay prompts are open-ended, but most ask very specific questions. Applicants should read the prompt thoroughly and directly address what it’s asking.

Lindsey says she occasionally reads essays where applicants don’t fully answer the prompt or even leave some blank.

“If you can’t answer all the questions, then why should I reward you?” she asks.

Since the runway for most scholarship essays is so short, students need to get to the point immediately and efficiently tell the story, focusing one or two solid examples to directly answer the question, Pippen says. Hubert says students should use the AEC formula to get their point across quickly: assertion, evidence, then commentary.

[ Read: How to Find and Secure Scholarships for College. ]

Students should have someone proofread their completed essay without knowledge of the prompt, Hubert says. If the reader can discern what the prompt was only by reading the essay, the student will know they answered the question directly.

“A lot of times, people who are writing miss that and they end up writing a really good essay, but it has nothing to do with the prompt or it dances around it,” she says.

Use Strong and Sound Writing

While students may be lax when text messaging with friends, that style of writing should not carry over to scholarship essays. Using shorthand, slang or improper sentence structure, grammar or punctuation is a surefire way to lose credibility in the eyes of essay readers, experts say.

“It is very common and I see it a lot of the time where instead of saying ‘you,’ students put ‘u,'” Lindsey says. “That’s a huge turnoff to scholarship committees. If you can’t take the two extra seconds to put in the two extra letters, that’s not a good essay, to me. They don’t have to be a phenomenal writer, but if they’re not giving me the full word or (if they’re) using that texting language, it’s an automatic out for me.”

Such writing also typically signals a lack of time spent crafting the essay. Successful essays undergo multiple drafts and edits to ensure strong writing, Simpson says.

Example of a Scholarship-Winning Essay

The following excerpt, used with permission from Stone, comes from an essay that won a student a scholarship.

This prompt asked applicants how their course of study will contribute to their future career and why they chose that path.

By studying Spanish language and Latin American history in college, I plan to pursue a career that will allow me to advocate for immigrants and refugees. Since I plan to study in the United States, I am specifically interested in helping the Mexican-American immigrant community by creating lesson plans for schools that will teach students about immigrants’ struggles and educating people about the laws that will resolve injustices.

The applicant goes on to explain what they’ve already done to gain experience and knowledge in this field, including creating an app that educates people on bills being passed or voted on that pertain to immigrants’ rights within their state. The applicant then mentions a class they took at Brown University

in Rhode Island where the final project was an infographic highlighting the challenges immigrants face and what U.S. citizens can do to help.

The essay closes:

This project helped me to realize that I could be interested in a career in law or social services that will allow me to work directly with the immigrant community to address their needs.

“This scholarship essay effectively articulates the student’s post-college goals and how these goals are rooted in their specific high school experiences and accomplishments,” Stone says. “By linking their intended course of study to their advocacy for immigrants and refugees, they demonstrate both a strong commitment to community activism and a practical understanding of the challenges faced by immigrants. This alignment of past experiences with future aspirations — as well as their sincere dedication to making a positive impact through their chosen field — resonated with the scholarship committee.”

Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.

More from U.S. News

10 Sites to Kick Off Your Scholarship Search

Avoid These 7 Mistakes When Applying for Scholarships

Find College Scholarships Related to Your Hobbies

5 Ways to Make Your Scholarship Essay Stand Out originally appeared on usnews.com

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