Use These Videos to Help Teens Shatter the Myths About Brain Development and the Effects of Drug Use

Teens might feel overwhelmed by information they receive online, on social media, and from TV, movies, music, or friends, which can make it challenging to separate fact from fiction. Watching videos and discussing them as a group can help your students counteract myths about drugs, alcohol, and brain development. Check out the videos below for inspiration to get the conversation started.

Teen Brain Development
Drug use can impact brain development. This video, narrated by a real teen, explains brain development and encourages teens to make healthy choices to properly “code” their own brains to give them their best possible future. (This video is also available in Spanish.)

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Drugs: Shatter the Myths
This animated version of NIDA’s Drugs: SHATTER THE MYTHS booklet answers teens’ most frequently asked questions about drugs and drug problems using scientific facts.

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Naloxone Saves Lives
The opioid crisis is a complicated problem that requires many solutions. Scientists and health care professionals are working toward those solutions and helping to change the course of people’s lives. One result of their work is a medication called naloxone which is saving lives every day. This video reviews when naloxone is used, how it is administered, and the way it works in the brain.

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We have additional videos you can incorporate into your classroom activities to help educate teens about drug use. Check out NIDA’s available videos, organized by topic.

Find More Videos By Topic

You can help provide other educators and parents with free lessons and activities on teens and drugs, based on science and educational standards. Check out and share our Lesson Plan and Activity Finder video.

Are you looking for information about specific drug topics or resources to use in your classroom? NIDA offers relevant drug education resources through a featured Lesson of the Month. Check out our Lesson Plan and Activity Finder for this month’s featured lesson plan and to search for additional free resources.

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