"Drugs can be habit forming or addictive. This means that if you take a drug over a certain period of time, your body will crave that drug. If you don't get the drug you will experience painful signs of withdrawal."
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Stay Strong and Live Long Say No to Drugs by Linette Bradford-Cheers Trafford Publishing
book review by P. Hooper
Having worked as an LPN for 12 years, Bradford-Cheers has seen the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on children. She says, "I have seen children of all ages destroy themselves with the use of drugs and alcohol, simply because they were not educated appropriately about these harmful substances." The author's goal is to teach children about how harmful drug and alcohol use can be. Bradford-Cheers covers such substances as cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine and even promethazine with dextromethorphan, a prescription cold medicine.
Each chapter is short and dedicated to a particular drug or substance. She begins with a description of the substance and other names it might be called on the street. She then goes on to list the many possible effects of each substance. At the end of the book is a glossary of terms children may find unfamiliar such as "nicotine" and "toxic." Each chapter is also illustrated with drawings depicting the dangers of drug use. For example, in the Alcohol chapter, there is a picture of a young man drinking with a caption saying, "Did you all know that underage drinking is not cool? High alcohol levels can result into alcohol poison, coma and even death."
This book is short and direct; the author does not mince words, but plainly describes the ugly side of drug abuse. Her knowledge of street slang, plain way of speaking, and colorful illustrations may be what it takes to interest children in learning more.