Cocaine is made from the leaf of the coca plant. It often comes in the form of a white powder that some people inhale through their nose. Another form of cocaine, known as crack, can be smoked. Cocaine changes the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate.

Maybe you haven't heard of inhalants, but you probably come across them pretty often. Hair spray, gasoline, spray paint -- they are all inhalants, and so are lots of other everyday products. Many inhalants have a strong smell. That's why they're called inhalants: Some people inhale the vapors on purpose. Why would anyone do this? Because the chemicals in these vapors can change the way the brain works, and those changes can make people feel very happy for a short time. But inhalants can also do harm.

You may have heard it called pot, weed, grass, ganja or skunk, but marijuana by any other name is still a drug that affects the brain. Did you know marijuana can cause some people to lose focus on events around them? It makes others more aware of their physical sensations, and it has still more effects on other people. All these different changes are caused by chemicals that affect the brain. More than 400 chemicals are in the average marijuana plant. When smoked, heat produces even more of them!

Methamphetamine is a powerful drug. It acts by changing how the brain works. It also speeds up many functions in the body. Methamphetamine has a chemical structure that is similar to another drug called amphetamine that I explore in my magazine on stimulants. Methamphetamine can cause lots of harmful things, including inability to sleep, paranoia, aggressiveness, and hallucinations.

Links for Parents to use at home and then links for Teachers to use at different grade levels (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

A charts that list commonly abused drugs, their street names, DEA schedule, how they are administered, intoxication effects, and potential health consequences. (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

The following file contains the assets (or resources) to accompany the Sask DLC Life Transitions 30. Please note that this is not the content of the course, but the assets used to support and deliver it. The files are organized in a zipped folder. You can download it and extract the files. Links are also provided to other materials like videos and other suggested resources. life

The following file contains the assets (or resources) to accompany the Sask DLC Mental Wellness 30L. Please note that this is not the content of the course, but the assets used to support and deliver it. The files are organized in a zipped folder. You can download it and extract the files. Links are also provided to other materials like videos and other suggested resources. life

"The Play for All resource has been developed to provide educators with access to resources to enhance their capacity to implement inclusive, meaningful, safe, and fun intramural programming that meets the needs of every student in the school community.  "

*Heath & PE Resources*
*Select activities from the left panel to find games
*Select your grade from the lower left panel to find health lessons, wellness resources, videos and more!

Prescription drug abuse is a growing issue, and opioid abuse is now the leading cause of accidental deaths in the U.S. With one in five high school seniors reporting that they have misused prescription drugs, reaching students early is now more important than ever. Prescription Drug Safety is an innovative digital course that arms high school students with the knowledge and tools to make healthy, informed decisions when it comes to prescription medications. Through interactive scenarios and self-guided activities, students learn about a range of topics, including the science of addiction, how to properly use and dispose of prescription drugs, and how to intervene when faced with a situation involving drug misuse.

This Course Covers
Opioids, stimulants, and depressants
Proper prescription drug use, storage, and disposal
Brain and body: the science of addiction
Simulations: refusal and bystander skills
Debunking common myths

This newly updated digital course educates students about the potential dangers of misusing prescription medications, including fentanyl. The course – developed in partnership with Truth Initiative, the public health organization behind the nationally recognized truth® youth tobacco prevention and education campaign – explores the impact misuse can have on teens' physical and mental health, relationships, communities, and futures. The tone and design of the updated course is more youth-led and easier to digest by teens with brand new content addressing the dangers of fentanyl and counterfeit drugs.

Prescription drug abuse is a growing issue, and opioid abuse is now the leading cause of accidental deaths in the U.S. With one in five high school seniors reporting that they have misused prescription drugs, reaching students early is now more important than ever. Prescription Drug Safety is an innovative digital course that arms high school students with the knowledge and tools to make healthy, informed decisions when it comes to prescription medications. Through interactive scenarios and self-guided activities, students learn about a range of topics, including the science of addiction, how to properly use and dispose of prescription drugs, and how to intervene when faced with a situation involving drug misuse.

This Course Covers
Opioids, stimulants, and depressants
Proper prescription drug use, storage, and disposal
Brain and body: the science of addiction
Simulations: refusal and bystander skills
Debunking common myths

Check out these great video/curricular resources for Grade 6. The ROVER videos all indicate the curriculum outcomes that they address.

ROVER (Recommended Online Video Education Resources) is a video streaming service for Saskatchewan teachers and students in the PreK-12 education system. It is managed and maintained by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education. ROVER is a video-on-demand service that provides teachers and students with the convenience of immediate access to streamed, educational videos that support curricula.

This site also offers all of the curriculum documents for all grade levels.

If you are unable to access the site, it may be because a Saskatchewan Ministry of Education Blackboard login is required. All students have an Edonline account, so contact your child's school or the Ministry of Education’s Support Desk at 1-866-933-8333 or email at networkservices@gov.sk.ca for login information. Your child's student number will be required.

Videos & Discussion Guides Available.

The Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH) worked with The Students Commission of Canada to develop a set of videos and resources on preventing youth substance use harms using a positive youth development approach. The multi-media assets consisted of three videos: one for youth in Grades 6 to 8, one for youth in Grades 9 to 12, and one for adult allies and educators. Disseminating and integrating the latest evidence and initiatives on the prevention and reduction of substance-related harms in youth, each of the videos was developed in English and in French, with subtitles; companion resources include a discussion guide and a resources list.

Find information on how to access treatment services and answer questions related to addiction and mental health services. Contact the Saskatchewan Region's NNADAP Program Manager at (306) 780-8392. You can also contact the main Saskatchewan Regional Office at (306) 780-5449 or (306) 780-5038.

All First Nations and Inuit individuals have access to these centres. Clients entering in–patient treatment are required to complete a medical examination before being admitted. All referrals are to be sent directly to treatment centres. Referrals are reviewed to ensure that each individual meets the program requirements.

Constable Al Arsenault, along with six other policemen, document the people on their beat to create a powerful film about drug abuse. This group of officers developed a unique relationship with addicts in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. In this documentary, drug addicts talk openly about how they got to the streets and send a powerful message of caution to others about the dangers of drug abuse.

The Ministry/Joint Consortiuum for School Health has sent out a Vaping Resource for Schools along with a sample letter that can be customized for your school and sent home to parents - attached. The vaping handout has quite a few resource links.

Covers: Cannabis (Pot, weed), Health effects of Cannabis, Addiction, Medical Purposes, Licensed Producers, Laws & Regulations and Impaired Driving.

YAP is a youth-focused FASD prevention initiative that encourages young people to create resources and projects that raise awareness of FASD and other alcohol-related harms among their peers. Saskatchewan youth (between the ages of 14-24) develop projects and/or resources to share with their community.

The YAP program integrates and applies a number of strategies to youth-focused FASD prevention. First, using a philosophy of youth engagement as the basis of the program, youth are supported to create positive change in their lives and in their communities. Second, the YAP program is characterized by a harm reduction approach, focusing on the consequences and risks of substance use rather than on use of the substance itself. For example, rather than suggesting total abstinence from alcohol, the harm reduction approach recognizes that not all youth will simply stop drinking. The harm reduction approach focuses instead on providing skills and tools to reduce the harms experienced through alcohol use. Third, the YAP program facilitates peer-to-peer prevention, by providing skills, resources, and support to participants in creating resources and projects specifically tailored to the needs of their peers.