TIps for telling people you don’t want to do drugs
The majority of young people do not take drugs. Friends, parents, older brothers and sisters and the media can also have some influence over a young person's decision to use drugs.
It can often be more difficult to refuse drugs when responding to strangers than close friends.
Females may be more likely to give in to peer pressure than males. Refusing drugs from men takes more thought than refusing from women.
When refusing drugs it is important to display confidence through body language and tone of voice. Be assertive when saying no, don’t hesitate and show that you are firm in your decision. Make an alternative suggestion, for example, why don’t we go out for coffee and a movie instead?
Sometimes we are put in situations where we want to say no but feel pressured or embarrassed to say otherwise. There are a few options when it comes to refusing drugs to refute feelings of awkwardness or embarrassment.
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.
Other examples are:
Give a reason, fact, or excuse. An excuse often gets you away from the person or situation. Practice an excuse so that you won’t hesitate and will sound confident. Have a code word to use with your parents. Text them the word and have them call to say you need to come home.
Walk away. One of the most effective refusal skills is to simply walk away. You may feel obligated to stand and face “the enemy”, but you need to just leave. Say “no” and walk away while saying it.
Change the subject. You can offer another alternative activity.
Use humor. Humor is a great way to get out of a situation when you are not comfortable.
Broken record or repeated refusal. Keep saying “no” over and over again. It will buy you some time to use another refusal technique or be an annoyance.
Cold shoulder or just ignore. Avoid directly confronting the person. Turn your shoulder and talk to someone else, or just ignore them as if you don’t hear them.
Avoid the situation. Common sense tells you the places and times where there may be problems with peer pressure. Simply avoid these situations.
Strength in numbers. The truth is simple. If you surround yourself with friends that make good choices, then you will, too. The opposite is true as well. One of the most important choices you can make is your choice of friends.