I Will…Not Smoke or Use Drugs

If you've pledged to yourself that you won't ever try cigarettes or drugs, congratulations! You can do it! There will be times that your personal pledge is challenged. If you actively prepare for the challenges you'll know how to handle them. The following are tips for getting prepared:

Surround yourself with friends who also want to avoid smoking and using drugs.

If you have trouble finding friends that have the same goal as you, go online to find others who agree with your beliefs. A good Web site is www.freevibe.com.

Download a pledge or contract and sign it with your friends and parents.

In addition to your "I Will" pledge, you can make up your own form or find one on the web. The Partnership for a Drug-free America has one at http://www.drugfree.org/Parent/Resources/Docs/Pamphlets/parents_en/pledge.asp.

Dream about the future.

Think about what you'd like to study in college and what you'd like to do for a living when you're an adult. Focus on these long-term goals to keep you true to your pledge.

Have a plan for saying "no".

Practice in advance what you're going to say when someone offers you cigarettes or drugs. Some ideas include:

  1. No thanks, I'm into reality.
  2. Got a pen? Write this down. No.
  3. No, not now. Ask me again in a billion years.
  4. Right now's no good. How's never?
  5. Two words: N - O.
  6. I'll pass.
  7. No way, put it away.
  8. I don't think so.
  9. No, it's not my style.
  10. No, I'm already weird enough.
  11. I'll say it slow for you, "nnnnooo."
  12. No offense, but no.
  13. No, my imagination is good enough already.
  14. Let's not go there.
  15. No, I got places to go, people to see.
  16. No, in fact never.
  17. No, I like my brain the way it is.
  18. No, and that's my final answer!
  19. Top three answers on the board, survey says. NO!
  20. I don't have time for drugs.
Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Partnership of a Drug-Free America.