TO: EVOC 502/3 Instructor
FROM: David "Red" Wiget
DATE: November 27, 2005
RE: Educational Video Report, Wiget

 

 

“Educational Video Report”

 

Marijuana: “Reading the Smoke Signals” can be purchased for a minimal of $12.50 at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse Alcohol and Drug Information website. (See link here) http://ncadi.samhsa.gov/ or a direct link to the video selection page at Videos . (This is an excellent resource for many types of materials for anyone who teaches substance abuse or a related subject).

During the hour-long broadcast of Marijuana: Reading the Smoke Signals, we’ll look at all these problems and more. We’ll also learn what often works to keep kids away from drugs in the first place. Parents will also find out about marijuana culture… things your kids will never tell you. Law enforcement officers will discover how to spot marijuana use and marijuana grows. Despite what you may think, marijuana is far from harmless. Even though it often looks fun and relaxing, it has permanent health effects, impairs driving, and kills motivation.

Topics Addressed During the Broadcast:

• What is marijuana
• Signs & symptoms of use
• How to spot marijuana grows
• Health effects (both short and long-term)
• Consequences of use
• The medical marijuana debate
• Drug-impaired driving
• How to talk to kids about it
• Student drug testing
• Treatment options

This video will have a positive educational impact on the particular population I teach by clearing up some of the myths about marijuana. One such myth is that marijuana is not a drug and not addicting. The video explains, in laymen’s terms, that marijuana is a drug and is found to be highly addictive through extensive scientific research and from testimonies of actual recovering addicts. It will give the students’ hope that they can live life on life’s terms, have fun and enjoy life without using a mind altering substance. It will also confirm that marijuana is the leading gate way drug of all. This will help my students realize that they can not continue to smoke pot and claim sobriety. Many students that I teach say that their parole officer does not care if they smoke pot because it is looked at as a “harmless” drug.  It will also be useful for police and parole officers to help them understand that it is not okay to allow parolees to smoke marijuana and that it eventually leads back into criminal behavior and stronger drug abuse.

 

What I would need to do to obtain a copy of this video is simply go to the SAMHSA website, place the order, pay the $12.50, and ad it to my personal library of other educational videos for further use. I would not worry about reimbursement for the $12.50 as I am allowed to write off a few hundred dollars a year on my taxes for school supplies.