From: Chanda Vaughan, Grant Program Administrator
          Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula

The Boys and Girls of the Virginia Peninsula has experience some positive effects of the Positive Action program. In one of my classes pertaining to gateway drugs particularly alcohol usage the kids were shocked of the outcome of this drug. Most of the kids knew what happened when a person drank too much alcohol (impaired coordination, vomiting, and dizziness). Some of the kids have seen this type of behavior on television or with family members. However, the kids had no idea that serious alcohol usage can cause heart attacks, ulcers, and strokes. Some of the kids were going to tell their family members about the serious effects of alcohol.

In another class, we had props that dealt with gateway drugs especially tobacco. The props entailed healthy and bad (expose to nicotine) inflatable lungs and bad mouth (sores and rotten teeth) caused by tobacco. The kids could actually see and hear the effects of what tobacco can do to their bodies. Some kids were surprised that tobacco can cause eating disorders, diminished sense of taste, and smell. However, majority of them knew that tobacco can possibly cause cancer and lung diseases. Some of the kids could not wait to tell their family members of the serious effects of tobacco hoping they will stop smoking. Both of the classes created a sense of awareness of long and short term effects of gateway drugs.