This chapter gives you tools to start and continue low-pressure conversations with middle-schoolers about substances. Learn when and how to talk (use everyday moments, ask open questions, listen first, and teach basics), what to watch for, and where to find trusted resources. This chapter equips parents to recognize danger, have ongoing conversations, and protect developing brains.

Not an expert? No problem! Learn clear, balanced information on common drug types. The chapter organizes substances into easy-to-understand categories (legal for anyone, legal for adults, prescription, over‑the‑counter, illegal), explains routes of use and why they matter, and provides concise spotlights on uppers (stimulants), downers (depressants), and all‑arounders (hallucinogen), plus practical sections on vaping, alcohol, and cannabis. It covers risks like cognitive and mental-health effects, addiction, accidental poisonings, impaired driving, and more—and lists common warning signs adults can recognize.

Narrated by Natalia Dominguez

Audiobook recording and production by Andy Zenczak (⁠gadgetbox.net⁠)

This video was produced by GadgetBox, created by the Tri-County Collaborative and funded by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), supported by Grant Number 23-10947. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the California Health and Human Services Agency, the CDPH, or the Tri-County Collaborative.