Helping you make wise choices

In 2003, the federal government launched Canada's Renewed Drug Strategy. The strategy is intended to prevent and deal with problems arising from substance use, and to reduce the supply of drugs. This web site is one component in the strategy's broader public education campaign and its goal is to give you - young people in your teens - the information you need to make conscious, informed choices.

Hey, it's your life.

But here are the facts about drugs and alcohol

For every high there's a low. That slogan sums up the impact that drugs have on Canadian teens and young adults. It's like booting down the highway at high speed in a car with bad brakes. The first part might be a rush, but the second part is a different story altogether. Same thing with alcohol and other drugs: there is a heavy price to pay in terms of the physical impact on your brain and body, the effect that getting high can have on relationships and your own self-respect... and the dollar-cost itself. Getting high isn't cheap.

There were discussions, interviews and focus groups with youth to get a feel for where they're coming from and to learn about their concerns, so this Web site is simply intended to give you the information you need to make some important choices. Hopefully, you'll find that it helps you to gain a better understanding of the world of alcohol and other drugs, the effects they have on people and, equally important, the reasons why people do drugs or drink at all. But like anything, things change and things get forgotten so if you have any comments or suggestions (good or bad), we'd love to hear your opinion!