The Boy Scouts of America’s premier drug abuse prevention program, Drugs: A Deadly Game!, has been completely revised and is now available. The new 18-page youth booklet, Choose to Refuse, replaces “Take A Stand Against DRUGS” the drug abuse prevention booklet referred to in the Webelos Fitness Activity Badge, Requirement 8, Webelos Scout Book, 2003 printing.
Since 1987 over 18 million Drugs: A Deadly Game! booklets have been distributed to schools, churches, libraries, community anti-drug coalitions, law enforcement agencies and Scouting units—wherever there is a need for a colorful, attractive, easily understood piece about the dangers of being involved with drugs. Drugs: A Deadly Game! is for all youth, boys and girls—not just Scouts.
The overall theme of Choose to Refuse is: “working together we can be a powerful force against drugs.” The booklet features five drug-free kids who speak to today’s youth about many of the drug-related issues they may possibly face. There’s Leo, the sports guy who gets his rush from perfecting his kickflip boardslide. “Iron” Will, who refuses to be pushed into things that aren’t right. Tisha, who wants to keep herself healthy to run her own company one day. Clarity, the brainiac, who doesn’t want anything messing with her head. And, Amy, whose friends are the biggest thing in her world, friends she supports to stay drug-free. It’s kids talking to kids in a way that they will understand.
Choose to Refuse reprises the 3-page centerfold body chart, showing the ill effects of drug use on the body. New on the chart are googly eyes, Swiss cheese brain, garbage dump lungs and slug muscles. Yes, a little icky, but it gets the message across to kids that drugs interfere with the body’s normal functions. Also new are pre- and post-testing, a website - http://old.scouting.org/drugquiz/, the N.I.C.E. way to say “No”, and a Family Pledge to “choose to refuse” harmful drugs.
Accompanying the youth booklet is the completely revised Leader’s Guide that helps adults to effectively present Choose to Refuse to boys and girls, first grade through high school.
Check with your local SCOUT SHOP™, or your local council for individual or bulk copies of the youth booklet and Leader’s Guide, or you may order them in boxed sets of 90 youth booklets and 10 Leader’s Guides for $40.00 per box (price as of October 1, 2008) —shipping and handling included, except for outside U.S. To order, download the Drugs: A Deadly Game! Order Form from the BSA website.. Other program materials are also available using the same order form, including posters, banners, stickers, and Tee-shirts.
This pamphlet should be used to fulfill requirement 8 of the Webelos Scout FITNESS Activity Badge, in lieu of the booklet mentioned in the Webelos Scout Book.
Call the Drug Abuse Task Force, 972-580-2376, for additional information, or write them at:
DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION TASK FORCE, S-302
NATIONAL OFFICE, BSA
1325 WEST WALNUT HILL LANE
IRVING, TEXAS, USA 75061-2049
Please note. We will not reproduce the pamphlet on this web-site. BSA uses the income from sales of the document to offset the costs of preparing it, and to help operate the National BSA Drug Prevention Task Force.
The US Scouting Service Project wishes to thank BSA and the staff of Boys' Life Magazine for providing us with the information on this page, including the copy of the booklet cover which appears above.
