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The safest way to be when it comes to weed and tobacco is to not use them. However, if someone is choosing to smoke, it’s important to know how to do it more safely. People smoking weed and tobacco at the same time (sometimes called a “spliff”) often inhale deeper and hold the smoke in their lungs longer. This makes it a riskier activity than either smoking weed or tobacco on their own.

Salvia is a plant that grows in Central and South America, where it is often used for spiritual and cultural purposes. It is a hallucinogen, which can change the way people see, feel or hear things. Someone using using salvia might feel dizzy, anxious and uncoordinated. Usually the effects last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. Salvia is legal in Canada, but it is possible that it will be made illegal sometime in the future.

Ian Bell- Age 15

As a person that is under the age of 20 in 2010 I am subjected to an unrelenting barrage of temptations. I am in a good place. My experience with banned substances is close to nonexistent and I don’t think that smoking makes a person better.

However, no matter how much it doesn’t look like it, I actually do care about how other people see me. Not everyone’s opinion matters, but for the people I respect, it does. Thus I do feel the slightest amount of guilt when I am refusing the package of vanilla cigarettes that my friend ‘borrowed’ from the guy in 12^th year that always wears sunglasses and doesn’t have a name.

The following is a scenario in which I attend a party where I refuse all manner of substances I have seen with my own eyes. Hence I do not have a witty excuse for heroin. (I am of age in this party). In addition I understand I won’t go to a party and receive free drugs. But otherwise this wouldn’t work.

(Ian arrives at the party).

Ian- Hello! Great party! Who’s hosting this?

ND- Karen is! AHAHAHAHAH! Karen is a major slut!

Ian- That’s not very nice to say. How would you feel if society’s double standard was turned on you?

ND- Whatever man! Let’s get wasted!

Ian- I think that might be a bad idea. I am trying my best to not become like my stepdad. He had a lot of problems with that kind of thing. My mom was always yelling about something being wrong with him. I will have one however.

(Ian suppresses some tears, gets a beer while ‘name deleted’ wonders if he might want to get some water)

Ian- I wonder who’s downstairs.

(He goes downstairs and enters a room thick with heavy smoke. People are lying around all over the place. )

Ian- Ok. Wrong room.

Random stoner- Dude! Whassup my brotha? You wanna joint?

Ian- No thanks. I don’t like half baked and I don’t think I want to be some poor imitation of the cottonmouth kings.

Random stoner- whatever man, medicinal.

Ian-  It’s not good for you when your lungs are filled with tar.

(Ian leaves, the stoner decides to get something to eat. As Ian heads toward the backyard a woman with dreadlocks comes near)

Woman- I like your shirt.

Ian- Hey thanks! You’re a fan of Pink Floyd?

Woman- Totally! You ever tried acid with that?

Ian- Oh no. Pink Floyd is already too deep. I fear that my head would explode. Also it’s 2013. The 70’s are over. Try something different.

Woman- Well, I never!

Ian- A 60’s phrase. Acid has been mean to her.

(Ian heads toward the backyard).

Ian- Hey! What’s everyone doing?

Random smoker- Nothing really. Want a light?

Ian- No thanks. I don’t.

Random Smoker- Why not?

Ian- I only smoke cloves.

(Ian walks away and the one or 2 Goth girls/kids around become impressed.)

Ian- That party sucked. I think I will just go do something else with some real friends.

End.

It is only known that there are lots of medications that will make birth control pills less effective (not work as well), both prescription and over-the counter.

When it comes to illegal drugs there is unfortunately no 100% reliable information that we can give you. This is because:

a. It can be impossible to tell what is in that particular drug – it may have been mixed with something else.

b. Drug companies don’t do the same tests with illegal drugs.

c. If taking drugs and/or alcohol makes you forget to take or throw up your pill, it is not in your body anymore, and can’t prevent pregnancy.

We are still not sure how effective Creatine is. No long-term studies have been conducted. Also, in combination with other meds, it is still unknown what the possible negative side effects are. Creatine may be linked to higher levels of toxicity in the body, but we don’t know for sure because it hasn’t been tested enough. Creatine cannot be tested on teens, so we don’t know how it can affect a growing teenager.

Yes, if you smoke, it is possible to use birth control pills or the patch. There is a higher risk of heart attack or stroke, especially for people who have been on the pill and smoked for many years. So, the older the woman is and the more she smokes, the greater the risk (especially for women over 35 years old). So, if you smoke and want to use the pill or the patch it is super important to tell your doctor, so they can monitor you more carefully, possibly give you a lower dose, or talk to you about forms of birth control that do not contain estrogen (the mini-pill or depo).