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.

My best friend Sable killed herself 16 days before her 16^th birthday; this is her story. Sable was the only African American person living in the small town I am from. She did not know her Dad as he was deported when she was only a few months old; she had never been in contact with him. Sable had always been the “Crazy one” in our group of friends; always the life of the party there was no doubt about that.  She loved to have fun and had many close friends; there was always kids hanging out at her house.

Sable had always talked about killing herself. None of us ever took her seriously, why would we she talked about it all the time and never tried it. She always said “there’s no point in living after your 16 anyway, i’ll have done everything by then anyways.”  We would always tell her how stupid she sounded and that she was going to move away and have an awesome life and she would agree and say she couldn’t wait to move to Winnipeg.

A few months before Sable passed away she changed. She started drink more than normal and doing drugs, she began mutilating herself. She had also began “hooking up” with random people.  These are all warning signs for suicide; but sometime people fail to see what is right before our eyes.  My best friend killed herself on May 1^st after a get together at my house. Nobody saw it coming but looking back I don’t see how we missed all of the warning signs, I guess it’s true what they say hindsight is 20/20.

When it happened my world was turned upside down I had no idea what hit me. I took me and all of my friends a very long time to get back to a somewhat “normal” life if that’s what you would like to call it. We still think about her and miss her every single day; she will never be replaced nor forgotten.

I learnt a lot of things when Sable passed away. I learnt that life should never be taken for granted, that friends are truly irreplaceable, and that the death of someone close too you changes who you are and how you view the world forever. If you ever suspect that somebody is thinking about suicide talk to them or tell someone you trust, because once they are gone you can’t get them back.

Sumitted by anonymous

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.