The Current Opioid Epidemic

Integrating Study of Opioid Addiction and Evidence-based Prevention Strategies into Classes Across the Curriculum

The Curriculum Infusion of Real Life Issues (CIRLI) is a valuable strategy for bringing study of opioid abuse into classes across the curriculum.   
Students will be engaged learning about this life issue relevant to their lives.  Through CIRLI teachers will be able to incorporate evidence-based prevention strategies into lessons, building student resistance to abuse of opioids and other drugs.
 
Fitting Study of Opioid Abuse into Classes Across the Curriculum
 
  • Language arts teachers can develop lesson plans that ask students to read literature, write about and discuss the impact of opioid addiction.
  • Math teachers across grade levels can have students work with data on the extent and consequences of opioid abuse
  • Social Studies teachers can develop lesson plans that have students study the history of the current opioid epidemic, including the widespread addiction to OxyContin and other prescription opioids falsely advertised by the pharmaceutical industry as non-addictive, and the movement to less expensive heroin and fentanyl when prescription opioids became less available.  Students in social studies classes can also study the extensive damage of opioid addiction to families and communities.
  • Science teachers can design lessons that have students study the physiological effects of opioid addiction.
 
When opioid abuse is studied in a class some students from families with opioid problems may approach teachers and talk about their family’s difficulties.  In these cases a teacher can be both empathetic and supportive, referring students to the school’s counselor or social worker.  Here CIRLI provides the opportunity to offer needed support to troubled students.
 
Evidence-Based Prevention Strategies
 
When study of opioid addiction is integrated into classes it is important to incorporate evidence-based prevention strategies that build student resistance to opioid and other substance use problems.  Evidence-based prevention strategies that can be readily incorporated into classes are described in detail in the Prevention Strategies section of this website.  These strategies include:
 
  • Building pro-social norms.  In social studies, language arts and other classes students can learn the damage opioids do not only to the user but to their family and the larger community.  Out of concern for others students may prepare and present talks based on what they have learned to classes of younger students.  They may participate in school-wide opioid and other drug prevention campaigns.  As they work to convince others not to use drugs students are likely to internalize these prevention messages, increasing their own resistance to drug use.  They will also be affected by the peer atmosphere, positively influenced by attitudes of classmates who are engaged in prevention activities. 
 
  • Building understanding of the personal risk of opioid use.  In math, science and other classes students learn the damage that opioid use can cause them.  The key to this strategy is that the student applies knowledge of risks of opioid and other drug use to her/himself.  For example, If the student is a high academic achiever s/he should learn how opioids and other drugs interfere with academic achievement.  If the student is an athlete s/he should learn how drug use reduces athletic capacity.
 
  • Strengthening decision making skills.  In language arts and other classes students may discuss effective self-care and role-play ways to best decline peer pressure to try opioids and other drugs.  Research shows that students who have difficulty making decisions and are easily influenced by others are more likely to have drug problems than students with executive functioning skills.
 Free 5 CPDU online workshop through Northeastern Illinois University’s College of Education
 
Integrate pressing life issues into classes across the curriculum to effectively engage students in learning and support social emotional growth
 
CLICK HERE to access the online workshop
 
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