FCYU-Feature Story

My Battle to Quit

Have teens make a list of all the different reasons the writer, Ashunte, smokes weed and all the benefits he mentions. (It will include things like: it makes him feel good; helps him be accepted by peers; calms him down; soothes his pain about losing his family; helps him forget the flashbacks of his parent’s death; keeps him from acting out; makes him feel understood and listened to.)

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Ask the students: with this many “benefits” from pot smoking, do they think Ashunte can ever quit?

In rehab, Ashunte makes a “blueprint” for how he can stay sober after he returns to the group home. Reread the “Making my own plan” section on page 15. Which needs from the list does his blueprint address?

What else could Ashunte do instead of smoking? Are there other ways to get those needs met? (List on board.)

Looking back at the list, are the alternatives things he could realistically find while still living in the group home? What do you think he needs to really quit? If he really wants to quit, what other strategies would the group suggest?

Note: Facilitators leading these discussions should have a sophisticated understanding of addiction and recovery. These stories invite a dialogue that goes beyond a simplistic “just say no” approach.