It’s Gone Viral!

Every day, the news channels share stories about things that affect people’s health and choices. From substance use to screen time, there’s always something important to think about. These headlines inspire us to look more closely at what’s happening in the world and how it connects to our lives.

This activity helps you explore real-world headlines about substance use and device use. You will ask yourself critical questions and work with others on ideas that promote balance and well-being.

What you’ll do:

• Pick a news headline related to substance use or device use.
• Explore the headline using detective-style questions and come up with possible solutions to the problem described in the headline.
• You can work with classmates, friends, family, or on your own. Of course, news headlines don’t tell the whole story, and the problems raised are complex.
• There is no one right solution, or someone would have found it by now! But generating ideas together can help in exploring an issue that matters to you.

Tips:

• Encourage everyone to think beyond the obvious and look for root causes.
• Brainstorm multiple solutions before choosing the best one.
• Discuss how your solutions could help others in your school or community.
• Make it fun! Use drawings, diagrams, or mind maps to explore ideas.