j----_. - New York Civil Liberties Union

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Teacher Notes on Lesson 27a
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Background Lesson #27a is a prevention lesson, designed to be taught as a twopart
Iesson, #27a relating to drug transmission of AIDS and #27b
relating to sexual transmission of AIDS.
In this lesson, students will create a cartoon to help others understand
how the AIDS virus can be transmitted by illegal intravenous
drug use. Students must recognize what risk means, what it is to
take a risk, and that intravenous drug use:
• is illegal
• puts them at risk for exposure to AIDS (HIV).
Sharing needles and syringes/works puts individuals at risk because
the AIDS virus (HIV) can be transmitted by infected blood that remains
on the needle and can be passed from user to user. Having
become infected with the AIDS virus, the individual may develop
ARC or AIDS.
1£ an individual is sharing IV drugs and is infected, he/she is probably
spreading the infection to others. Regardless of how the individual
became infected with the AIDS virus, the individual who has
been infected can spread it to others through his/her infected blood,
infected semen, or infected vaginal secretions.
In order to break the transfer of infection, the individual would need
to:
• abstain from illegal use of drugs
• get help for IV drug problems
• refrain from sharing needles and works.
Special Considerations This lesson also provides an opportunity to discuss other drugs in
relation to AIDS. For example, alcohol use may be considered in
terms of its weakening effect on the immune system, making one
more susceptible to the AIDS virus. Alcohol use may also be considered
in terms of its effect on the nervous system, causing altered
judgment and permitting individuals to behave in ways that may not
reflect their true values. Students need to understand that all alcohol
can have this effect, whether beer, mixed drinks I wine coolers, etc.
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Teacher Vocabulary Addiction - Habitual use of a substance (like IV drugs) and inability
to stop the craving for such a substance.
AIDS - The initials for the disease IAcquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome," A disease caused by a virus which breaks down the
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