Life-Ready Society · Teacher and parent pack · Physical dimension

Alcohol, Drugs, Vaping and Gambling: Making Informed Choices

Facts, laws and how to stay true to your choices under pressure.

8 lessons, about 1.4 hours of reading. Free lessons, videos and full sources: https://lifereadysociety.com/choices/

How to use this pack. Ask your teen or class to read one lesson online (about ten minutes), talk through the key points together, choose one practice task to try this week, then use the quiz to check what stuck. The answer key is on the last page. Free to print for home and classroom use.

The lessons at a glance

1. New Freedoms, Clear Choices: Why This Matters Now

Leaving home means nobody is checking where you go or what is offered to you. This module gives you the facts, the law and some ready-made words, so the choices you make are your own and not someone else's.

Key points

Many students choose not to drink, vape, gamble or use drugs; you will not be alone.
Laws differ hugely between countries, and not knowing the law is no defence.
A drug conviction in the UAE normally leads to deportation for foreign nationals.
Deciding in advance is easier than deciding under pressure.

2. The Law at Home and Abroad

Before anything else, know the law where you live and where you study. The UAE's drug laws are among the strictest in the world, and other countries have their own rules on age, possession and sharing.

Key points

Never carry, hold or share illegal drugs; in the UK, sharing counts as supply.
In the UAE, foreign nationals convicted of narcotics offences are normally deported.
Gambling with unlicensed operators in the UAE may lead to penalties for players too.
Age limits for alcohol differ: 18 to buy in the UK, under 21 counts as underage in the US.
Never carry a bag or parcel for someone else through an airport.

3. Alcohol: The Facts, and Socialising Without It

Whether you never drink or you live where adults legally can, knowing the facts protects you and your friends. You can also have a full social life without alcohol, and this lesson gives you the words to do it.

Key points

You do not need to drink to have a full social life.
'No thanks, I don't drink' is a complete answer.
Units = ml x ABV% / 1,000 (NHS).
Know the signs of alcohol poisoning, and never give coffee or a cold shower.

4. Drink Spiking: Signs and What to Do

Spiking means someone adds alcohol or drugs to your drink without your knowledge. It can happen to anyone, including people who do not drink alcohol, and it is never the victim's fault.

Key points

Spiking can happen to anyone, with or without alcohol, and it is never the victim's fault.
Feeling far more affected than you should is a warning sign.
Tell staff, stay together, call for help, and never let a spiked friend leave alone.
Testing kits are not fully reliable.

5. Vaping and Nicotine

Vapes are often sold as harmless, flavoured and fun. The facts are more serious: nicotine is highly addictive, and health bodies agree that young people and non-smokers should not start.

Key points

Nicotine is highly addictive (WHO).
Vapes are a quit aid for adult smokers, not for non-smokers or young people (NHS).
Flavours do not mean safe.
Never charge a vape unattended or overnight.

6. Illegal Drugs and So-Called Study Drugs

You may hear that some drugs are 'natural', 'harmless' or that a friend's prescription pills will help you revise. This lesson gives you the facts and the law, so you can say no with confidence.

Key points

There is no safe illegal drug: you cannot know what is in it.
Never take someone else's prescription, and never share yours.
In the UK, sharing drugs counts as supply.
Exam stress is best handled with study methods, sleep and support, not stimulants.

7. Gambling, Betting Apps and Loot Boxes

Gambling is everywhere online: sports betting adverts, casino apps and random rewards in games. Understanding how they work, and the law, helps you keep control of your money and your time.

Key points

Gambling is designed so the operator wins over time; it is not income.
In the UAE, using unlicensed gambling operators may lead to penalties for players.
Loot box use is consistently linked with problem gambling.
Chasing losses is a key warning sign; blocking tools and helplines can help.

8. Looking Out for Friends and Getting Help

The most important skill in this module is knowing what to do when a friend is in trouble. Acting quickly and calmly can save a life, and asking for help is always the right call.

Key points

If in doubt, call for help; never leave someone to sleep it off alone.
No coffee, no cold showers, no more alcohol (NHS).
Do not keep a secret if a friend is at risk of harm.
Help exists in the UAE and abroad, and asking for it is a sign of strength.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

New Freedoms, Clear Choices: Why This Matters Now
- Write three sentences: what you will do, what you will not do, and why. Keep it in your phone notes.
- Look up the alcohol, drug and gambling laws of the country and city where you plan to study, using an official government website.
- Save the local emergency number for your study destination and the UAE numbers 999 and 998 in your phone.
The Law at Home and Abroad
- Find the official government page on drug and alcohol law for your study destination and save the link.
- Practise this line out loud: 'Sorry, I can't carry anything for anyone, it's a rule I keep.'
- Check that every medicine you plan to take abroad is in its original box with a pharmacy label in your name.
Alcohol: The Facts, and Socialising Without It
- Write your own one-line 'no thanks' and practise saying it out loud until it feels natural.
- Find three alcohol-free societies or events at your future university and save them.
- Using the NHS formula, work out the units in a 330ml bottle of 5% beer (answer: about 1.7 units) to check you understand labels.
Drink Spiking: Signs and What to Do
- Agree a 'buddy rule' with your friends: nobody leaves alone and nobody leaves a drink unattended.
- Save the emergency and non-emergency police numbers for your study city in your phone.
- Practise what you would say to a bouncer: 'My friend has had one drink and suddenly can't stand up. I think she's been spiked. Can you help us?'
Vaping and Nicotine
- Write down two situations where you might be offered a vape and your planned reply for each.
- Check the vaping and tobacco rules for your study country on an official government site.
- If you vape, make a quit plan: a date, your triggers, and one person who will support you.
Illegal Drugs and So-Called Study Drugs
- Write down your reply to 'Want something to help you revise?' and practise it.
- Make a realistic exam-season plan with sleep and breaks, using the Study Skills module.
- Find your university's wellbeing or counselling service page and save it.
Gambling, Betting Apps and Loot Boxes
- Check your game and app store settings and turn on spending limits or purchase approval.
- Look up whether your bank offers a gambling block and how to switch it on.
- Add up everything you spent on in-game purchases in the last three months.
Looking Out for Friends and Getting Help
- Save these numbers in your phone now: the UAE 999 and 998, plus the emergency number for your study country.
- Review the recovery position in the First Aid module and practise it with a family member.
- Find and save your future university's welfare and counselling contact details.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

1. Why is it useful to decide your limits before you arrive at university?

Deciding on the night lets you judge each situation fresh, which works better
A decision made calmly in advance is easier to keep than one made under pressure
Universities ask every new student to sign a written pledge on alcohol and drugs
Laws are the same in every country, so only your personal values need deciding

2. According to the UAE's December 2025 amendment to the narcotics law, what normally happens to a foreign national convicted of a narcotics offence?

Nothing happens if the drugs were bought legally in another country first
They pay a fine and may stay in the country, as long as the drugs were for personal use
They are deported after their sentence, apart from narrow family exceptions
They receive a formal warning on a first offence and may keep their visa

3. Under UK law, what does 'supplying' drugs include?

Only selling drugs for a profit, not sharing them with friends for free
Only selling drugs to people who are under 18
Selling, dealing or sharing drugs, even with a friend
Only importing drugs into the country from abroad

4. Which UAE authority regulates commercial gaming such as lotteries and sports betting?

The Ministry of Education
The app store that lists the betting app
The emirate's municipality, through its licensing department
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA)

5. According to the NHS, how do you calculate units of alcohol?

Volume in ml multiplied by ABV %, divided by 1,000
Number of standard glasses multiplied by two, whatever the size
ABV % divided by 10, whatever the volume
Volume in ml multiplied by ABV %, divided by 100

6. Which is a good way to turn down a drink?

A short, friendly 'No thanks, I don't drink' and changing the subject
Telling the person off in front of everyone so they learn
Accepting the drink and quietly pouring it away later
Giving a long, detailed medical reason so nobody can question your choice

7. Which is a sign of possible spiking?

Wanting to go home a little earlier than planned
Feeling much more drunk or strange than expected
Feeling tired the next afternoon after a late night
Feeling thirsty after an hour of dancing

8. Your friend may have been spiked. What should you NOT do?

Stay with them and keep talking to them
Let them take a taxi home alone to sleep it off
Tell venue staff or security what has happened
Call an ambulance if their condition gets worse

9. What does WHO say about nicotine?

It is highly addictive and harmful to health
It is harmless when it comes in flavoured vapes
It is not addictive when used in small amounts
It improves concentration safely in small doses

10. According to the NHS, who are e-cigarettes intended for?

Non-smokers who want to relax
Athletes improving performance
Adult smokers trying to quit
Teenagers who want to fit in

11. What does Mayo Clinic say about using another person's prescription?

It is fine if they are a close family member
It is fine during exams if you take a low dose
It is fine if you have similar symptoms
Never use another person's prescription

12. Which is a risk of stimulant misuse listed by Mayo Clinic?

Deeper, more restful sleep
Higher grades in every exam
No risk if taken only occasionally
Heart problems and seizures

13. Which is a warning sign of a gambling problem according to the NHS?

Chasing losses by betting more to win money back
Setting a strict weekly budget before you play
Choosing not to gamble at all
Playing a free board game with family at the weekend

14. According to the GCGRA, what risk do players face if they use unlicensed gambling operators in the UAE?

They may also be subject to penalties
No risk, since only the operators are punished
They are treated as licensed players automatically
They receive extra bonuses from the operator

15. A friend has drunk heavily and you cannot wake them properly. What should you do first?

Let them sleep it off alone in a quiet room
Give them strong coffee to help wake them
Put them in a cold shower to bring them round
Call emergency services and stay with them

16. Which number calls an ambulance in the UAE?

Answer key

B: Deciding in advance lets you act on your own values when you are tired, homesick or under social pressure.
C: UAE Legislation: the court must order deportation of a convicted foreigner, except in two specific family-related cases.
C: GOV.UK: supplying means to 'sell, deal or share' drugs, and penalties are likely to be more severe.
D: GCGRA: it is the federal agency responsible for regulating and overseeing commercial gaming in the UAE.
A: NHS: multiply the volume in millilitres by the ABV and divide by 1,000.
A: A short, confident refusal is enough; you do not owe a long explanation.
B: Drinkaware: if you or a friend feel strange or more drunk than you should be, get help straight away.
B: Drinkaware: do not let them go home alone or leave with someone you do not know or trust.
A: WHO: 'Nicotine is highly addictive and harmful to health.'
C: NHS: e-cigarettes are a stop-smoking aid for adult smokers and are not recommended for non-smokers.
D: Mayo Clinic: 'Never use another person's prescription', even for a similar condition.
D: Mayo Clinic: stimulant misuse can cause raised body temperature, heart problems, high blood pressure, seizures or tremors.
A: NHS: warning signs include chasing losses, borrowing to gamble and feeling guilty about gambling.
A: GCGRA: consumers who play through unlicensed operators, online or in person, may also be subject to penalties.
D: NHS: call 999 if someone has lost consciousness or you suspect alcohol poisoning, and stay with them.
C: Government of Ajman: ambulance 998, police 999, fire 997.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/choices/