Module 09 · Relationships
How substances affect judgment, consent and safety.
Lesson 1
The part of the brain that handles planning and decisions is the last to mature, typically at least into the mid-20s, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. For teens, alcohol can make it even harder to control impulses and make healthy choices.
Blackouts are common, too: 1 in 5 older teens who had ever drunk alcohol reported a blackout, a stretch of time they couldn’t remember, in the previous six months.
Lesson 2
Drinking impairs judgment, can lead to unsafe sex, and raises the risk of physical and sexual assault. The CDC lists sexual violence, STIs and unplanned pregnancy among the results of underage drinking.
Lesson 3
Consent has to be clear and freely given at the time. Under Washington law, a person who can’t understand what sex is or what it could lead to, because of alcohol, drugs or anything else, or who is passed out or can’t communicate, cannot consent. Sex with someone in that condition is rape.
If someone is drunk or high, you can’t be sure they can consent. Wait.
If something happened to you while you were drinking or using, it’s not your fault. Using alcohol or drugs never means you asked to be harmed. See Sexual assault & getting help.
Lesson 4
Call 911 right away if someone shows any of these signs of alcohol overdose. Don’t wait for all of them, and remember that a person who has passed out can die:
Stay with them. If they’re lying down or passed out, roll them onto their side so they don’t choke. Cold showers, coffee and walking it off don’t help, and can make things worse.
You won’t be charged for calling. In Washington, a person under 21 who gets medical help for someone with alcohol poisoning can’t be charged with underage drinking because of that call, and neither can the person who needed help.
Lesson 5
Worried about drinking or drug use, yours or someone else’s? The Washington Recovery Help Line is free and confidential: call 1-866-789-1511 any time, or text from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free referrals 24/7. In Washington, anyone 13 or older can get outpatient substance use treatment on their own. On Orcas, see counseling options.
Check yourself
The part of the brain that handles planning and decisions keeps developing into your mid-20s.
Fact. It’s the last part to mature, one reason alcohol hits teens’ judgment so hard.
If someone said yes before they passed out, that still counts as consent.
Myth. Consent has to be given at the time. Someone who is passed out can’t consent.
A cold shower and coffee will sober someone up.
Myth. They don’t reverse an alcohol overdose and can make things worse. If you see danger signs, call 911.
In Washington, a teen who calls 911 for a friend with alcohol poisoning can’t be charged with underage drinking for it.
Fact. State law protects both the caller and the person who needs help.
Questions people ask
“No thanks” is enough. Have an exit line ready, like “I have to get home,” and spend time with people who respect your choices. See Peer pressure & online safety.
In Washington, calling 911 for someone with alcohol poisoning protects you both from an underage drinking charge based on that call. Call. It could save a life.
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