What if you had to make one of the most important decisions of your life with no reliable information to guide you?

That's the situation for many young people when trying to choose between remaining abstinent, or becoming sexually active. Prospective partners and peers may not have accurate information, and may not have the individual's best interests at heart. Although exposure to STDs and pregnancy can occur with just one sexual encounter, many teens believe themselves invulnerable, or are too embarrassed to pursue valid information. Some end up having unprotected sex virtually by default. They also may not associate the sharing of needles for tattooing or body piercing with the spread of STDs, but they should.

Tackling uninformed decision-making head on, an engaging, multiethnic group of teens delivers straightforward information about peer pressure, dating, postponing sexual involvement, STDs, and the need for protection if an individual does have sex. They discuss the link between alcohol, drugs, and risky behavior, and how sharing needles can lead to STD infection. Their lively presentation forcefully drives home the relationship between behavior and physical well-being.

Various STDs are covered, with an emphasis on HIV/AIDS. Risky Stuff enables students to overcome embarrassment and consult adults for information about sexual involvement and consequences. With half of new HIV/AIDS infections in the U.S. occurring in people between ages 13 and 24, now is a crucial time for students to begin talking, asking, and learning about STDs, sex, pregnancy, needles, and risky behavior.

24 minute DVD.