I actually think it's pretty good when older people can have honest discussions with kids about drugs - I mean, if the kid is going to do the stuff anyway, he (or she) might as well have a proper idea of what they're about to do... and in most cases, parents and teachers aren't really going to do that. I just reckon that you've got to be kinda responsible - I mean, not just try to impress the kid with stories of the wild times you've had (and a lot of people do that, especially guys).... all my older cousins used to tell me that it was only the manufactured drugs that were really dangerous - proved wrong when a friend of mine had a psychotic episode after taking a shroom... if you've never seen one of those, you're lucky, because they're scary as hell
RiverRipper etc - you're right that you don't have to do drugs to be cool, but kids are usually smart enough to work that out for themselves (and if they're not, they're too stupid to bother about!)... in the end, even a 16 year old is old enough to be making his own decisions...
The advice I listened to the most when I was 14 or 15 was from my tennis coach, who we all respected, and instead of giving us the standard 'just say no' advice we heard at school, told us some 'guidelines' - don't smoke, because you get all the bad side effects of drug use, but none of pleasure until you're already addicted - plus it's expensive, and you'll never be really competitive athletically. Dope's better . Also, don't drink till you forget what you've done, because no-one else will. Try to have a trip sitter and remember that drug manufacturers are criminal untrained pharmacists - so don't take anyone's word about what's in a pill/powder as gospel (especially if they try to tell you it's pure. Face it, it's not). Have fun...