LiveWorld Transcripts

NBCi presents

Dr. Patrick B. Johnson, Brandon Baker, and Steven Daniel.
Teen Drug and Alcohol Abuse

June 3, 2000

Page 2 of 7

Brandon: Aloha! I'm glad I'm here to help you guys answer some questions, and enjoy your Saturday morning!

Steven: I'm looking forward to talking with you guys!

Flavio: Brandon, Steven - how old are you? Where did you grow up? How long have you been an actor?

Brandon: I'm 16, and I've grown up in Southern California and I've been acting for five years.

Steven: I've been acting for about 20 years, and I'm from Hartford, Connecticut.

Mystic: This is for Steven Daniel--what is it like working with Marissa Dyan?

Steven: It's great! Marissa plays Cassidy, and we have a great time together. She's like my little sister.

Shedevil: How old are you and do you have a girlfriend? Hehe.But really, caffeine pills--are they really dangerous, and what are the effects of them because my friend takes them and I'm worried about her.

Steven: Yes, they are very dangerous when they are not taken with precaution, or they're taken without a doctor's authorization.

Brandon: As far as caffeine pills go, like anything else, they should be used as they are prescribed to be used, and not overdosed. They're fine, from what I've heard from the doctor, as long as they are used in moderation.

Dr Johnson: These kinds of pills can cause physical problems such as high blood pressure, and I would echo what Brandon and Steven both have said, which is that they should be taken with supervision and as prescribed on the bottle.

Dudette: I've noticed the TNBC shows tackle tough issues like alcohol and marijuana. I think I've heard that you two are very firmly against drug and alcohol use - why?

Brandon: Alcohol and marijuana are two very harmful drugs, and I just don't want to ruin my life, make bad choices, and basically slowly kill myself by using those substances. It's not my thing, and it's my opinion that it shouldn't be for anybody else. I have better things to do than do drugs.

Steven: I'm against any substance that doesn't allow me to have 100 percent control over myself.

Cutiemel 2003: Why do you personally think that teens get into drugs in the first place?

Steven: Mostly peer pressure, and the fact that when you're growing up, you're trying to gain acceptance from your peers. Even if they don't put pressure on you, just trying to be accepted is pressure in itself.

Leaha: My question is my brother has a drug problem and he always calls me. I don't want to hurt his feelings but I really don't want to talk to him. What should I say to him?

Steven: I'd say any time you have someone close to you that you love, and you're trying to help them, you have to let them know that you're helping them because you love them. And if it were anyone else, you would do the same thing.

Page 2 of 7