Tough Enough by Jimmie Baker

Jimmie Baker was at the top of his game. Literally. His high school basketball talent had paved the way to NBA success. His family marveled and his childhood friends felt fortunate to have known him. Alcohol, drugs, all-night parties seemed to come with the new territory and Jimmie embraced it all. Nothing could take down this 6'4" athletic and financial success story. But the good life came to an abrupt end when substances proved themselves much stronger than Jimmie.

Jimmie's life story is compelling, but what makes his message truly impactful are the critical pieces of information he shares about the facts of substance use by young people. He challenges the mantra of, "We're good kids; we'd don't cause problems." He describes how "good kids" also experience severe consequences from substance use, including drunk driving deaths, vandalism, sexual assault and mental health problems. Jimmie combines his first-person experience with his extensive knowledge, training, and educational work with varied audiences across the country. He includes information on bystander behavior as well as a laudatory message for all who choose not to use. Jimmie's warm, approachable style combined with his sincere concern for the well-being of his audience members make him an outstanding educator and inspiration for true behavior and decision-making change from his audience.

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