Substance abuse prevention is imperative to the success of our younger generations. Preventing drug use in our youth today makes for brighter futures tomorrow. Kids who begin using drugs and alcohol during their adolescent years are more likely to drop out of high school and struggle with substance abuse addiction in the future. Substance abuse prevention programs have been proven to be successful in lowering the statistics of drug and alcohol use in our youth. Here are some key components that make up a successful substance abuse prevention program.
8 Components of a Successful Substance Abuse Prevention Program
1. Speak Directly to the Youth
A successful substance abuse prevention program must provide information that will effectively influence its target audience – the youth. Studies have shown that children and adolescents are most influenced by the present. Information that will likely have the greatest impact on them would be –
· The negative consequences that drug and alcohol use will have on their life right now
· For example, smoking causes bad breath and yellowing teeth vs. smoking can cause lung cancer later in life
2. Teach Kids How to Resist Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is one of the biggest hurdles of a child’s adolescent years. There are so many pressures coming from all angles during the middle school and high school years – it is crucial for kids to be prepared for handling themselves in these difficult situations, so peer pressure is a very important component to a successful substance abuse prevention program.
3. Focus on the Big Picture of Adolescent Life
There are so many outside factors that can contribute to teenagers using drugs and alcohol, so in order for a substance abuse prevention program to be effective, you have to also include a broader-base of skills training and health education, such as –
· Stress management
· Communication skills
· Maintaining healthy self-esteem and self-confidence
· Importance of exercise and maintaining your health
· Importance of healthy relationships between family, friends and significant others
4. Reverse the Normality of Drug Use in our Society
It is important to come up with methods that teach our youth that drug use is NOT normal. A good way to do this is to show examples of what happens to people who ‘normally’ abuse drugs and alcohol –
· Mug shots
· Before and after shots of people addicted to drugs
· News articles of drug and alcohol related deaths
5. Research and Address Community Specific Issues
What are the most common substance abuse issues in your community? It is important to educate our youth about the pressures that are most common in their community. These are the pressures that they are most likely to be faced with.
6. Promote Healthy Parent-Child Relationships
Substance abuse prevention truly does start in a child’s home. The relationship that a teenager has with their parents can directly influence their likelihood of becoming involved with alcohol and drugs. Some key factors of a healthy parent-child relationship can include –
· Good, open communication about the issues surrounding substance abuse
· The ability for parents to trust their teenagers to make smart decisions
· The ability for teenagers to come to their parents for help in difficult situations
7. Incorporate Parent Education into the Program
It is just as important to educate parents about substance abuse prevention as it is to educate our youth. Parents need the proper information and resources to help their teens make smart, healthy decisions regarding alcohol, tobacco and drug use.
The Walton County Prevention Coalition is a substance abuse prevention coalition that prides itself on educating the members of our community about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and drug use in our youth. The first step to prevention is education, and the WCPC is dedicated to providing helpful information and resources to the parents and children of our community.