Drug Education

1. Drug Education Lecture 12

2. What to Expect in this Lecture • What is drug education? • Approaches to drug education • Effectiveness of drug education

3. What is Drug Education? …is a broad term referring to measures to prevent and/or reduce drug use by providing information on the nature and consequences of drug use and/or by attempting to directly influence behavior.

4. Approaches to Drug Education • Historically, there have been three broad approaches to drug education • Informational model • Affective model • Social influence model • Increasingly, a fourth approach is being advocated—a harm reduction model.

5. Informational Model • Designed primarily to convey factual information regarding drugs • These programs are typically implemented through schools • Mass media are often used as well • Partnership for a Drug-Free America • Originated in 1986 • Tends to produce dramatic commercials of effects of drug use • Other ads target parents • Other informational programs • Drunk driving schools • Anti-smoking campaigns by American Heart Association • MADD

6. Affective Model • Designed to assist students in developing life skills, including: • Enhancing self-esteem • Decision-making skills • Communication skills • Based on the idea that when these factors are lacking, students are more vulnerable to drug use and other social pathologies such as delinquency • Built upon principles of social control theory • Two widely used programs: • Reconnecting Youth: A Peer Group Approach to Building Life Skills – directed toward high school students • Preparing Parents for Drug-Free Years – directed to parents of children in grades 4-8

7. Social Influence Model • Seeks to prepare young people to resist peer pressure to use drugs • Early programs developed in the 1970’s to teach kids to resist pressure to smoke cigarettes • Most well-known program is the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE), jointly initiated by LAPD and the LA public school system • DARE is not the only social influence program. Others include • Self-management and Resistance Training (SMART) • Adolescent Learning Experiences in Resistance Training (ALERT)

8. Effectiveness of Drug Education • Effectiveness varies by type of program • Informational Programs • Results have generally been disappointing • Often effective in changing attitudes, but not behavior • Affective Programs • Results mixed • Generally find more effectiveness with attitudes • Social Influence Programs • Generally much more effective in producing behavioral change than other two types • Ironically, DARE is the one exception—generally not found to be effective

9. Harm Reduction Model • Based on following general premises: • “Drugs” consist of both licit and illicit substances • Abstinence is not realistic for all individuals • “Use” of drugs does not necessarily constitute “abuse” • Context of drug use is a primary factor in safe drug use • Rosenbaum suggests several specific goals of a harm reduction model • Provide factual information • Incorporate experiences of youths themselves • Incorporate role models, preferably older youth, who have used but not abused drugs • Has been practiced in principle with alcohol for several decades • Has met much resistance for illicit drug use, however • Recent efforts include: • Harm Reduction Drug Education (HRDE) • Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse (MAMA)