"Gibralter's public stand places him in a growing but still small minority of university presidents who openly acknowledge that substance-abuse issues are present on campus. Progressive colleges and universities are shifting their primary efforts from individual users to the entire campus community..."

Labels: binge_drinking, college, prevention

"There's also a 188 percent increase in the number of teens admitted into treatment programs with marijuana as the primary addiction .... and there's no easy answer to the problem."

Labels: marijuana, pressure, prevention

"After three years of the Alcohol Reduction Program in Martinsville schools, officials aim for a 37 percent overall decrease in substance abuse, reductions in negative attitudes and behaviors, and increased decision-making and resistance skills."

Labels: counseling, prevention, schools

Labels: influences, older_teens, prevention

"[Q} Would a kid get drunk or high faster than an adult? [A] You bet. A drug can have a larger effect on a child for many reasons. One reason is that children's and adult's brains are different."

Labels: anti-drug_programs, awareness, prevention

"'I believe in the mission of SADD that students are the best people to influence other students about not making destructive decisions. It's something I'm passionate about... I've witnessed the effects of alcohol abuse firsthand. I've seen what it can do. And because I've seen it, I can stand against it and I can try to help others stay away from it, too."

Labels: awareness, prevention, SADD

"'The students (with faces painted white) cannot talk to anyone and teachers cannot call on them because they are the students who are now dead because of a drunk driver,' said Veronica Cain, Ontario Schools substance abuse coordinator."

Labels: awareness, education, prevention

"...at the end of the study, year-end surveys showed no difference in alcohol use among the teens [in urban areas] who took part in the project and those who did not... One particular problem surfaced during the community component of the project. The organizers struggled to rally some community members around the cause, often having to explain why they should be concerned about adolescent alcohol use."

Labels: interventions, prevention, underage_drinking

"Youth leadership teams from Dayton, Silver City, Fernley, Silver Springs and Yerington have created dramatic skits involving worrisome situations for each room in a model home staged to look like a wild, unsupervised youth party. Adults will be led through a 20-minute tour of the staged party with a guide who will explain what they're witnessing."

Labels: parental_involvement, parties, prevention

"'They don't look at it as an issue generally. They don't talk about it in the same way they might about sex or other issues,' [Tony] Mollica said. Alarmingly... an overwhelming majority of teens are getting alcohol at home or from a friend - approximately 94 percent."

Labels: awareness, prevention, underage_drinking

"CNN aired one of the students' PSAs Friday afternoon in the region. In the PSA, two anti-drug messages targeting area youth came across the screen. One message said 'Mifflin County teens have better things to do than drugs.' This message showed area teens involved in extracurricular activities like basketball, band and 4H as opposed to the alternative."

Labels: anti-drug_programs, media, prevention

"The goal of the CCSA's project is to reduce illicit drug use among Canadian youth between the ages of 10 and 24, including high-risk youth, focusing on risk and protective factors before drug use begins."

Labels: communities, prevention, treatment

"They are the most at-risk group but they aren't getting the message for some reason, agency staff members told the Legislature's Joint Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommitee…"

Labels: community_programs, pregnancy, prevention

"The good news from this survey is that Westchester parents overwhelmingly disapprove of teen alcohol and tobacco and marijuana use. But the survey shows that they have more permissive attitudes than their national counterparts, especially when it comes to beers and wine coolers and punishing teens when they break rules."

Labels: acceptance, awareness, prevention

"After telling the story of a recent drunken driving accident that took the life of 18-year-old Armada High School senior Emilee Floer, he let the group try on a pair of Fatal Vision goggles, which simulate the vision of a person who's highly intoxicated, and made them 'walk the line,' heel to toe."

Labels: experimentation, pressure, prevention

"Since your main concern seems to be avoidance, I suggest that you make a date where you will not be interrupted. You want this to be important. During your date, you will express your honest concerns for your daughter and admit you are powerless to make her decisions. Continue by saying that you want her to know she can use you as an excuse if she is invited to partake. Many teens like being able to say that their parents will 'kill them if they use.'..."

Labels: friends, pressure, prevention

"[Co-director Susan] Bruce said she hopes those schools will then be able to follow the University's example to develop and implement their own substance abuse programs. 'One of the exciting things about the conference is that many of the attendees will be student-athletes,' Bruce said."

Labels: athletics, college_students, prevention

"Town Hall Meeting: Substance Abuse in Hanover" will be from 6 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 15. A panel of experts from the fields of education, medical, mental health and the legal profession, will discuss the aspects of substance abuse. An open forum will be available for those with questions and concerns."

Labels: community_programs, education, prevention

"Weber Human Services officials said the program has helped reduce depression, separation anxiety, anti-social behaviors – all risk factors for dangerous behaviors."

Labels: prevention, risky_behaviors, treatment

"The state Office... created the tool to help New Yorkers track prescription and over-the-counter medicines in their home. It's intended to be filled out weekly."

Labels: awareness, prescription_drugs, prevention

"[For parents], Talk with your children about substance use from an early age and continue these conversations through college. Have a comprehensive discussion about substance use - its risks, your expectations, and the consequences you will enforce should they violate the rules - during the summer before their departure to college."

Labels: awareness, parents, prevention

"The ACTION Campaign aims to challenge 500 treatment agencies nationwide to implement one of several simple changes in treatment operations over an 18-month period. Currently, nearly 33 percent of those who receive addiction treatment drop out of the programs."

Labels: prevention, supplements, treatment

"The study compared substance use among students participating in the prevention program Project Towards No Drug Abuse (TND), traditionally led by a health educator or teacher, to the modified peer-led TND Network. TND held interactive discussions at the classroom level while TND Network divided the students into smaller groups composed of their friends, increased the number of group activities and a student-chosen leader led the discussion."

Labels: influences, peers, prevention

"Among the opponents of random student drug testing is the American Academy of Pediatrics, which stated it 'believes more research is needed on both the safety and effectiveness before testing programs are implemented. Laboratory testing for drugs is a scientifically complex procedure, which may be prone to both false-positive and false-negative tests...'"

Labels: drug_testing, prevention, schools

"Those who would minimize their own responsibility by assigning it to other or claiming that concern over the problem has been blown out of proportion should face facts: Approximately 20 percent of 13-year-olds admit they've used alcohol at least once, and often they're able to do it because parents not only ignore what their kids are doing but actually supply the drinks."

Labels: community_programs, prevention, underage_drinking

Labels: marijuana, meth, prevention

"The office cited a 2003 U.S. Government Accountability Office analysis of several DARE studies, which concluded the program had 'no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing illicit drug use.' The U.S. Department of Education and surgeon general also have found DARE to be ineffective."

Labels: cost_of_addiction, criminal_justice, prevention

TimeToTalk.org offers parents manageable resources to help them feel empowered to speak with their kids about living healthy lives and to motivate constant communication among family members. The new web resource not only helps parents start the conversation, but encourages them to sustain it over time by providing easy-to-use tools, tips, information and support to help parents feel much more at ease.

Labels: communication, parents, prevention

"Only half of parents, 54 percent, reported thoroughly discussing the use of drugs like heroin, cocaine and crack with their kids. Even more concerning is that a mere 36 percent of parents reported having in-depth conversations about abuse of prescription medications and only 33 percent have thoroughly discussed abuse of OTC [over-the-counter] cough and cold medicines with their teens."

Labels: communication, influences, prevention

"'This funding will allow these valuable programs to better protect the health and safety of our children,' said Loesback. 'The Drug Free Community Program uses a successful community wide approach to prevent youth alcohol, tobacco, illicit drug, and inhalant abuse.'"

Labels: community_programs, federal_grants, prevention

"Kendall County Farm Bureau manager Dan Reedy said that one of the main reasons Kendall County is a shopping ground is access to a key substance. 'Anhydrous ammonia is one of the main ingredients for making meth and the easiest place to get anhydrous ammonia is through swiping anhydrous tanks either on the farms or from the local fertilizer dealers,' he said."

Labels: awareness, meth, prevention

"'Drug courts are a cost-effective and innovative way to combat substance abuse in our society,' continued Dr. Madras. 'Now tested and proven on a relatively small scale, drug courts must serve as a model for how to address the broadest population of substance users in the criminal justice system..."

Labels: criminal_justice, drug_courts, prevention

"The key to drug, alcohol and substance abuse prevention is education, and the first line of defense against it is parenting, [Nina] Nieves said. 'The values that we impart is what they're going to give back to us. If I say "You cannot drink until you're 21, and then drink in moderation," I have to enforce it so they (my children) can learn by example,' Nieves said."

Labels: awareness, education, prevention

"The after-play survey revealed that the drama met its education objectives and also increased intent to participate in substance abuse prevention activities. Of participants who strongly or somewhat disagreed that drug use is a disease prior to the play, nearly half changed their opinion to somewhat agree and strongly agree after viewing it."

Labels: dramatic_arts, education, prevention

"'Having a particular gene expression change does not by itself predict that a person will act a certain way. However, it can indicate who might have a greater biological basis for engaging in behaviors such as smoking and alcohol or marijuana use,' [Dr. Robert] Philibert said."

Labels: biological_causes, genetic_testing, prevention

"One group wanted the schools to alternate hosting family dinner nights. Another wanted community service to be rewarded with free movie tickets or passes to amusement parks. A third group wanted the community to build a recreation center complete with an arcade, a swimming pool, computers and miniature golf."

Labels: prevention, teenagers

"One of the key problems identified was a lack of prevention programs and support in schools after students finish programs like DARE in junior high."

Labels: prevention, teenagers

"Scientists know that people whose brains don't function properly - they have trouble reasoning and remembering - are more prone to addiction... Because brain functioning can be improved through rehabilitation, [Glen] Hanson advocates reforming the educational system from one that encourages 'memory and regurgitation' to one that 'trains people to think'."

Labels: addiction, prevention, research

"Last year, nearly 1,900 minors statewide were found guilty of possessing alcohol, or paid fines after being issued citations..."

Labels: alcohol, prevention, teenagers

• Clearly state what actions you expect your teen to take when confronted with substance use.


• Talk about the alcohol use that your children observe.


• Help your teen find leisure activities and places for leisure activities that are substance-free.


• Limit the access your children have to substances.


• Inform teens about the honest dangers that are associated with alcohol use and abuse.

Labels: binge drinking, prevention, teenagers

"These principles were developed to help prevention practitioners use the results of prevention research to address drug use among children and adolescents in communities across the country. Parents, educators, and community leaders can use these principles to help guide their thinking, planning, selection, and delivery of drug abuse prevention programs at the community level."

Labels: prevention