After finishing this chapter, students should be able to understand:
We can distinguish between education programs with the goal of imparting knowledge and prevention programs aimed at modifying drug-using behavior.
Most of the research over the past thirty years has failed to demonstrate that prevention programs can produce clear, meaningful, long-lasting effects on drug-using behavior.
The affective education programs of the 1970s have been criticized for being too value-free.
Based on the success of the social influence model in reducing cigarette smoking, a variety of school-based prevention programs have used the same techniques with illicit drugs.
The DARE program has been adopted rapidly and widely, despite limited research evaluating its impact on drug-using behavior.
Current school-based approaches use refusal skills, countering advertising, public commitments, and teen leaders. Several of these programs have been demonstrated to be effective.
Other nonschool programs are peer-based through after-school groups or activities, parent-based through parent and family training, or community-based.
