School-Based Drug Prevention. What Kind of Drug Use Does It Prevent

摘要

Drug use prevention programs are now commonplace in the nation's schools. Their aim is to prevent, or at least delay or diminish, children's use of a variety of substances, including illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine and licit substances such as alcohol and tobacco. It is now well established that school-based drug prevention can work to reduce drug consumption, at least in the short run. We emphasize can because large sums of money are still poured into programs whose effectiveness is dubious. However, there are proven models available for implementation. Most successful drug prevention programs are not targeted to specific substances. Which drugs, then, do they affect. Besides differing in the legality of their use, drugs differ in the cost burden they place on society. Where are the benefits of a drug prevention program realized. Through a reduction in crime related to the cocaine market. Through fewer traffic accidents and higher productivity associated with lower alcohol use. Or through less money spent caring for the health of smokers. To put the question more provocatively, are school-based drug prevention programs better viewed as a weapon in the 'war' against illegal drugs or as a public health program for decreasing the adverse effects of licit substances.