Washington Roundup September 19, 2003
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National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Publishes Guide on Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents

This week, The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) released its newly updated publication, "Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, Educators, and Community Leaders, Second Edition." Launched at a meeting of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America by NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow, the 46-page booklet aims to help prevent young people from using drugs.

This second edition reflects NIDA's expanded research program and knowledge base. Presented in a question-and-answer format, the new Guide is organized around 16 fundamental prevention principles derived from research on effective prevention programs. Some of the key prevention principles include:

• Targeting all forms of drug abuse is important, including the use of tobacco and alcohol, illegal drugs such as marijuana, and the inappropriate use of legally obtained substances such as inhalants, prescription medicines, or over-the-counter drugs.
• Targeting drug abuse problems identified by the community helps to create more effective programs.
• Tailoring programs for adolescents to address risks specific to population can create better prevention programs.
• Combining two or more community prevention programs can be more effective than a single program alone.
• Providing long-term prevention programs with repeated interventions (booster programs) to reinforce the original prevention goals works well as a prevention strategy.
• Providing research-based prevention programs is cost-effective. For every dollar spent on drug abuse prevention, communities can save up to $10 in costs for drug abuse treatment and counseling.