Good intentions and tradition are no longer reasons to engage in prevention strategies research has shown to be ineffective, or that promote harm instead of health. Learn what not to do so you can be more effective as a school district, coalition and community.

1. DON’T DO IT!
WHEN DRUG PREVENTION
TURNS INTO DRUG PROMOTION

2. This training will challenge you…
This mini-training is going to cover research that will force us to reconsider some
of our ideas about the types of prevention strategies that actually work.

3. If it helps just one…
People are drawn to prevent substance abuse for a variety of reasons. For many
of us, the reasons are deeply personal. Others are called to respond without
fully understanding why.
Whatever your reason, its very, very important to understand that not all
“prevention” is created equal. Without tempering our heart knowledge - our
strong desire to help - with our head knowledge – an understanding of what
works and what doesn’t - we risk squandering resources or even hurting those
we intend to help. The rationale of, “If it helps just one…” fails if our
actions harm 30 others in the process.

4. Health terrorism, scare tactics or scary images
You may think these worked on you when you were younger, but really you may
have been born with a natural “resilience” to avoiding drugs. Kids who are truly
at-risk won’t connect their current behavior to those “future” images. In fact,
they may actually rebel against your message and start using drugs in order to
prove you wrong.

6. Testimony from former drug addicts
Even if their story is powerful, testimony “normalizes” drug use by sending the
message that “everybody uses.” More than that, youth see the attention this
person is getting, plus the fact that this person was able to stop using, and it
causes the message to backfire.

7. Reinforcing incorrect or exaggerated social norms
Many well-intended communities and agencies try to create a community-wide
response to youth substance abuse by sensationalizing information about high
rates of use. These messages normalize the perception that everybody uses and
undermines teen responses to pressure to use.

8. Drug Fact Sheets
Fact sheets are ineffective at best and there is significant data to suggest that
this information increases experimentation. In the hands of middle-schoolers,
fact sheets may show how to defy adults and enhance peer reputation for
engaging in risky behaviors.

9. Myth Busting

11. Focusing on drug benefits and dangers
Showing the benefits of drug use, even when paired with consequences,
promotes drug use among youth. The idea that there is an easy way to forget
pain, lose weight, cope with anxiety and fit-in may entice teens to experiment.
Portraying youth as users
Its never okay to portray youth as drug users. Many well intended but
counterproductive programs portray youth as users through role play. Its good
to role play the use of new skills, but not to break down inhibitions to drug use
by casting students as a drug dealer or user.

13. One-time assemblies or motivational speakers
Assemblies and motivational speakers are great for adults, but are wholly
ineffective for youth. At best, youth will relate to the emotion of an assembly for
a short time, but it will not change their behavior or intentions.

14. When prevention turns to promotion.
Moralistic appeals (Um’kay?)
Although we’d like to believe our teens share all of our family values, they are
developing their own set of core values as they mature. Appealing to morality as
your child is finding their own path to adulthood may have the opposite effect
of what you desire.

15. Grouping at-risk youth together
It might seem like a great idea to have a class just for the most at-risk youth you
have influence over, but research shows grouping at-risk youth together
reinforces at-risk behaviors.

16. Just Do It!
When prevention works.
Prevention works when we…
• Use established evidence-based programs and strategies
• Consider principles of effective prevention
• Focus on healthy alternatives
• Enhance connections or bonding with prosocial adults, peers and
institutions
• Use interactive approaches that include skill practice
• Focus on normative education, which portrays true use rates and
corrects misperceptions
Our time and energy is best used to teach positive, healthy
behavior, rather than fruitlessly trying to stop dangerous
behavior through manipulation or strategies that contradict
research.

17. Counterproductive Prevention Strategies
Bibliography
Anderson, P., Aromaa, S., & Rosenbloom, D. (2007). .Prevention education in
America’s Schools: Findings and recommendations from a survey of educators.
Boston: Join Together. From -
http://www.jointogether.org/keyissues/education/download.html
Ashton, Mike. (1999). The danger of warnings. Drugandalcoholfindings, l,22-24.
From -www.drugandalcoholfindings.org.uk
Asper, K. (2006). Scared straight? Why to avoid scare tactics. Prevention Forum,
Summer 2006, 18-19. From -
http://www.prevention.org/ForumMagazine/Archive.asp
Boomerang ads. (2005). Drug and Alcohol Findings, 14, 22-24. From -
www.findings.org.uk/docs/boomerang.pdf
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. (n.d.). How to make prevention more
powerful. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
From - www.captus.org/Westem/resources/prevmat/youth.pdf

18. Counterproductive Prevention Strategies
Bibliography
Drug Strategies. (1999). Making the grade: A guide to school drug prevention
programs. Washington, DC: Drug Strategies.
De Haes, W., & Schuurman, J. (1975). Results of an evaluation study of three drug
education methods. International Journal of Health Education2, 8(4), Supplement,
1-16.
De Haes, W. (1987). Looking for effective drug education programmes: Fifteen years'
exploration of the effects of different drug education programmes. Health
Education Research, 2(4), 433-438.
Dishion, T. J., McCord, J., & Poulin, F. (1999). When interventions harm: Peer groups
and problem behavior. American Psychologist, 54(9), 755-764.
National Institutes of Health. (2004, October). NIH State-of-the-Science Conference
statement on preventing violence and related health-risking sacial behaviors in
adolescents. [NIH Consensus and State-of-the-Science Statements, V2, No. 21.
Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health. From http://consensus.nih.gov

19. Counterproductive Prevention Strategies
Bibliography
Petrosino, Turpin-Petrosino and Finckenauer (2000). Well-Meaning Programs
Can Have Harmful Effects! Lessons from Experiments of Programs Such as Scared
Straight.
Shaw, Carolyn M. (2010). Designing and Using Simulations and Role-Play
Exercises. International Studies Encyclopedia, indexed online at:
http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/depttoolsmemberfiles/carolynshaw/Shaw%2
0in%20Compendium.pdf
Tobler, N. S. (1986). Meta-analysis of 143 adolescent drug prevention programs:
Quantitative outcome results of program participants compared to a control or
comparison group. Journal of Drug Issues, 16(4), 535-567.
Williams, J. S. (2003). Grouping high risk youths for prevention may harm more
than help. NIDA Notes, 17(5).