Some drug education programs have had limited effectiveness, most have had major shortcomings, and there is little to choose among them. However, certain aspects of the evaluated educational approaches do have some potential. The authors discuss a possible way of combining those aspects in a school-based educational program. The authors conclude that available methods of drug education aimed at preventing drug abuse are at least ineffective, if not counterproductive. Educational programs are less likely to be effective when they: (1) give incomplete, inaccurate, or incomprehensible information; (2) do not address the possible etiological factors that may have a role in initiating drug experimentation; (3) lack a clear and realistic objective; (4) concentrate on substance abuse and ignore the background against which it occurs; and (5) use an isolated strategy. The programs are least effective if they: (1) use scare tactics; (2) are delivered in such a way that they seem to be imposed on the recipients; (3) are delivered by participants without adequate skill in dealing with adolescents; (4) are not an ongoing part of the school curriculum; and (5) cannot be properly evaluated. Table, references, illustrations