The late 1950's and early 1960's saw minimal attention paid to drug education. Junior and senior high school classes were exposed to didactic instruction on sources and types of drugs and evils of drug abuse. Lack of knowledge by instructors, coupled with an overzealousness to discourage drug experimentation, led to frequent instances of misinformation. As recognition of drug abuse as a nationwide problem began to emerge in the late 1960's, the educational establishment responded with a plethora of bulletins, pamphlets, and teacher guides. The end of the decade saw the first truly innovative techniques in a Baltimore City Public Schools bulletin that detailed a drug abuse education program. In this program, unit plans were developed for grades 5, 7, and 9 that outlined curriculum content and learning activities. Other similar programs were subsequently developed in other school districts. The early 1970's were referred to as the "ex-addict epoch." Recognizing that traditionally trained teachers did not have the ability to "get down" with drug-abusing students, school districts sought out street ex-addicts who knew the drug scene. Since the 1980's, drug education programs have recognized the pervasiveness of the drug abuse problem. Programs are now based on early intervention, intensive counseling, referral to clinical settings, and prevention. Future developments that may affect the ability of schools to offset negative social influences and prevent drug use by young people are discussed that concern peer groups, parent-teacher associations, medical societies, business associations, charitable groups, and local government agencies. The influence of music on young people and the need for more than just drug law enforcement, prosecution, incarceration, and rehabilitation are discussed. 16 references