The objective of the research was to obtain specific information about such strategies so that effective strategies could be incorporated into culturally-based drug prevention programs. The tribal affiliation of the youth involved in this study was Pima, which is more urbanized than many of the other tribes in the Southwest. Most of these students were bused to the school from a nearby Indian reservation. The study used a focus group methodology guided by a semi-structured interview schedule composed of questions related to delinquency and substance use. The respondents identified three primary drug and alcohol resistance strategies that they used on the reservation, in the surrounding community, and in the school setting. These strategies were to redirect the discussion away from the topic of drugs or alcohol, to avoid or leave the situation, and to say "no" to offers. Respondents provided detailed examples of their use of each of these strategies. Despite high-risk family and community environments, most of the youth in this study apparently refrained from drug use. The majority of the strategies they used reflect nonconfrontational communication patterns consistent with Native American social norms. The study advises that culturally-based substance abuse prevention programs based on strategies identified and used by American Indian adolescents is a promising approach for the prevention of drug abuse by these youth. 43 references