| NCJ Number: |
183689  |
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| Title: |
Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens, Drugs, and Drug Education |
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| Author(s): |
Marsha Rosenbaum Ph.D. |
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| Date Published: |
1999 |
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| Annotation: |
This document critically examines drug education and drug prevention programs and proposes an alternative called reality-based drug education to equip students with information they trust as the basis for making responsible decisions. |
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| Abstract: |
Drug education has used methods ranging from scare tactics to resistance techniques. However, adolescents continue to experiment with varied drugs. Knowledge about which drug prevention programs are effective is lacking. However, three assumptions that shape conventional programs render them problematic: (1) that drug use is the same as drug abuse, (2) that marijuana represents the gateway to other drugs, and (3) that exaggeration of the risks will deter experimentation. The main reasons that many students fail to take programs seriously and continue to experiment with drugs is that they have learned for themselves the vast differences between experimentation, abuse, and addiction and that the use of one drug does not inevitably lead to the use others. Youth abstinence is a desirable but unrealistic goal. A fallback strategy of safety first is needed to prevent drug abuse and drug problems among teenagers. Educational efforts should acknowledge adolescents' ability to make reasoned decisions. Programs should differentiate between use and abuse and should emphasize the importance of moderation and context. Curricula should be age-specific, emphasize student participation, and provide science-based educational materials. Parents and teachers are responsible for engaging students and providing them with credible information so that they can make responsible decisions, avoid drug abuse, and stay safe. |
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| Main Term(s): |
Juvenile delinquency prevention |
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| Index Term(s): |
Adolescent attitudes; Drug abuse causes; Drug abuse education; Drug prevention programs; Juvenile drug abusers; Juvenile drug use; Services effectiveness |
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| Sponsoring Agency: |
Lindesmith Ctr
New York, NY 10019 |
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| Sale Source: |
Lindesmith Ctr
925 9th Ave.
New York, NY 10019
United States of America |
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| Page Count: |
26 |
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| Format: |
Document |
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| Type: |
Report (Technical Assistance) |
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| Language: |
English |
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| Country: |
United States of America |
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To cite this abstract, use the following link:
http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/abstract.aspx?ID=183689 |
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