NCJ Number
170438
Date Published
1996
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This monograph advocates harm reduction education rather than scare tactics as a way to inform youth about the dangers of drugs.
Abstract
The harm reduction drug education program has four basic assumptions: (1) Drugs must be categorized broadly to include all intoxicating substances, including those which are legal; (2) Total abstinence is not realistic; (3) It is possible to use drugs in a controlled responsible way, and the use of mind-altering substances does not necessarily constitute abuse; and (4) Perhaps nothing is more crucial regarding safe drug use than context, which comprises the pharmacology and dosage of the drug, the psychological state of the user at the time of use, and the setting. In order to reduce drug-related harms, drug education should: include facts about the physiological effects of drugs as well as their risks and benefits; separate the real from the imagined dangers of drugs; incorporate children's experience, expertise and intelligence in a drug education curriculum; and include positive role models. The paper describes several model programs. Figures, notes