NCJ Number
204653
Date Published
2002
Length
56 pages
Annotation
This document discusses the use of sports in preventing youth drug problems.
Abstract
A workshop took place from November 12-14, 2001, to explore the use of sports in preventing youth drug problems. Representatives from eight youth and sport groups from Bolivia, Norway, Kenya, Bermuda, Spain, and Italy came together to discuss this issue. The aim of the workshop was to examine how sport can best be used to support by-youth/for-youth approaches to substance abuse prevention, and to identify and describe “good practices” for other groups to use. The expert knowledge of the participating groups was brought together with research on the topic. A series of youth prevention good practices were identified before the workshop began. The scientific evidence supporting these good practices was also presented. The value and limitations of sport as a vehicle for prevention were also discussed. Many people believe that various attitudes and social skills (such as improved self-esteem and goal-setting) can be developed through sport. Some of the benefits of sports, such as reduced stress, increased academic performance, and improved family relations, have been shown to be protective factors for substance abuse. Sport can be used to prevent substance use problems among youth. If a program is aimed at reducing substance abuse among young people, the nature and extent of drug use among those targeted must be determined. This means collecting information about the kinds of substances used, the typical age of first use, the typical level of use (experimental, occasional, regular, or dependent), the harms caused, the factors contributing to use (risk factors), and factors that have a protective effect. In discussing mood-altering substance use in a sports context, it is more useful to focus on the immediate effects on athletic performance than on longer-term consequences. Performance-enhancing drugs can enhance immediate performance, but their use is cheating and cheating breaks down sport. 32 references