Recently the Office of National Drug Control Policy released good news from the most recent survey of adolescent alcohol and other drug use. Although we are seeing declines, underage drinking continues to be a problem in every community resulting in loss of life, vandalism, unsafe sex, academic problems, and more. Underage drinking is a complex social issue and the solutions are just as complex. A growing body of research is pointing towards an effective drug prevention program needs to include a broad-based approach involving all the stakeholders in the community. Tonight I'm please to welcome to this broadcast Parent Activists Carter Bryan and Sharon Mohr who will discuss one aspect of community and school-based prevention - Parental involvement.

A recent survey conducted by Join Together - a program of the Boston University School of Public Health shows that few teachers believe that alcohol and other drug prevention programs work.  Only 2 percent of more than 3,700 respondents felt that their school-based prevention programs were effective.  The report says that teachers are skeptical of the prevention programs they deliver.  It goes on to say that teachers cite the need more relevant study materials, more time to do prevention, more support, and more training.  

Although more training and enhanced study materials would certainly do no harm, how does this change the current destructive belief permeating our schools and our culture that drug prevention doesn't work?  It is not a matter of more time, more study materials, or more training, but a need for a fundamental change in how we define prevention, set prevention goals, and understand how children adopt and reinforce healthy and unhealthy behaviors.

 

 

Underage drinking is a serious issue.  Parents need to take care to reduce all the potential risks in the home.  This podcast provides parents with concrete ideas about how to reduce the risks in their home related to alcohol and other drugs.  The audio recording "Teen Proofing Your Home" is part of a two-disc CD called, "Mom, Did You Ever Try Drugs: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions About Parenting, Alcohol and Other Drugs" that can be purchased from our website http://www.jeffwolfsberg.com/new_pages/products.html  or at one of our seminars.