Shaming-based substance use prevention fails to reduce use and can misrepresent the realities of why people use. Personal contact with people who used substances can change perceptions and reduce stigma. Programs like DARE have shown no positive impact on substance use in the short or long term, even when adapted. Individuals with adverse childhood experiences have higher risk of adult substance use. Teaching youth how to access help and supporting recovery resources is more effective than moralistic dissuasion. Prevention that builds relationships, trauma-informed supports, and practical help-seeking skills addresses root causes and supports recovery.
I perched next to someone I knew. "You know, the only people who act like that are on drugs." I ignorantly spoke, parroting the messaging I'd been getting for a few years now. They stopped. "You know, I used to use drugs." Here was someone I respected sitting next to me, and what they said challenged everything I thought I understood.
The mantra of many youth-focused prevention programs is simple: "Don't do drugs." It seems like fine advice. But does it actually work? The most well-known of these programs would be DARE. You know, the one where the cop comes to your school, gives you cool pencils, and maybe tells some stories? The idea of stopping substance use before it starts makes sense, and DARE has seemed to improve relationships between the community and police officers.
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