VIMHS
Vancouver Island Mental Health Society
Researcher says evidenced backed drug use prevention programs ready for schools
Researcher says evidenced backed drug use prevention programs ready for schools
Researcher says evidenced backed drug use prevention programs ready for schools
Monday 26th August 2024
Charlotte Waddell discusses evidence-backed school programmes that effectively reduce substance use among youth. Discover how these initiatives work.
20 minutes
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Get the buttons here!Effective Drug Use Prevention Programmes for Schools
Episode Overview
- Past drug prevention programmes like 'Just Say No' lacked rigorous evaluation and were ineffective.
- Evidence-backed programmes show significant reductions in substance misuse.
- 'Strengthening Families' engages both children and parents to build resilience.
- 'Preventure' is a promising Canadian programme already reducing alcohol misuse in BC schools.
- Addressing socio-economic factors and adverse childhood experiences is crucial for effective prevention.
Evaluate before you do a big rollout because you need to make sure what you're going to invest in actually benefits children and youth
Charlotte Waddell, the director of the Children's Health Policy Centre at Simon Fraser University, takes us on an eye-opening journey through the effectiveness of drug use prevention programmes in schools. Remember those 'Just Say No' campaigns from back in the day? Waddell points out that these programmes were rolled out without rigorous evaluation. The result? They didn't quite hit the mark in preventing substance use among youth.
In contrast, Waddell and her team have been studying evidence-backed programmes that show real promise. These programmes, tested through randomised controlled trials, have demonstrated significant long-term benefits, including a whopping 65% reduction in opioid misuse. Waddell highlights the 'Strengthening Families' programme, which engages both children and their parents, building social skills and resilience to combat peer pressure and substance use.
She also mentions 'Preventure', a Canadian initiative that's already making waves in some BC schools by reducing alcohol misuse and potentially tackling opioid use next. The conversation doesn't shy away from the broader context either. Waddell discusses how adverse childhood experiences and socio-economic factors play a role in substance use and how prevention programmes can address these issues holistically. If you're curious about how we can create healthier futures for our children, this episode is a must-listen.
It’s packed with practical insights and actionable advice that could reshape the way we approach drug use prevention in schools.