Scared to Death — Jessie Dunleavy

"Just Say No" didn't exactly work. Nor have the scare tactics, born of the same era, proved to be effective in reducing drug use among teens and emerging adults.

All of us want young people to avoid drugs. However, programs that dictate what to think and exaggerate in order to frighten kids into abstaining, are missing a fundamental component of education: buy-in is crucial to making an impact.

Teenagers are too smart to jump on board with mandates; moreover, they are prone to dismiss single-minded messages that don't account for the contradictory information surrounding them. They are eager to engage with evidence-based content that honors their intelligence and helps them make sense of the world, but the moment they sniff hypocrisy—which they are well-wired to do—you lose them. The tragedy, then, isn't just the failure to instill important understanding, but it's the erosion of the trust needed to shore up what we most want for our teens: a place to turn if questions or personal dilemmas arise.

I listened to an episode of "You're Wrong About"—a podcast presenting information generally miscast in our public perception—that debunked any claims of positive outcomes associated with the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, proliferating in U.S. schools as of the mid-1980s. While I was never philosophically aligned with the strategies employed by this now diminished program, I didn't know about the significant government expenditure (well over $1 billion annually) that continued for years beyond the meta-analysis by reputable national think-tanks declaring it totally ineffective. Nor was I aware of the program's ploys to fight back without substantive data and in spite of the waterfall of mounting evidence. Not unlike other failed attempts to let facts drive policy in regard to the harms of drug use, the formidable force that trumped both science and well-being was money.

With increasing awareness of the flaws inherent in the concept of a lecture delivered by law enforcement, and as criminalizing drug use gradually begins to fall out of favor, newer prevention programs promote student interaction with their teachers as well as their parents. But this step in the right direction can be compromised if a fixation on abstinence derails honest science-based facts regarding the risks of substance use. It's worrisome to consider that fear, whether inflicted on students or, in some cases, their teachers, can hijack the open communication that is crucial to arm kids with the very tools that develop sound judgment.

I know that real learning occurs when students have the opportunity to gather available information, assess various perspectives, evaluate sources, and draw on critical thinking skills to synthesize what's meaningful, to discern fact from myth. Such habits of mind are more important than ever in the age of the internet and will serve our young people in good stead as they make decisions on their own. We simply cannot equip them for the future by telling them how to think and by over-simplifying that which calls for a thorough understanding as they navigate life and manage their own health.

There are exemplary programs that seem to be gaining traction. I am most familiar with "Safety First"—a research-based drug education program designed in conjunction with The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) for 9th- and 10th-grade students. The 15-lesson downloadable curriculum has been distributed throughout all 50 states and in 30-some countries around the world. Believing that honest and compassionate drug education programs are effective for all young people, the DPA has worked with teachers and community health advocates to create a distance learning version that provides remote access.

Made of Millions—a global foundation known for its powerful work in democratizing mental health resources—has partnered with the DPA to launch a drug education web series titled "First of All." The seven episodes, hosted by Safety First Program Manager Sasha Simon, present an approach to drug education that prioritizes science, dignity, and respect to enable online viewers to learn about drugs in a way that could save their lives.

With the goal of ending the era of under-education and over-criminalization, such innovative and thoughtful programs offer hope for needed change.

[photo credit: Headway]