The Importance of Effective Drug Education

Drugs are increasingly being misused in a lot of places, particularly by young people. Substance abuse exacts a significant toll from our society, and leads to a massive physical and emotional trauma to many. Drug education deals with imparting information and skills to these affected areas in an effective manner. Children and youth are the main target of such an undertaking, and the goal here is to discuss and solve drug-related issues in ways which the target audience can relate with. Imparting knowledge and developing healthy attitudes along with life-changing skills makes sure that the present and the future of the children and young people is secured. Drug education also allows the children and the youth to reflect on their own lives and society in relation to drugs and drug usage.

A lot of factors lead to drug abuse; the most prominent of them all is peer pressure and environmental influences. Children who are in contact with other drug users are found to be more likely to initiate drug usage. Cannabis, cocaine and heroin are some of the most popular addictive drugs that are abused. There are various drug education programs that are carried out to teach children about drugs and the harms they cause.

One of the best methods to impart drug education is through schools. Educators have an important role to play in preventing drug abuse. Children and young people are faced with a lot of negative influences during their growing years and this can have a bad effect on their future lives. Engaging them with the issues they face early on will counterbalance the negative impact of licit and illicit drug abuse.

Parents need to involve their children in discussions about drugs and not shy away from answering embarrassing questions. The role here is the same as the one involved in imparting sex education. The neighbors and the society as a whole also have a larger role to play in curbing substance abuse.

Another explicit way of drug education is through the use of culture such as arts, sports or music. Young people are put in contact with role-models who can steer their attitudes and lifestyle towards positive behavior through building a trusting relationship. This approach is effective even for school drop-outs and helps in molding their life to a better environment. A decrease in drug usage may result in reducing risky sexual behavior too. Reduced criminal activities and anti-social behavior are a few other advantages of this direct approach.

Advertising and awareness campaigns are the other forms through which drug education can be imparted. UK government's FRANK campaign and the US school-based DARE program are a few examples of these methods. However, the effectiveness of these methods is still unclear as there is no direct emotional relationship between the educator and the student. Oftentimes, it can have a negative impact on the student or the drug abuser.

It is important to study the effectiveness of all the different methods through hard evidence to compile a proper drug education plan. Only informing on the basics of drug addiction, or using scare tactics, is found to be very ineffective and may also be counterproductive. Looking at it from a knowledge perspective is better than as propaganda. Constituting an effective drug education program can be an intricate task. Not only should the program focus on combating drug abuse, it should also impart knowledge, self-esteem and decision-making skills.

An effective drug education includes credible and up-to-date information about drugs. It needs to go beyond just information provision and impart life skills which are personally and socially beneficial. Stereotypical attitudes against drugs and drug users need to be tackled in a very delicate manner. Otherwise, it might alienate the intended audience. The main goal of the program should to encourage the youth to make informed decisions about their own life choices.

The future benefits of drug education programs are many. School children who are imparted drug education show decreased appeal towards drugs and significantly delay their initiation. Teens that grow up without using drugs, don't use them after reaching adulthood either. The public cost savings due to drug education are numerous; better health and social-reform justify drug education as an economically sound investment. Therefore, an effective drug education program is a vital step in decreasing drug abuse and addiction.