Substance abuse prevention strategies among young people Module 5-1

Drugs – any substance which, when taken into the living organism, may modify its perception, mood, cognition behavior or motor functions (WHO). Sometimes drugs are defined as illegal substances, but actually alcohol and tobacco are also kinds of drugs and these are the most common legal drugs of abuse. Drugs

Alcohol (1) Children often do not realize the dangers of drinking alcohol because: Alcohol is widely available. Adults are allowed and encouraged to drink alcohol. Children consistently see commercials where healthy, good-looking people have a good time drinking with friends.

Among this, young people are often not aware of the negative effects of alcohol: If people drink a lot, their bodies become used to alcohol and, after a while they need more and more, to get the same 'high' feeling. Drinking alcohol can cause harmful diseases and health problems, such as cirrhosis of the liver, heart damage and permanent brain damage. Alcohol (2)

Tobacco (1) Children often do not realize the dangers of smoking because: They tend to ignore the health problems linked with smoking as they think they will live forever. Many young people do not think cigarettes are drugs. However, cigarettes contain nicotine, a drug that can lead to addiction. Nicotine increases the heartbeat, tightens blood vessels, and causes other physical changes.

Young people are often not aware of the negative effects of smoking: Although many people think smoking calms them down, nicotine actually makes people nervous and jumpy. Only about half the people who try to stop smoking succeed. Addiction to tobacco is strong. Smoking is dangerous, not just to the smoker, but to people who breathe the smoke-filled air. Tobacco (2)

Drug abuse problem involves : 1.The user. 2.The drug. 3.The environment and. All three factors need to be considered to solve the problem effectively

Prevention strategies Drugs supply reduction strategy –Is targeted at: –Drugs directly –Environment Drug demand reduction strategy –Is targeted at: –The people using or intending to use –Their environment

Drugs supply reduction methods methods are focused on decreasing drugs accessibility. can be focused on drugs directly, as well as on environment

Drug demand reduction methods methods are focused on changing of norms of mind, which lead to using drugs can be focused on the people using or intending to use a substance and on their environment, rather than on substance itself.