When Just Say No Doesnt Work

I am one of millions of people with substance use disorder in America. Unlike many people, however, I got the opportunity to access recovery supports, went through substance abuse treatment, and am now living a life in sustained recovery. It was never about education, for me. It was about getting help when I needed it — instead of being imprisoned, punished, and stigmatized. Sessions is already known for his anti-drug, tough-on-crime position. This approach, a holdover from the Reagan era, puts thousands of people in prison for drug-related offenses. Besides the obvious — that someone with addiction needs treatment, not jail time — we now know that D.

Starting as early as , a study from Indiana University showed that kids who had been through the D. A ten-year study by the American Psychological Association showed a similar result: So, what is going to work? I think we can start by acknowledging that drug use is not a black and white issue. And guaranteed jail time for drug offenses?

Instead of police officers, the messaging about smart choices and drug awareness is created by kids, for kids. High school students make video narratives for younger, middle school-aged kids about making good decisions about drugs. Peer groups discuss the content and talk about ways they would react if they were offered drugs, or put in an awkward situation. The stated goal of some organizations for a "Drug-Free Youth" is bound to fail with all of the extraneous influences including mass media and individuality in action, speech, and thought processes.

In addition, there are few drug-free adults to serve as role models. When young people want to emulate adults, what examples do they have?

How many parents, teachers, television or sports stars, and other role models take a tranquilizer to calm down, drink a cup of coffee to wake up, or consume an alcoholic beverage to enhance a social situation? Problems related to alcohol abuse among young people include alcoholism, driving under the influence, violence, suicide, and homicide. The consequences have been tragic for many young people and their families as well as other individuals involved with the abuser. Without question alcohol abuse, or "irresponsible drinking," has taken its toll.

How do we stop or reverse the behavior that leads to the costly problems that have touched many American lives? Some individuals and groups have mounted a concerted effort to purge publications from libraries and bookstores that "are soft on drugs," have "misleading information," or suggest "responsible use of alcohol. These organizations and individuals also are encouraging the NIAAA to remove and not publish materials that discuss responsible and moderate drinking. Removing messages for moderate or responsible choices related to consumption of alcohol could do a significant dis-service to most parents and young adults in this country.

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Also, removal and prior censorship circumvents our fundamental rights, as Americans, to information in a free society. Unfortunately, irresponsible drinking is being learned by many if not most young people in our society.

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Responsible choices regarding drinking and responsible drinking could mean: What about parents teaching their children about responsible use or choices? Examples could include wines at dinner, proper etiquette for serving, how to mix common drinks, allowing children to taste different drinks, and learning how to say, "no thanks. Young people would have a clearer idea of responsible use and how alcohol can be part of people's lives without problems.

This family pattern often is found in cultural groups who consider alcohol a food and an adjunct to a meal, rather than an end in itself. These cultures tend to have fewer problems with alcohol. Education programs would not encourage underage drinking, but would acknowledge the reality of alcohol experimentation. They would encourage thoughtful decisions and responsible behavior, incorporating information about drinking that an individual could use as an adult.

People use drugs for various reasons, including low self-esteem, being reared in an addictive or dysfunctional family, lack of decision-making and problem-solving skills, inability to cope with stress, lack of positive alternatives to drug use, and lack of information. To build self-esteem, discussion exercises and activities that help children feel good about themselves can be developed. Since children with low self-esteem often come from troubled, dysfunctional, or addictive families, early intervention for preventive treatment within the family system needs to be instituted.

Many children are not taught decision-making skills at home. These skills include identifying the problem, examining solutions to the problem, examining solutions for positive and negative consequences, choosing a solution, taking action, taking responsibility for consequences of the action positive or negative , and evaluating the choice.

Teaching children the process of making choices about a variety of issues can help in many areas of life including alcohol and other drugs. If "no" is the choice for a decision, assertion skills and teaching strategies which show how and why to say "no" can be taught. Assertion training skills include various techniques to resist peer pressure.

Some things just belong in the '80s.

Adults, and sometimes children, become chronic drug users to reduce life stress. Teaching young people to apply stress reduction techniques to high-stress situations can be a positive alternative to using drugs. Various recreational activities that provide excitement and interest such as spelunking, rock climbing, and white water canoeing also can be encouraged. Youth involved in these types of risky activities are thought to be less likely to become involved in alcohol and other drug abuse problems..

Just Say No - Wikipedia

Since a good knowledge base for decision-making is necessary, information about the action and effects of various substances needs to be presented to young people as part of a well-defined curriculum of health education, not as an isolated subject or a one-time presentation. As health educators who advocate well-developed and planned curricula in all areas of health promotion and wellness, including alcohol and other drugs, we raise these cautions related to some unrealistic and emotional rhetoric about drug use and abuse prevention suggested at the Washington conference.



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However, we are concerned they might not be realistic in their educational expectations. We caution these individuals and other educators to carefully and objectively plan and pilot test all substance abuse prevention programs to increase the probability of enhancing the social, mental, and physical well-being of all Americans.



Finally, if any education and prevention programs are to succeed, we must involve young people in all stages of program development, including determination of philosophy and content. If we do not include them, our efforts are likely to be ignored. Some suggestions presented by delegates for alcohol and other drug abuse prevention are listed in this article. It is hoped that prevention concerns from regional conferences will be heard by federal-level administrators.