As the nation's drug crisis has deepened, public and private agencies have invested huge sums of money in prevention efforts. Are the resulting programs effective? What do we need to know to make them more effective? This book provides a comprehensive overview on what we know about drug abuse prevention and its effectiveness, including: Results of a wide range of antidrug efforts. The role and effectiveness of mass media in preventing drug use. A profile of the drug problem, including a look at drug use by different population groups. A review of three major schools of prevention theory-risk factor reduction, developmental change, and social influence. An examination of promising prevention techniques from other areas of health and human services. This volume offers provocative findings on the connection between low self-esteem and drug use, the role of schools, the reality of changing drug use in the population, and more. Preventing Drug Abuse will be indispensable to anyone involved in the search for solutions, including policymakers, anti-drug program developers and administrators, and researchers.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration funded the multisite Young Adults in the Workplace (YIW) initiative to study the effectiveness of diverse approaches to workplace-based prevention of substance abuse. Six teams adapted evidence-based programs to target young employees and then implemented the programs in retail, restaurant, health care, construction, skilled trade, and transportation industry workplaces. This book describes the programs, the adaptation and implementation processes, and the YIW cross-site evaluation.

The abuse of alcohol presents a major health problem throughout the world. Until recently both clinical and research efforts have been geared toward treatment and rehabilitation of alcoholism. With the growing num ber of problem drinkers entering treatment, the need for a better under standing of the prevention of alcohol abuse has become increasingly evi dent. Although still in its infancy, the field of alcoholism prevention is growing at a rapid rate. Increasing numbers of behavioral scientists through out the world are conducting or planning prevention projects. Policy plan ners, school administrators, military agencies, community groups, state and local alcoholism agencies, and industries are initiating alcohol abuse preven tion programs with fervor. Legislators at all levels of government are also developing a keen interest in legislation aimed at reducing the extent of problem drinking. This book represents one of the first systematic attempts to compile a comprehensive text on the prevention of alcohol abuse. Many of the con tributors to Prevention 0/ Alcohol Abuse have international reputations that strengthen their understanding of the complex nature of prevention. By providing a critical review of the current knowledge about prevention, the text will serve to stimulate and lay the groundwork for further prevention efforts. We thank all of the chapter authors for their excellent contributions. It is through their efforts that the field will thrive. Our appreciation also is expressed to Leonard Pace, formerly of Plenum Press, for his encourage ment and helpful comments in the development of the text.

Identifies and describes specific government assistance opportunities such as loans, grants, counseling, and procurement contracts available under many agencies and programs.