Health Promoting Schools framework has also been identified as effective in addressing alcohol, drug and other health related issues in the United States. Through providing complementary health practices and policies, the classroom health and learning experiences have been reinforced in schools within this network. The key elements include incorporating social, mental, physical and environmental aspects of health.
It also involves the development of a detailed school health curriculum, close parental cooperation, increased participation by the students and staff in policy development and decision making and support for health promoting programs by all the parties involved. For the strategies to have the widest possible impacts, the health or drug education teachers must be well prepared to handle the range of roles and tasks which are vital for school drug education and other strategies which are related with it (Bennett and Holloway, 2005:56). An advanced and comprehensive tertiary training should also be taken into account.
The capacity for schools to address adequately issues which are related to drugs depends on the kind of training which the teachers have been given. This training should focus on the important aspects of drug use and strategy development. The teachers should easily be in a position to access post graduate in-service training across various skills and knowledge vital for program and policy development around drugs and health related issues. Components of effective drug education and prevention Several attempts to identify the most effective components of drug prevention approaches have been sought by many countries.
This involves analyzing the numerous studies which possess robust methodologies. However, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence conducted an analysis in which they concluded that of the available twenty nine research studies regarding the effectiveness of programs, none exhibited quality standards. However, some papers were seen as partly of good standard. This is compounded on the fact that in the United Kingdom, very little research has been conducted and their models are mainly reliant on conclusion made from studies in the United States (Newcombe, 1986:78).
As such, no conclusive statements can therefore be made with regard to the effectiveness of education and drug programs. However, they do provide the direction through which drug related issues can be approached. In order to mold a healthy environment as well as a healthy community which is free from drugs, the most important tool is always prevention strategies. Drug abuse prevention’s role in the community is to enlighten the young people through parents, community leaders and other concerned institutions on the dangers of using drugs. As such, it minimizes drug abuse among the young people.
A weak or a non-existent drug abuse policy within a community increases the number of addiction. Prevention programs can thus be designed to intervene as early as preschool so as to address the risk factors involved in drug abuse which includes poor social skills, academic difficulties and aggressive behaviour. The most effective approach in curbing drug abuse is therefore the family based prevention programs which enable parents and children to handle drug abuse prevention issues as a family. This approach is largely encouraged in the United Kingdom (Simpson et al, 2007:89).
Parents should also be acquainted with the information which may help them facilitate drug use prevention among the young members of the family. An effective drug abuse prevention program should encompass all kinds of drug abuse. It should address all conceivable methods of drug abuse which includes the use of substances, either combined with other substances or alone, including the use of legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco by young people below the age limit, inappropriate use of prescription medication and the use of illegal drugs.
Above this, prevention programs should address the main type of drug abuse problem in the local community. For instance, in a locale, the main drug being abused could be cannabis or even tobacco. As such these prevention programs should identify the target modifiable risk factors while strengthening the identified factors which are protective. As such, the success of drug abuse prevention program should be measured by the number of individuals who are drug free owing to the knowledge gained from the harmful effects of both legal and illegal drugs.
Bibliography
Becker, J. & Roe, S. (2005). Drug use among vulnerable groups of young people: Findings from the 2003 Crime and Justice Survey, home Office. Bennett, T. and Holloway, K. (2005). Understanding drugs, alcohol and crime. Bersksire: Open University Press Blackman, S. (2004). Chilling Out: The cultural politics of substance consumption, youth and drug policy. Berkshire: Open University Press Budd. (2005) Drug Abuse and the Youths. Wilder Foundation