Chapter I

Statement of the Problem,

Significance of the study and Causes

Statement of the Problem:

This research/study will answer the following questions that help us in

understanding all factors inside on the study.
1. What is drug addiction?
2. Why people used drugs?
3. Why do people become addicted?
4. What will happen to the people who use drugs?
5. What are the disadvantages of drug addiction?
6. How do you prevent drug addiction?
7. How do you prevent drug abuse?

Significance of the study

This study is important for everyone because it will help us to understand

and know all about drug addiction, why is it that some people uses drugs, why
some people become addicted, what will happen to them, the causes and how to
prevent this problem of our society and community.

This study will help and teach us also how to avoid form drugs and how to
have a good life and health if we will avoid and prevent drugs from using it.
 Background of Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction

Is a pathological or abnormal condition which arises due to frequent drug

used? The disorder of addiction involves the progression of acute drug use to the
development of drug-seeking behavior, the vulnerability to relapse, and the
decreased, slowed ability to respond to naturally rewarding stimuli. The Diagnostic
And Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) has
categorized three stages of addiction: preoccupation/anticipation,
binge/intoxication, and withdrawal/negative affect. These stages are characterized,
respectively, everywhere by constant craving and preoccupation with obtaining
with the substance; using more of the substance than necessary to experience the
intoxicating effects; and experiencing tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and
decreased motivation for normal life activities. By the American society of
Addiction Medicine definition, drug addiction differs from drug dependence and
drug tolerance.

Drug Addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the

repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). It is characterized by
compulsive, at times uncontrollable, drug craving, seeking, and use that persist
even in the face of extremely negative consequences.
 Causes of Drug Addiction

Drugs known to cause addiction include illegal drugs as well as prescription

or over-the-counter drugs, according to the definition of the American Society of
Addiction Medicine.

Addictive drugs also include a large number of substrates that are currently
considered to have no medical value and are not available over the counter of by
prescription. What makes one person abuse drugs to the point of losing their home,
their family and their job, while another does not? There is no one simple reason.
Drug abuse and addiction is due to many factors. A powerful force in addiction is
the inability to self-soothe or get relief from untreated mental or physical pain.
Without the self-resilience and support to handle stress, loneliness or depression,
drugs can be a tempting way to deal with the situation. Unfortunately, due to the
changes drugs make to the brain, it cans only take a few times or even one time to
be on the road to addiction. Some other risk factors include:
 Family history of addiction. While the interplay between genetics
and environment is not entirely clear, if you have family history of
addiction, you are at higher risk for abusing drugs.
 History of mental illness. Drug abuse can worsen mental illness or
even create new symptoms.
 Untreated physical pain. Without medical supervision, pain
medications or illegal drugs like heroin can rapidly become addictive.
 Peer pressure. If people around you are doing drugs, it can be
difficult to resist the pressure to try them, especially if you are a
teenager.
 Chapter II
Classification of Drugs, their effects,
And the Disadvantages

Specific Drugs and their Effects

Drug Name: Alcohol

Drug type: Depressant
Factor for parents: 25% of 8th graders have admitted to doing intoxicated at least
once.
Other Names: Beer, wine, liquor, malt liquor, booze
How Consumed: Orally
Effects: Addiction, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, hangovers slurred speech,
disturbed sleep, impaired motor skills, violent behavior, fetal alcohol syndrome,
respiratory depression and death (high doses).

Drug Name: Amphetamines

Drug type: Stimulants
Factor for parents: Chronic use can induce psychosis with symptoms similar to
schizophrenia.
Other Names: Speed, uppers, ups, hearts, black beauties, pep pills, capilots,
bumble bees, Benzedrine, Dexedrine, football, biphetamine
How Consumed: Orally, injected, snorted, or smoked
Effects: Addiction, irritability, anxiety, increased blood pressure, paranoia,
psychosis, depression, aggression, convulsions, dilated pupils, dizziness,
sleeplessness, loss of appetite, malnutrition. Increased risk of exposure to HIV,
hepatitis, and other infectious disease if injected.

Drug Name: Metaphetamines

Drug type: Stimulants
Factor for parents: Some users avoid sleep 3 to 15 days.
Other Names: speed, meth, crank, crystal, ice, fire, croak, cypto, white cross, glass.
“Ice” is the street name for the smoke able form.
How consumed: orally, injected, snorted, or smoked
Effects: addiction, irritability, aggression, hypothermia, stroke, paranoia, psychosis,
convulsion, heart and blood vessel toxicity, hallucination, arrhythmia, formication
(the sensation of insects creeping on or under your skin).

Drug Name: Ecstasy

Drug type: Stimulants
Factor for parents: ecstasy is popular at all-night underground parties (called raves)
and is the most common designer drug.
Other Names: XTC, Adam, MDMA
How Consumed: Orally
Effects: Psychiatric disturbance, including panic, anxiety, depression, and paranoia.
Muscle tension, nausea, blurred vision, sweating, increased heart rate, tremors,
hallucinations, fainting, chills, sleep problems, and reduced appetite.

Drug Name: Ritalin

Drug type: Stimulant
Factor for parents: Some children buy or steal from their classmates
Other Names: speed, west coast
How Consumed: Tablet is crushed, and the powder is snorted or injected.
Effects: Loss of appetite, fevers, convulsions, and severe headaches. Increased risk
of exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and other infections. Paranoia, hallucinations,
excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks, tremors, muscle
twitching.

Drug Name: Herbal Ecstasy/Ephedrine

Drug type: Herbal Ecstasy, cloud 9, rave energy, ultimate, xphoria, and X
Factor for parents: The active ingredients in Herbal ecstasy are caffeine and
ephedrine
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:
Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:

Drug Name:
Drug type:
Factor for parents:
Other Names:
How Consumed:
Effects:
 Effects of Drugs

Drugs make people bad

A common meme, or idea taught to young children to stop them from trying
different drugs. This is just another stereotype that is pushed on people. Drugs
don’t make people commit crime, drugs don’t make people kill.
Drugs can make people bad, but it is close-minded to think that all drugs
turn people into somebody worse than they originally were. Some drugs are used
to calm people down, and reduce their violent tendencies. Some drugs are highly
addictive, and cause people to commit rime to pay for more drugs. Other drugs
make people hallucinate. Some drugs make people more aware of thins around
them. Other drugs make people vegetable; some cause people to become
dependant on them. But use wisely, drugs a foster creativity, and a new state of
mind. Drugs themselves don’t make people bad. The people weren’t forced to use
drugs, in the end it is their own personality flaws, the drugs only worsened their
problems.

Effects of drug addiction on health

 If left unchecked, the drug is going to win. Drug abuse is a disease of the
brain, and the drugs change brain chemistry, which results in a change in behavior.
Aside from the obvious behavioral consequences of addiction, the negative effects
on a person’s health are potentially devastating.
While addicts use rugs to “feel better,” the unintended consequences include
but are not limited to overdose, HIV/AIDS, stoke, cardiovascular disease and most
of related maladies.
Effects of drug addiction on the family

One of the saddest aspects of the insidious nature of drug addiction is that by
the time an addict realizes he/she has a problem, that problem has already taken a
heavy toll on the family. Parents in treatment centers tell counselors and therapists
that they want to “get their kids back,” as drug addiction has taken over to the point
where the courts have been forced to remove the children from the home. Husband
and wives, brothers and sisters, and sadly children are all impacted. Families can
be sources of strength and support, or they can passively enable the addiction to
advance. Families can share in the victory over drug addiction, or they can be the
victims of it.

Effects of drug addition on the economy

Beyond the personal health issues, beyond the devastating effects on

families, beyond community crime statistics, drug addiction has a major impact on
the American Economy. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that some
$67 billion per year is the impact that drug addiction has on this country. This total
includes the cost of law enforcement, incarceration, treatments, traffic injuries, lost
time in the work place, etc. Drug addiction causes impaired reasoning, and
therefore the crime rate is dramatically impacted by drug use. Addicts have a much
higher likelihood of committing rimes than others.

Effects of drug addiction on the law

The news media report daily struggles with theft, drive-by shootings, drug
busts, illegal trafficking and manufacturing of drugs, and arrests for crime ranging
from child neglect to murder. Look closer and chances are treating that you will
uncover a drug addiction component to any of these stories.

Effects of drug addiction on our society

The National Library of Medicine estimates that some 20% of all people in
the United States have used prescriptions medication for non-medical purpose.
We’re not talking about cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine use, but doctor-
prescribed mediation. You can easily see that if you group the two together, illegal
drug use and prescription drug misuse, we have a hue problem.
 Disadvantages of Drug Addiction

 Spend all money  Neglect hygiene

 Unhealthy  Don’t pay bills
 Risk freedom  Look and act stupid
 Risking life  Always paranoid
 Hanging with grimy people  Hallucinations after a few days
 Waste gas  Chronic coughing afterwards
 Waste time  So drained after
 Waste money  Takes forever to come down
 Put your self in chaotic and calm
situations  Having to start over
 Disappointment from family  Shame
loss of employment or missed  Depressed real load
days  Feeling worthless
 Feel like crap  Never satisfied…need more
 Look and feel dirty and more
 Don’t sleep for drug  The high is never “THEE” one
 Don’t eat for days
DRUG ADDICTION AND PREVENTION

AUBREY M. AVILA
MR. LITO BALATAN
PSYCHOLOGY 1
FEBRUARY 24, 2010
DEDICATION

To my loving parents

Larry C. Avila

And

Rubelyn M. Avila.

To my friends

And

Relatives.
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research wishes to express her sincerer thanks and high appreciation to
the following persons for their guidance and assistance.

Mr. Lito Balatan, my professor, for his supervision, valuable suggestions,

comments and his support he gave me in doing this research possible.

My friends and relatives in one way or another have given me the support
and encouragement in doing this research.

To my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Larry C. Avila who are very supportive to my
aspirations both financial and moral support they gave to me, their invaluable
contributions has given me the strength and encouragement to make this research.

Above all, to our God, for giving me strength, knowledge and wisdom for
the completion of this study.
 INTRODUCTION

Drug addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the

repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its characteristics include:
an overpowering desire or need to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any
means; a tendency to increase the dose; a psychic and generally a physical
dependence on the effects of the drug; and detrimental effects on the individual and
on society.

Drug addiction has become a big problem of our society because people who
are using and taking it is abusing it well. It’s because of many reasons, such as;
they want to forget their problem, to have fun, and many more. They don’t know
what are the side effects of the drugs in their health and in our society.
 RECOMMENDATION

Drug addiction is a pathological or abnormal condition, and it is a complex

brain disease. And because of this, people who take drugs make them bad, commit
crime to pay for more drugs, and some people make them hallucination. It has bad
effects to a person who take it, especially to his/her health. Because if drugs, it may
spend all your money, become unhealthy, risk your freedom and life, hanging with
grimy people, waste gas, waste time, waste money, put your self in chaotic
situations, disappointment from your family, feel like crap, look and feel dirty,
neglect hygiene and having to start over. These are the disadvantages of taking
drugs.
So, if you don’t want to waste everything you have in your life, DON’T
EVER USE DRUGS!
 CONCLUSION

All of us have problem and trials in life. We face and encounter so many
hindrances and obstacles in our life too. But these are just a test of God to us, He
want to test us if our faith to Him remains even though we encounter many
problems and trials in life. But what people do if they encounter such problems?
Isn’t it that they drunk, commit suicide and even take drug? Some people take
drugs to forget their problem, to have fun, to experiment, to become more
confident, to stop feeling bored, to be able to mix with other people and many
more. Bit this is nit the solution for us to take drugs because there are so many
solutions to this and not drugs.
Drug is not good to our health, it also affects our own family, economy,
society, and on the law.
So, don’t ever use and take drugs if we just want to forget our problems, to
celebrate, to relieve pain and to become more confident because it has greater
effect to our health. Drug adduction is a complex brain disease.
Enjoy your life but not to destroy it!
 Chapter III
Reasons why do people become addicted,
Used, take and abuse drugs

Why do people become addicted to drugs?

Drug addiction is a big problem in our culture and around the world. Drugs
are everywhere and they are very, very available. Whether it is crack cocaine,
heroin, marijuana, LSO, alcohol or whatever, drugs are easy to obtain. Dugs harm
society as a whole and they also harm individual in so many ways.
For two decades, researchers have been struggling to identify the biological
and environmental risk factors that can lead to addiction to alcohol and other
drugs. These factors form a complex mélange in which the influences combine to
bring about addiction and to make its treatment challenging. But scientists know
more abut addiction now than they did even 10 years ago, and have learned much
about how the risk factors work together.

The widely recognized risk factors include:

 Genes: Genetics play a significant role having parents with alcoholism, for
instance, makes you four times more likely than other children to become
alcoholics.

 Mental illness: Many addicted people also suffer from mental health
disorders, especially anxiety, depression or mood illnesses.
  Early use of drugs: The earlier a person begins to use drugs the more likely
they are to progress to more serious abuse.

 Childhood trauma: Scientists know that abuse or neglect of children,

persistent conflict in the family, sexual abuse and other traumatic childhood
experiences can shape a child’s brain chemistry and subsequent vulnerability
to addiction.

 Social environment: People who live, work or go to school in an

environment in which the use of drugs is common – such as workplace in
which people see heavy drinking as an important way to bond with
coworkers are more likely to abuse drugs.

People become addicted because drugs cause changes in brain chemistry. To

begin with, that just makes us feel good. Eventually, the drug no longer works as
well, and we need more to feel good. We feel bad if we don’t have them.
Eventually, they become necessary for anything like “normal” functioning.
When we need drugs just to feel normal, we are addicted, and withdrawal
usually makes us feel so bad that we convince ourselves that we’ll quit later or that
we don’t have a problem. Things go downhill from there.

Why do people use drugs?

Drugs are fascinating because they can change our awareness. The basic
reason people take drugs is to vary their conscious experience. Of course there are
many other ways to alter consciousness, such as listening to music, making music,
dancing, fasting, chanting, exercising, surfing, meditating, falling in love, hiking in
the wilderness, visiting a city, having sex, daydreaming, watching fireworks, going
to a movie or play jumping into cold water after taking a hot sauna, participating in
religious rituals. The list is probably endless and includes nearly all activities that
people put most of their time, energy, and hard-earned money into.
This suggests that changing consciousness is something people like to do. Human
being, it seems, are born with a need for periodic variations in consciousness.

There are lots of different reasons why people use drugs. Some reasons for
using drugs. Some of these reasons are:
 to have fun

 to experiment

 to become more confident

 to stop feeling bored

 to be able to mix with other people

 to relax and stop feeling stressed

 to celebrate

 to fit in with friends or people at work

 to forget problems

 to relieve pain

People may use drugs for one or more of these reasons and differently.

Why do people abuse drugs?

 Addicts crave drugs – they feel “must” have whatever drug they are addicted
to, and they need more and more of it in order to feel satisfied. People who use
illegal drugs – and that does include legal drugs used illegally,
Such as prescription medicines and over the counter medicines – are people who
do not want to face life. Instead of learning how to deal with their stress and
anxiety, they choose to try to hide by taking mind-altering substances.
Basically, anytime you take a drug with the idea of changing your mood, you
are abusing it. This goes for alcohol and tobacco as well as the “harder” drugs.

WHY PEOPLE TAKE DRUGS?

DRUGS ARE USED TO ALTER THE WAY THE BRAIN WORKS.

Some people say they are curious or bored and want to see how drugs will
make them feel. But everyone reacts differently to drugs, and there is just no way
to predict what your reaction will be. Some drugs can kill you with just one use –
they can cause immediate health consequences like heart attacks, suffocation, and
breathing problems – while others, like marijuana, can cause you to become
paranoid or behave in ways that aren’t you.
The real question is:
 By “trying” drugs, do you realize that you’re selling yourself up for even
bigger problems?

 What’s happening to your passions, your future?

 What type of person are you becoming?

 People, who use drugs, do so because they like what the drugs do to their
brains. All drugs of abuse, from alcohol to nicotine to heroin, cause a series of
temporary changes in the brain that produce the “high.”

THEY THINK DRUGS WILL HELP WITH STRESS.

Other people say that they think they can make themselves feel “good” by
taking drugs. They think that if they are unhappy, drugs will make them feel better.
And some people say they think that taking drugs might help them to cope with
stress in their lives. But drugs don’t fix the problems that they are causing the
stress in the first place and they don’t stop the feelings themselves.

PEOPLE THINK DRUGS WILL HELP THEM FIT IN.

Many people have the misperception that “everyone is doing it.” Not true. In
2007, the vast majority of tenth graders had not used marijuana in the past month,
and more than half of all seniors (53.2%) had never tried any illicit drug even once
their lives. It can be hard to relate to these facts if some of our friends are using
drugs, but what you need to realize, though, is that drugs could eventually become
more important to your friends than your friendship. This is especially true when
users become addicted because they grow so dependent on and interested in getting
high that they no longer have time for friends.

THEY THINK DRUGS WILL MAKE THEM SEEM REBELIOUS OR

COOL.
 Sometimes movies, television, and advertisements use images of drugs,
alcohol, and cigarettes to make characters seem rebellious or cool to increase the
ratings of a show or to sell products. Most people understand these are just images
designed to sell products, and that these are not real people or stories, in reality,
students who use drugs are more likely to perform poorly in school and people
who use drugs are more likely to get fired from work.

THERE ARE RUMRS THAT MARIJUANA HAS MEDCAL BENEFITS.

Some websites encourage drug use and mislead visitors into thinking that
marijuana cures or effectively treats diseases. This is simply not true. Marijuana is
NOT medicine and it does not cure anything. In 1999, the Institute of Medicine
(IOM) released a landmark study that concluded that, for many reasons, “there is
little future in smoked marijuana as a medically approved medication,” the
overwhelming opinion from major medical institutions, that smoked marijuana has
no “documented medical value,” and these associations do not advocate its
legalization.

THEY HEARD THAT MARIJUANA HAS BEEN LEGALIZED IN SOME

STATES.

It is not legal. Using marijuana is prohibited by the federal government – it

is illegal. While a handful of states have voted to allow a limited number of
medical patients to use marijuana, it is not politicians or voters who decide what
medicines are safe or effective – doctors and scientists do that. People don’t VOTE
to decide what drugs are best to treat a heart attack or which antibiotics are safe for
treating an infection.
No one wants people to suffer. Bur marijuana is not a cure for disease or
illness-period.

THEY HEARD THAT MARIJUANA AND MUSHROOMS GROW

NATURALLY SO THEY MUST BE SAFE.

Marijuana can also contain chemical additives that are used in the drying
process, or it can be combined with other illicit substances. There are even stories
of dealers adding formaldehyde (embalming fluids). And, marijuana is often grown
and genetically modified to have a very high THC levels. Since 1985, the average
marijuana potency has more than doubled. In addition to experiencing many of the
same respiratory problems that tobacco users experience, such as more frequent
acute chest illness, a heightened risk of lung infections, and a greater tendency to
have obstructed airways, recent research has shown that young people who use
marijuana weekly have double the risk of depression later in life.

THEY FIGURE THAT DRUGS SOLD AT STORIES WITHOUT A

PRESCRIPTION MUST BE OK.

All drugs, regardless of whether they are illicit, prescription, or over-the-

counter, change the body’s function or chemistry from its natural state and can be
harmful. For example, even the common drug acetaminophen can cause side
effects and liver damage when taken in high dosages.

THEY FIGURE THAT IF IT’S PRESCRIBED BY A DOCTOR, IT MUST BE

OK.

Prescription drugs can be dangerous and even lethal when taken without
medical direction or mixed with other drugs. Misusing or abusing prescription
drugs can result to addiction, strokes, seizures, comas, and other severe medical
conditions. Only a doctor can know what type of prescription drugs are beneficial
for a patient and what dosage is safe. The very reason prescription drugs require a
prescription from a doctor is because they can be dangerous and need to be
regulated to ensure patients take them as directed.

THEY THINK THAT PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND STEROIDS WILL

IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE AND LOOKS

There are a lot of pressures today – to look good, play sports, and get great
grades. And you may be feeling those pressures right now. Some teens think they
can take a drug to help “improve” their bodies, change how they feel, or get more
energy. You may have heard of kids doing this.
 While drugs like steroids or weight-loss supplements can seem like a “quick
fix,” the changes you get can disappear just as fast as soon as you stop taking them.
Worse, they can cause problems you don’t want. Males who take steroids may
temporarily gain muscle, but they can develop terrible acne, stunt their height,
develop shrunken testicles, and even develop breasts. Females taking steroids can
become more masculine with deepened voices, decrease breast size, and growth of
excessive body hair. Steroids can cause balding in both men and women.

Chapter IV
Prevention of Drug Addiction
And Drug Abuse

How to prevent drug addiction?

The best solution to drug addiction is to prevent it in the first place. While
established addicts can overcome their dependence and find a measure of peace, it
often wreaks untold damage in the process. Friends and family members suffer as
they watch their loved one disintegrate. The sooner one steps in to stop the
addiction, the better.

1. Recognize the signs

Signs of drug abuse often appear long before any concrete

evidence does. Symptoms vary by drug, but often accompany a
determination in appearance, a loss of interest in school or work,
radical changes in social life, weight loss, odd sleeping habits ad an
overall downturn in emotional health. If you spot them in someone
close to you, talk to them about it rather than ignoring it.
2. Spot the dangers

Respect the power of any drugs you put in your body, and that
includes prescription drugs. Keep in regular contact with your doctor
and talk to near about any medication you might be taking. Follow the
instructions for your prescription to the letter and do not deviate from
them in any way.

3. Communicate

Communication is he no.1 means of preventing drug abuse,

especially with young people. Talk to those around you who might use
drugs and established an atmosphere of trust that fosters
communication.

4. Communicating groups

There are many groups that exist sotely for persons trying to
break their addictions, but for those who simply want to avoid drugs
altogether, church groups offer a means of support. Community is a
vital part of drug prevention, because it is the emotional and spiritual
link to a person’s health. If you are an addict, don’t attempt to quit
drugs on your own, find help from someone.

5. Abstinence
 Abstinence means that you don’t use drugs at all, not even in
small quantities. This is especially important for people who have
detoxed and are trying to prevent themselves from ever falling back
onto drug abuse. The only surefire way to completely disassociate
from drugs is to completely avoid them. Don’t socialize with people
who regularly do drugs.

6. Education

One of the best ways to keep people from using drugs is to

educate them about the sorts of problems these substances can cause.
Multiple medical journals regularly report on the dangers of drug
abuse. Awareness of the information can help sway a person’s
decision when he is faced with using these substances for the first
time.

7. Gaining Knowledge

To protect you or your loved ones from abuse and addiction, it

is important to acknowledge the realities of drugs. Not all drugs are
the same, both in terms of legal standing and health effects. As you
educate yourself, your child or any other loved one about the reality of
drugs, do not resort to scare tactics. Such techniques may alienate
instead of educate and actually drive your loved ones to use or abuse.

How to prevent drug abuse?

 If you are wondering how to prevent drug abuse problems for your loved
one, the answer is family involvement. One’s involvement in their family is the
key to preventing drug abuse. Families play the most important role in determining
how children handle the temptations to use drugs. Typically, substance abuse
prevention programs for youth are part of schools efforts, public television
campaigns, or local police initiatives.
But a new effort in how to prevent drug abuse is starting in many communities. It
focuses on preventing substance abuse by helping families. Be a part of it from the
very first step!

We all need to work together including the following:

 Parents who want to protect their children from experiences that may lead to
drug abuse.
 Teachers, social workers, nurses, and others worried about children who are
under stress and have trouble at home.
 Community members who want to build a neighborhood that helps families
keep their children drug free.
 Public health and drug abuse prevention practitioners who can bring the
latest knowledge of what works and what doesn’t-along with some money to
help the community develop a plan of action.

School and community programs on how to prevent drug abuse are essential,
but they are not sufficient. Frequently, schools do not begin addressing the
problem of drug abuse until the high school years. Yet drug abuse often begins
in the elementary and middle school years. Family bonding is the bedrock of
the relationship between parents and children. They offer parallel skills training
sessions for parents and children and at the end of each session bring the
families together to practice their newly acquired skills as a family.