A questionnaire was constructed which allowed students to formulate questions they felt college students had about drugs. Most questions about effects concerned herbal drugs. Most questions about hazards concerned tobacco. Questions about drug regulation concerned illicit drugs. Student surveys should precede planning of drug education programs.…

Uses survey and interview data and recent findings to consider the marijuana problem in the following areas: marijuana use at an early age and for negative reasons; drug effects leading to learning impairment and school behavior problems; young people lacking accurate information; and usage leading to other drug use. (Author/RC)

Describes historical and sociological patterns of cocaine use. Discusses cocaine as an example of a new drug abuse trend as users search for new ways of using old drugs in ways that produce enhanced euphoria. Describes the use of cocaine freebase and emergency treatment of cocaine toxicity. (Author)

Results from two large repeated surveys of Canadian students, sampled from grades 7-13 indicated that little time is allocated to drug education. The most common focus is on alcohol. Most drug education is through the medium of teacher-led classes. Discusses implications for more effective drug education. (Author/RC)

Investigated youthful drug use in a rural community. Examined the nature and extent of the drug problem extant in the community. Investigated the reasons cited for using drugs. Examined the characteristics of abstainers and their reasons for nonuse and compared this group with former drug users. (Author/RC)

Tested a strategy where didactic material on smoking and topics such as social approval, academic achievement, and career success were presented to an experimental college group. Results showed significant changes in responses to cognitive and attitudinal statements and nonsignificant but positive changes in smoker's motivation and behavior.…

Smokers (N=117) were presented with descriptions of a smoking control program and a smoking counselor, and were then asked to rate program and counselor effectiveness and counselor empathy. The descriptions varied along three dimensions. Counselor smoking status yielded highly significant main effects on all three dependent measures. (Author)

Explored the utility of Personal Orientation Inventory (POI) as a screening device for drug abuse counselors. On the basis of their POI profiles, counselors were split into two groups: high versus low actualizing. Correlated clients' POI scores with counselors' prognostic rating. Results indicated some correlations for high-actualizing counselors.…

Studied a non-self-selected sample of chemically dependent people instructed in meditation techniques. Differences established upon training termination were no longer evident in the instructed group after six months. Subjects who reported continuing at least minimal meditative practices, however, showed differences in social adjustment, work…

Describes a program to assess the vocational interests of clients at the Kankakee Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Center. The program attempted to intervene and impact those with erratic work histories. Results indicate clients made some job progress but the number changing jobs and seeking new employment did not change. (JAC)

A color, sound film depicting five young people discussing drug use was used to test participants in three workshops and two regular drug courses. Results suggest that initial exposure to drug training increases acceptance of drug use, perhaps by dispelling fearsome myths, but extended training reinstates rejection. (Author)

Concludes little relationship exists between the three substances marihuana, alcohol and tobacco. Youthful subjects tend to overestimate the relationships between the three substances and cannot be generalized to other populations. Suggests an explanation of this youthful association focuses on simultaneous experimentation rather than causal…

Investigates the short-term impact of a smoking curriculum for children. Attitudes of the experimental group tended to become less negative, and they improved more in knowledge. The absolute gains in knowledge scores were, however, relatively small, indicating the need for further modifications in the curriculum material. (Author)

Studied the effects of implicit instruction, explicit instruction, and values clarification instruction. All treatment groups reported significantly higher knowledge scores than did the control group, but only the explicit instruction treatment was able to produce any changes in attitudes or behavior. (Author)

Studied the characteristics of adolescents who ride with a drinking driver but do not drink and drive themselves. Selected socio-demographic characteristics and alcohol related attitudes and behaviors are investigated. Findings suggest riding with a drinking driver may lead to the eventual practice of drinking and driving. (Author)