The high prevalence of cannabis use by Australian secondary school students makes schools an ideal setting for the delivery of substance use prevention programs. Although efficacious school-based cannabis prevention programs exist, there is scant research investigating the perceived role legitimacy and role importance of school staff. As such,…

Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug by Australian secondary school students yet there is scant research investigating school staff responses to student cannabis use. As such, this study surveyed 1,692 school staff who attended "Generation Next" seminars throughout Australia. The self-complete survey identified that the…

Research shows that social norms interventions, which aim to educate individuals and groups on their actual attitudinal and behavioural norms relating to alcohol, cigarette and drug use,incur some success in reducing positive attitudes to substance use and rates of substance use. The research aimed to investigate the extent of misperceptions…

In Touch is a professional training program designed to develop staff skills and support structures so as to enable schools to manage alcohol and other drug (AOD) matters in a coordinated manner that maximizes beneficial outcomes for at-risk students, while at the same time maintaining school discipline and community relationships. This study is…

Surveyed 1,684 secondary school students on stress and inhalant use. Classified inhalent users as abstainers, experimental, and regular users. Male abstainers exhibited lower mean stress scores than did males in other groups; female abstainers exhibited lower mean scores than did regular users but did not differ from experimental users. Suggests…

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)

Exposed students (N=2,319) in grades 7-10 to drug use study results showing use of cannabis (marijuana) as uncommon among peer group. Measured influence of new data on perceptions and how changed perceptions might affect cannabis use. Found changing perceptions was difficult. Found student perceptions of drug use bore no relationship to personal…

Used data from Ontario Alcohol and Drug Use Among Students survey (N=4,267) to determine how reported alcohol and cannabis (marijuana) use changed with increased exposure to drug education. Concluded drug education had stronger influence on younger students and lighter drinkers but little impact on heavy drinkers. Found decrease in cannabis use…

Examined data from repeated cross-sectional probability surveys of alcohol/drug use conducted biennially since 1979 in Ontario schools to determine relationships between classroom alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis education and student use of these substances. Found strong inverse association between increases in exposure to alcohol and drug…

Describes the Norwegian Akershus Project in which three programs of alcohol and drug prevention (information of facts, value clarifications, project participation) were tried with junior high school students (N=2042). Reports the students' opinions of the programs, their attitudes towards drugs, and the prevalence of drug use. (ABB)

Examines the evidence on the effects of giving information about drugs as part of drug education programs. Discusses the impact of information on knowledge, attitudes, and behavior surrounding drugs and drug use. Concludes that the effects of drug information on behavior are best regarded as unpredictable. (BH)