Study demonstrates long-term effectiveness of classroom-based drug prevention program

A new study presented at an international conference in Texas demonstrates the long-term effectiveness of a classroom-based prevention program targeting teen drug use. The study tracked teens who participated in the Botvin LifeSkills Training (LST) program as 7th graders and found that their participation in the program produced long-lasting reduction in drug use 12 years later. The study's findings were presented in April at the Blueprints for Violence Prevention conference held in San Antonio, Texas.

The study assessed LST's impact on young adults in their early to mid-20s who received the program when they were in the 7th grade. The results of the study found that participants were 23% less likely to have ever used illicit drugs than were individuals who did not receive the LST program. They were also 22% less likely to have used marijuana and 26% less likely to have engaged in non-medical pill use (such as amphetamines, barbiturates, and tranquilizers). Over 2,000 individuals participated in the follow up study; their average age at the 12-year follow-up was 24.  

"We are extremely excited by the results of this study," said Dr. Gilbert J. Botvin, an internationally renowned expert on drug abuse prevention, and developer of the LST program. "This study provides still more evidence that drug use can be prevented using a classroom program taught during the early teen years. More importantly, it also shows that these effects are long-lasting." Evidence that prevention programs such as LST can produce long-lasting reductions in drug use are particularly important at a time when decreased funding is forcing educators and policy makers to carefully consider how best to allocate dwindling resources. The LST program is a top-rated prevention program that has been proven to reduce tobacco use, binge drinking, and illicit drug use. It has been tested in a series of carefully designed and peer-reviewed studies, and more than 30 papers reporting the results of these studies have been published in top scientific journals. Together, they provide powerful evidence that LST can cut teen tobacco, alcohol, illicit drug use, violence, and delinquency. Research shows that this approach works with a diverse range of students, is flexible, and can be effectively taught by teachers, peers, or health professionals.