Last Updated on December 10, 2019 by Valarie Ward

Some parents cringe at the thought of sex education in school, but the evidence shows it works. Sheltering our youth, who find themselves in the thick of it every day, is a huge risk. Drug education is just as crucial as sex ED in public schools.

According to the Global Post, drug education programs have been in use since the 1800s when concern over alcohol abuse grew. Today, they tackle everything from alcohol consumption and abuse to prescription and street drug addiction. While supporters believe such programs can help reduce substance abuse rates, critics have a mixed reaction believing pop culture and social undercurrents are more decisive in shaping student behavior.

Drug Education Approaches

The idea behind drug education programs is to warn youth about the dangers of substance abuse before it becomes an issue. In other words, help them to avoid abuse and addiction before it even begins.

But drug education programs don’t stop there. Another program, called Drug Education School, is in place for first-time offenders who take substance abuse too far and land in legal trouble. If the court system deems it favorable, they will order the offender to attend DES, a program dedicated to educating students about drugs and helping them recover from the mistakes already made.

Eliminating Detrimental Stigmas

Are drug education programs working? The answer is yes, but only when they are properly implemented. It is true that pop culture and social undercurrents have a huge impact on the opinions and decisions made by our youth, but the role models we surround them with from day one can have a much larger, stronger, and lasting impact.

Over the past two decades, we’ve come to understand that the biggest threat to the success of sexual education programs was stigma. The fear and discomfort of talking to our youth was the biggest stumbling block. Drug education programs are today sitting in much the same place.

Many educators and parents fear talking to their youth because they think it will introduce them to dangerous substances. Meanwhile, when introducing these topics, many paint drug abuse and addiction as a sign of weakness or failure. Both approaches promote detrimental stigmas.

Educating our youth about substances prepares them. No matter how protective we are, our youth will be exposed to substances, from cigarettes and alcohol to cocaine and heroin. Who introduces them to the existence of dangerous substances and how is critical to the success of drug education programs across the nation.

Substance abuse education is important. It has the power to instill knowledge and aid our youth in making smart choices, even when those choices go against the social grain. It’s also important to educate our youth about the truth of addiction so that if they ever fall victim to it, they can see the issue and ask for help instead of hiding. The tearing down of detrimental stigmas is an important step in solidifying the effectiveness of drug education programs across the nation.