New guide sets youth drug-prevention standards

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse has released a new guide aimed at helping schools, families and community workers implement and evaluate drug-prevention programs.

The federally funded centre unveiled the Portfolio of Canadian Standards for Youth Substance Abuse Prevention on Monday.

The guide includes step-by-step instructions on how to carry out drug-prevention initiatives based on current research and a series of benchmarks against which to measure existing drug-prevention programs, said Michel Perron, the group's CEO.

"There are a lot of well-intentioned programs out there — doesn't mean that they're necessarily good," Perron said. "What this does is help us establish good programming."

The resource includes a theoretical overview as well as practical tools to prevent drug use among youth, Perron said.

One document has a 20-minute checklist to help schools and community groups assess their strengths and further opportunities for prevention in their current programs.

Schools have 17 suggested standards in such areas as determining abuse patterns, setting goals and cultivating a "health-promoting school climate."

Drug prevention is a key part of U.S. President Barack Obama's drug-control efforts, said Gil Kerlikowske, director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, who met with representatives of the Canadian centre in Ottawa.

If the U.S. can get more Americans off illegal drugs, it will stem the flow of ecstasy, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and cocaine from Canada, Kerlikowske said.

The substance abuse centre also launched two other projects last week: xperiment.ca, a drug prevention website for teens, and URL-TV, an online healthy lifestyle television channel for youth.