October is Youth Substance Use Prevention Month. Throughout October and year-round, we showcase prevention’s positive effects on the health of individuals, families, and communities across North Dakota. We know that early intervention is vital for youth. Every year that substance use is delayed while the adolescent brain develops, the risk of addiction and substance misuse decrease.
Use the resources in this toolkit to support continued year-round implementation of prevention efforts for elementary, middle, and high school students to include:
- importance of early intervention
- effective strategies in prevention
- communication tools with students
- signs and symptoms of drug use
Why focus on prevention?
Prevention is a proactive approach; creating an environment that promotes the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities, which prevents problems before they occur.
Alcohol is the most used substance among youth in North Dakota. Research shows that individuals who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely than individuals who start drinking at the age of 21 to meet criteria for alcohol use disorder at some point in their lives (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)).
- Engage students through interactive experiences to help them gain awareness, knowledge, and skills about important topics related to mental health with the Kognito Friend2Friend Substance Use Module
- Curriculum Weaving
- Engage students through interactive experiences to help them gain awareness, knowledge, and skills about important topics related to mental health with the Kognito Friend2Friend Substance Use Module
- Curriculum Weaving
- Tips for Teens Series
- Prescription Drugs: They Can Help but Also Hurt: Not Worth the Risk