Substance abuse education is extremely important, and many believe that this is the key to preventing drug addiction in the first place. Government efforts at substance abuse education have helped some people prevent drug addiction but others receive the same education and go on to abuse alcohol or drugs. Early efforts which start when children are young have shown promising results, but as children get older they are influenced by other factors that can lead them down the wrong road. During adolescents a teen may understand that alcohol or drugs are bad, but the teen may engage in these behaviors anyway due to peer pressure and a desire to fit in with others. Family and home life will also affect this equation. If a child is taught from early on that substance abuse and alcohol or drug addiction is acceptable then no amount of substance abuse education will have an impact.
Substance abuse education starts at home, and if you want to prevent drug addiction then it is important to emphasize this every day. Research has shown that having all of the facts about the dangers of alcohol or drug addiction can help to prevent substance abuse at any age. Efforts to boost substance abuse education at every grade level is crucial in order to prevent drug addiction on an even larger scale, and when these efforts are made the benefits can last for decades. Schools, government agencies, and law enforcement programs should make every effort to provide substance abuse education from very early on in order to change the growing trend and prevent drug addiction.
