Many drug abuse prevention programs and materials, such as the "Smart Choices" newsletter for kindergartners, are developmentally inappropriate for young children. Successful preventive measures need to address the mixed messages that society itself gives to children about alcohol and other drugs and present developmentally appropriate instruction…

This paper reviews the history of school-based alcohol and drug abuse prevention programs; summarizes problems with these approaches, such as not focusing on youths at high risk or with disabilities; offers a rationale for including parents in prevention programs; and discusses typical approaches to parent-involvement programs and major…

Discusses several postulates of empowerment theory particularly relevant to guiding the practice and analysis of substance-abuse prevention and education programs. The empowerment model predicts that the empowerment of students and staff will increase both the effectiveness and the longevity of programs. (EMK)