Drug Prevention in Junior High

Results from a longitudinal experiment to curb drug use during junior high indicate that education programs based on a social-influence model can prevent or reduce young adolescents' use of cigarettes and marijuana. This multisite experiment involved the entire seventh grade cohort of 30 junior high schools drawn from eight urban, suburban, and rural communities in California and Oregon. Implemented between 1984 and 1986, the curriculum's impact was assessed at 3-, 12-, and 15-month follow-ups. The program, which had positive results for both low- and high-risk students, was equally successful in schools with high and low minority enrollment. However, the program did not help previously confirmed smokers, and its effects on adolescent drinking were short-lived.