Dying, nearly dying or jail — these were my only outcomes, I was told, if I were to have a sip of alcohol or experiment with any other drug. In high school health class, I remember playing an online simulation in which I was a high schooler attending a house party. Every time I decided to drink, the simulation would either flash forward to my avatar rotting in jail or lying in the hospital on death’s door. Everyone in my class was told this. All our unique identities, backgrounds and futures — all reduced to the consequence of one “idiotic” decision.
The “Just Say No” program, established by First Lady Nancy Reagan in the early ’80s, sought to promote complete substance abstinence in youth. Similar drug and alcohol education programs have been criticized by experts for years. For example, the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, created in 1983, was the most popular substance-abuse prevention program in the United States and emphasized abstinence from all substances. However, various studies have shown that these types of programs not only fail to decrease drug use, but fail to teach harm-reduction strategies that could save many lives. Many experts advocate for drug education to instead focus on teaching safety measures, providing necessary information to make informed decisions as opposed to an overarching blanket of “just say no.”
I undoubtedly agree with these experts; students need to be educated on the real dangers of drugs and how to minimize potential harm. However, we also need to go a step further than just shifting to a harm-reduction approach. One major problem I see with “Just Say No” strategies is that they completely ignore the individuality of students, turning a blind eye to the multitude of reasons students may use drugs. Educators need to be mindful of the unique backgrounds, personalities and desires of their students when it comes to a topic as sensitive and critical as drug use.
Laura Michelson, the leader of Tufts Harm Reduction Education for Alcohol and Drugs, shared a similar sentiment: “[DARE] really targeted peer pressure as the reason people use drugs. But of course, if you’re looking at different socioeconomic situations, drugs show up in a lot of different ways. People can be approached to sell drugs potentially because it could help them economically, or there might be a history of drug use in a family. When you bring the conversation down to “drug use is about peer pressure and saying ‘No’ and then throwing a moral component on it as well, you’re really oversimplifying a pretty complicated ecosystem of why people choose to use drugs and … that’s not effective.”
Teaching about the accurate effects of various kinds of drugs and how to reduce the risk of overdose (e.g., using fentanyl test strips and Narcan if necessary) is extremely valuable and needs to be taught. Still, educators cannot teach these methods without understanding the nuanced histories their students carry. They need to understand that not talking about such complexities can alienate students, furthering their distrust in drug use education, and leave them without helpful information tuned to their circumstances.
While students’ backgrounds with drugs are diverse, there are still important aspects of drug education that can be taught to reach each of them. Some students may come from families or communities where drug addiction is common and may be more vulnerable to substance abuse. These students would likely benefit from an increased understanding of the role that drugs have played in their environments and lives, in addition to learning tools to prevent addiction. Other students may come from backgrounds where recreational drug and alcohol use is the norm and is safe in moderation, but may still be curious about exploring drugs and pushing boundaries. An open discussion about the line between recreational use and dangerous use would be valuable for these students. Some students may be struggling with their mental health and have already turned to drugs to cope. In these cases, discussing healthier coping mechanisms and empathetically providing resources to conquer drug abuse would be extremely beneficial, in addition to providing a more general harm-reduction education.
Although I do not think we should separate and individually educate students based on their backgrounds, I do believe educators need to be mindful of all possible lived experiences. Educators need to use a multifaceted, holistic approach to discuss the past, present and future when it comes to drug use education. Sarah Lotsoff, a student worker at Tufts Harm Reduction Education for Alcohol and Drugs, said that “[In] middle and high school, you’re in a whole new social atmosphere. You’re learning about yourself, and that’s a very sensitive time and to treat people like they’re sort of one-dimensional or two-dimensional is only going to hurt.”
While not prodding at the intimate details of their students’ lives, educators need to acknowledge the different schemas students have about drugs and the possible reasons students may or may not do drugs. Students should be encouraged to reflect upon their own experiences and learn about the impacts, both physical and psychosocial, of drug use in a variety of circumstances. I believe this approach, void of shame and fear inducing tactics, will foster a more compassionate and effective educational environment. Students will feel seen, comfortable asking genuine questions, validated asking for help and will be set on a safer, healthier path where they can choose their own future.
