COLUMN: Supporting addiction prevention for youth

The epidemic of drug addiction we are currently experiencing demonstrates the need for local communities all around the country to act. It’s natural for many people to think treatment centers, jail and increased enforcement are the solution. While those options are important and necessary, prevention is a fiscally responsible and effective long-term solution that should be a major focus for our community. This is the first article in a series I am writing to share what substance use prevention is, and why we know it works. 

Many of us remember the D.A.R.E. program in schools and still think of it first whenever the topic of drug prevention comes up. I remember watching a friend of mine win a prize for getting another classmate to take a bag of fake drugs from him. At the time, I didn’t realize that the activity I remember most clearly about the D.A.R.E. program is a shining example of why it is no longer used in schools. The program proved to be counterproductive to its mission — towns where the D.A.R.E program was taught ended up having higher rates of drug and alcohol use than the towns that didn’t. 

Fortunately, we have a lot more information now about the things that do and don’t work for preventing youth substance use. Even better, the actions that work have many connected benefits. Simply put, preventing youth substance use is done by creating healthy, connected communities where every child has a safe place to be, something they like doing, and a feeling of belonging. That’s it! 

One of my favorite things about doing prevention work is that a lot of it really has nothing to do with drugs. Every time we create a safe and engaging environment for children, we are creating “protective factors” (an important term in prevention) that help keep a youth from starting down a path of substance use. We can also prevent youth substance use by reducing or eliminating “risk factors” — things we know have the potential to lead to future substance use. 

Moses Lake has a number of programs that have been proven to help prevent youth substance use. Some examples are the teen drop-in centers that several local businesses and organizations are hosting. The library and Boys and Girls Club have many programs, as well as the Parks & Rec department of the city. There are many more examples that I’ll cover in future articles. 

While we have a lot of great examples of beneficial programs available, it’s also important to understand that we have a lot more work to do in order to really succeed at reducing youth substance use. Creating a community where every child feels safe, accepted and enjoys being a part of is a lot of work — and we’re still in the very beginning stages of building that community. We have a significant amount of gaps, especially for middle school kids, and limited availability in several neighborhoods. Remember, the goal is for EVERY child to feel safe and a sense of belonging in their community. 

If you’re interested in learning more or helping, the Moses Lake Community Coalition is a group of people with a common goal of creating a healthy, vibrant community that is free from youth substance use. Everyone connected to the greater Moses Lake area is welcome to join us in any capacity they are able to. You can find out more at https://www.facebook.com/MLCommunityCoalition/.

Matt Palluch
Moses Lake Prevention Coalition