Washington, DC - According to a report released today, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’s (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities (DFC) programs continue to yield consistently reduced youth substances use rates.
ONDCP released the 2018 Executive Summary and End-of-Year Report for its DFC grant recipients, which work at the local level to prevent youth substance use, including prescription drugs, marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol. Last year, the Trump Administration marked the 20th anniversary of the program by awarding the largest number of grants ever.
“Reversing the pattern of addiction in America starts with ensuring the next generation understands the dangers of substance use. The Trump Administration has made record investments in our Drug-Free Communities because they are proven, effective prevention programs that provide support at the local level. We will continue working with the hundreds of coalitions across the country dedicated to helping young Americans make the safe and healthy choice not to use drugs,” ONDCP Director Jim Carroll said.
The past 30-day substance use rates among youth living in DFCs since its inception highlighted in the report, include:
- A 24 percent decline in prescription drug misuse among high school students.
- A 31 percent decline in tobacco use among high school students.
- A 27 percent decline in alcohol use among middle school students.
- A 17 percent decline in marijuana use among middle school students.
