Narconon® Drug Education
In the development of an effective
prevention program, Narconon staff first addressed
where drug education efforts have failed in the
past. The basic method used formerly in drug
education has been the "scare tactic" approach.
This was an attempt to scare youth away from
drugs. It never worked; and in many cases
perpetuated drug use by presenting information
that was easily discredited.
In the
Narconon drug education presentations to schools,
we have refined an approach that speaks powerfully
to kids in their own language.
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 Our professionals, many of whom are former addicts, speak from their own experiences with drugs and give a realistic picture of drug use. We don't just tell kids to "say no"; we educate them to come to that conclusion on their own,
and more importantly, show them how to say no and what exactly they are saying no to.
Our study of questionnaires filled out by students has shown us the precise information that causes kids to:
- Decide to
stop using drugs (for those who already used them).
- Change
their mind from possibly trying or using drugs to a
firm decision not to use them.
- Believe
more firmly in their decision not to use drugs (when
they state they are already against them).
The Narconon
program also utilizes the powerful role of humor in
getting through to children. We discovered that the more
humor we included in the presentations, the better the
results. A direct correlation was found between the
level of humor and the children's perceived
dangerousness of drugs, though the message is clearly a
serious matter. With this light approach, kids see the
dangers of drug use and really "get it."
We also explore the problems that often
underlie drug use. With teenagers, the casual factor can
often be boredom or an inability to communicate with
others. Therefore, other subjects such as setting and
achieving goals are covered as a method to avoid falling
into the trap of substance abuse. We clearly distinguish
the feeling of "getting high" from drug use which is
temporary and damaging from the feeling of
self-confidence and true happiness through productivity
and accomplishments, which is permanent and real.
The Narconon presentations are divided into several subjects. They are geared to the appropriate age groups and focus on the real life situations that often lead to drug use.
- The physical effects of drugs on the body
- How drugs affect the mind
- Marijuana-The myth
- The Truth About Ecstasy
- The Truth About Methamphetamines
- Drugs and Alcohol; how the media affects young people
- Tobacco, smoking and your health
- LSD-One of today's most dangerous drugs
- Establishing and achieving goals in life-how this eliminates the desire for drugs
- Peer pressure and resisting drug use
- Addiction-how it starts and what keeps a person addicted
- How emotions play a role in drug use
Narconon Drug Education presentations now available on video
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