Public Health and Safety

Drug-Free Communities Program, A National Evaluation

Marijuana still remains of concern when addressing youth use, access and health impacts. To help bridge that gap the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) program, a federally funded drug prevention and education program since 1997, focuses on reducing substance use in both youths and adults. The DFC program just released their annual report and cited these key points as they relate to marijuana:

  • The percentage of middle and high school student electing NOT to use the drug has increased
  • The perception of harm represented by using marijuana has declined in both middle and high school students
  • Concerns of disapproval of using marijuana from both peers and parents were higher among middle school student than in high school students

The full report and “Executive Summary” also offer insights into the use of other drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and the act of vaping by today’s teenagers.

Read Time:
Executive Summary: 10 minutes / Full Report: 30 minutes