Preventing or reducing drug abuse in a community is a tough job, no question. But it can be done. You'll need a solid group of concerned people, a task force, or committee to help. Enlist both those who are faced with the problem (area residents, parents, business people) and those who can help you with it (law enforcement, social service and health agencies, treatment facilities, school officials, land use and zoning officials). Tackle one issue at a time. Pick a clear goal, work together toward it, and then set another goal.
You might form a parents' group that could sponsor drug-free activities for kids, support each other in establishing and maintaining drug-free behavior standards for your children, and help the parents of kids who do become involved with drugs. You could focus on schools, making sure prevention is taught in the earliest grades or that a comprehensive curriculum for secondary schools includes ways to refer students who might be using drugs to counseling or treatment programs. Consider getting out the dealers in your community by using zoning and housing codes to evict them or by getting law enforcement to enforce other ordinances to make dealing an unprofitable experience in your area. You can also provide police with extra eyes and ears to look for and report suspicious activity.

Click on name of drug to see more information about the drug, the health effects of using, the solution, and more.

Methamphetamine	Alcohol
Marijuana	Heroin
Club Drugs