One Choice for Health: A Data-Informed, Youth-Driven Prevention Message

As the nation works to reduce the toll of the devastating opioid epidemic, there is an urgent need to refocus efforts on prevention, specifically among youth. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are pediatric-onset diseases, with nine in 10 adults with SUDs having initiated their use before age 18. The adolescent brain is hardwired for risk-taking, putting teens at highest risk for problems related to substance use. Reducing the future prevalence of SUDs, including opioid use disorders, must begin with preventing youth substance use.

This session will present nationally representative data on youth substance use behaviors that show for youth, all substance use (and non-use) is closely related, and that the percentage of young people making the decision not to use any substances has been increasing. The goal of youth drug prevention can be reframed as One Choice: no use of any alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, or other drugs by youth under age 21 for reasons of health. This goal is analogous to other health standards, such as using seat belts and wearing bicycle helmets, and fits into the goal of no-use presented by the American Academy of Pediatrics in its policy on screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment. The experiences of the Rye Action for Children and Teens (RyeACT) coalition in integrating the One Choice message and supporting data into its youth-led programming offer a model for communities everywhere.