Efficacy of a peer interactive youth-led drug prevention programme: a UYDEL-UNODC project

Correction: Due to an error in the online publication of this journal, the publication date of this issue was recorded as 2014. The publication date was corrected to 2015 on 3rd September 2015. The date on the cover is correct. While most substance abuse programmes rely more on non-interactive delivery interventions to help the youth, youth-led involvement in substance abuse prevention has been found to be more effective. The delivery of the non-interactive programmes contains several weaknesses, such as passivity of youth participants. Teachers sometimes may be unaccountable in passing over information or may assume the youth already know. Youth-led interactive programmes have a high rate of authority and significantly register less drunkenness and lower alcohol use among peer-led groups. In screening and selecting, peers look or those who are helpful, trustworthy, concerned and those who are good listeners. A key conclusion is that these programmes need to be supported, monitored and sometimes supplemented by other intervention models so as not to under-rate or over-emphasise and assume that “one size fits all”. International Journal of Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders 2015;1(3-4):69-7