Psychology in school-based prevention, early intervention, treatment and abstinence maintenance - Some responses to marijuana use in the schools

This article outlines factors to consider when planning prevention, treatme nt or abstinence maintenance interventions for drug abuse, especially marij uana abuse, in the schools. It discusses the literature on the effectivenes s of anti-drug campaigns on drug use, reviews the spectrum of mental health interventions, discusses the ramifications for their use in schools' work to intervene in drug use, provides examples of programming and examines rol es that utilize psychologists to impact marijuana use in schools through pr evention, early intervention, treatment and abstinence maintenance. Much of the school-based prevention and intervention literature is generic on the subject of 'drugs'. We have tried to be specific to marijuana use when poss ible; however, few programs targeted only marijuana, many targeted alcohol and other drug use.