MARIJUANA USE PREVENTION - THE IN-DEPTH MODEL PROGRAM

Over the past five years marijuana use has doubled among eighth, 10th and 12th grade students, and in several demographics it has tripled. T he recent debate over the legalization of medical marijuana (Californi a's Proposition 215), positive media messages, lack of parent/child di scussion, and denial by schools and communities may be contributing fa ctors to the rise of drug use among adolescents. The In-DEPTH program, a unique drug education model that educates, prevents, and provides i ntervention strategies in adolescent marijuana use, has in small multi site surveys shown initial success in decreasing marijuana use and pos itively changing beliefs. The program is based on pharmacology, addict ion medicine principles, economics and the pharmaceutical sates model, and examines drug dealing as well as drug use.