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Keeping Our Students Safe, Healthy & In School

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use: Prevention and Intervention

The need for prevention and intervention efforts surrounding student alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) abuse is paramount to the goal of keeping our students safe, healthy, and in school. In support of these efforts, each district board of education is required to establish a comprehensive program of prevention, intervention, referral for evaluation, referral for treatment and continuity of care for student ATOD abuse (N.J.S.A. 18A:40A-10 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-3, 6A:16-4 and 6A:16-6). Fostering an environment where students can develop protective factors and resiliency skills is essential in decreasing the prevalence and occurrence of student ATOD abuse and related at-risk behaviors. Provided below are resources that may be of assistance to families and educators.

Opioid Information for Parents and Student-Athletes

The following materials can be found on the Information for Student Athletes webpage under the Forms blue drop down menu:

• Opioid Use and Misuse Educational Fact Sheet (Including Spanish and Accessible Text-only Versions)
• Template Sign-off Forms (English and Spanish)

Alcohol

• Fact Sheet for Underage Drinking
• Facts Sheets—Caffeine and Alcohol
• Monitoring the Future Study

Tobacco

E-Cigarettes and Electronic Vaping

• Scholastic — The Real Cost of Vaping: Lessons & Activities (Grades 6–12)
• This is Quitting — A free and anonymous text program from the Truth Initiative designed to help young people (13–24) quit vaping
• Know the Risks: E-Cigarettes and Young People
• Vaping Guide for Parents

New Jersey Department of Health – Public Awareness Campaign

Other Drug Use

• Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
• Drugs of Abuse
• Get Smart About Drugs
• Get the Facts about Drugs: Just Think Twice
• Heroin Fact Sheet
• Naloxone Fact Sheet
• Opioids
• SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
• Substance Use — Prescription Drugs

Comprehensive Resources that include Prevention, Intervention and Continuity of Care

• Addiction Resource
• SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator
• Substance Use and Mental Disorders Prevention
• Substance Use/Misuse Prevention

Resources

• For Families
• For Schools:
  • Prevention
  • Intervention
  • NJ School Specific
  • Reports & Surveys
  • State and Federal Government Agencies
  • Related Statutes and Regulations
  • Social Norms Project
  • Commissioner's Annual Report to the Education Committees of the Senate and General Assembly on Violence, Vandalism and Substance Abuse
  • E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults – A Report of the Surgeon General (2016)
  • Facing Addiction in America—The Surgeon General's Spotlight on Opioids
  • New Jersey Student Health Survey Reports
  • Tobacco Control Research, New Jersey Department of Health
  • What Works Clearing House – Compilation of Reports
  • Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, New Jersey Dept. of Human Services
  • New Jersey Department of Children and Families
  • New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
  • New Jersey Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Office of National Drug Control Policy
  • ReachNJ – Facing Addiction Taskforce
  • N.J.S.A. 18A:40A. Substance Abuse
  • The following codes can be found at N.J.A.C. 6A:16:
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-3. Comprehensive Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Abuse Programs
    • N.J.A.C. 6A: 16-4. Procedures for Alcohol & Other Substance Abuse Intervention
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-4.4, Voluntary Policy for Random Testing of Student Alcohol or Other Drug Use
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-5.3, Incident Reporting of Violence, Vandalism & Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-6. Law Enforcement Operations for Alcohol, Other Drugs, Weapons and Safety
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7, Student Conduct
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:16-8, Intervention & Referral Services
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:14-2.8 Discipline/suspension/expulsion (special education)
    • N.J.A.C. 6A:32, School District Operations
    • N.J.S.A. 2C:35-1. Comprehensive Drug Reform Act of 1987
    • N.J.S.A. 18A:38. Article 3. Compulsory Education

    From 2005-2010, the NJDOE collaborated with the Center for Addiction Studies and Awareness at Rowan University to implement the New Jersey Social Norms Project that used established social psychological principles concerning the influence of group norms on individual behavior to achieve the following purposes:

    • Reduce harassment, intimidation and bullying behavior among students in participating New Jersey middle schools; and
    • Reduce the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs among students in participating New Jersey high schools.

    Under the New Jersey Social Norms Project, student surveys were administered to determine actual norms regarding alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and bullying, harassment, and intimidation behavior in participating schools, as appropriate. The data collected from the student surveys were used to determine the student norms of each school related to bullying or substance use, depending on grade levels. The confidential survey data were employed to create messages for promoting the positive norms of the school and implementing marketing campaigns to inform students, school staff, parents and other community members of these norms. The student survey was administered the following school year to determine the effects of the social norms campaign on changing the behaviors of students and for improving the program.

    Implementing a social norms project could help districts fulfill their obligations for comprehensive alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse programs, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:40A-10 and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-3, and could be a strategy for preventing harassment, intimidation and bullying, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:37-17 et seq.