Press Release

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(Washington, D.C.)—John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), released a National Interim Evaluation of the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing substance use and abuse among teens. The analysis shows current substance use rates among high-school students (the number of high-school students who report consuming alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana in the past 30-days) within DFC communities are significantly lower than national rates.

The National Interim Evaluation, conducted by Battelle Memorial Institute on behalf of ONDCP, examined trends in current use among communities with DFC coalitions, compared to reported use at the national level using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS). The analysis shows that between 2006 and 2007, current use rates for communities with DFC coalitions declined for all three substances measured (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) in grades 9-12. The study also found that:

• Current use of marijuana among high school students in DFC communities is 9.9 percent lower than the reported national average;

• Average youth alcohol use in DFC communities is 23.3 percent lower than the national average;

• Annual tobacco use is ten percent lower in DFC communities than the national average.

• While youth drug use has been declining across the United States, it has declined more rapidly in communities with DFC coalitions.

“This new data demonstrates the effectiveness of the DFC program and the power of local solutions for local challenges,” said Director Walters. “Our communities are pushing back against drug abuse and saving young people’s lives. We encourage parents, youth and community leaders across the Nation to become actively involved in your local drug-free community coalition, or to establish new coalitions to help protect families from harms of marijuana and other drugs.”

The DFC program provides grants of up to $625,000 over five years to community organizations that facilitate citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts. Today there are 769 DFC coalitions in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Palau. Coalitions are comprised of community leaders, parents, youth, teachers, religious and fraternal organizations, health care and business professionals, law enforcement, and the media.

Created under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997, the Drug-Free Communities Program has earned strong bipartisan support from Congress and is one of President Bush's major funding priorities. In December of 2006, Congress passed and the President signed into law a five-year extension of the Drug-Free Communities Act. ONDCP administers the DFC program in conjunction with The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

More information about the Drug-Free Communities Program and the full National Interim Evaluation is available at: www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/dfc