|
|
|
How one country persuaded teens to give up drink and drugs
|
From the BBC: In 1998, 42% of Iceland's 15 and 16 year-olds reported that they had got drunk in the past 30 days. By 2016, though, this figure had fallen to just 5% and drug use and smoking had also sharply declined. The action plan that led to this dramatic success is sometimes called "the Icelandic Model" - and strikingly, it does not focus on tighter policing or awareness campaigns to warn children off bad habits. Instead, top researchers collaborate closely with communities on initiatives like parental pledges and night-time patrols after dark, while the government invests in recreational facilities.
From David Koehl to our elected officials: How much do various government agencies spend every time someone overdoses? We lose decades of productivity when a young life ends in a instant. It seems to be on the front page several times a week. There's the ambulance, the police, the emergency room, drug treatment programs, alcohol abuse programs, mental health counselors, prosecutors, courts, prisons, and more. Could that money be better spent implementing some of the programs in this short video? It sure seems like whatever we are doing now is not working. You can forward this to anyone.
|
