Substance Abuse Prevention and Education

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cigarette being broken preventing substance abuse — Creating better options for student health

Student experimentation and use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs is a major contributing factor to underachievement, truancy, and failure to graduate. Training, workshops, and resources are available to assist educators in leveraging existing resources and systems to create better options for student health.

News and Resources

Image of various vaping devices with smoke rising behind it

Fentanyl and Other Drugs: Prevention and Awareness Resource Guide

By working together to get the word out about the dangers of fentanyl and other drugs, we can help to save and improve lives across our communities. That's why SDCOE created a resource guide for schools in San Diego County.

Dr. Gothold at podium with Jim Desmond, Laura Brinker-White, DA Stephan and Rita and Dave Palet behind him

Superintendent Gothold Joins County Leaders in Effort to Enhance Substance Abuse Prevention Education

Superintendent Dr. Paul Gothold joined San Diego County leaders to address the need for fentanyl awareness education in schools and other harm-reduction strategies as the opioid epidemic continues to impact the community.

Graphic that says be a good role model - don't provide alcohol to minors

Friday Night Live Youth Mobilize to Make a Difference

Young people in Friday Night Live programs throughout the county recently participated in campaigns to inform youth about the dangers of underage drinking, encourage them to remain alcohol free, and promote alternatives.

More to Explore

Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE)

The San Diego County Office of Education provides leadership and support services to school districts participating in the Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) programs.

Services Offered

Technical assistance and support to districts writing TUPE grants for grades 6-12
Workshops for students and staff in tobacco prevention and advocacy, aiming to encourage participation in schools as community prevention efforts
Research science-based tobacco prevention curricula and offering training in select programs
Site visits to ensure that district programs are aligned with program requirements
Certification of district compliance with tobacco-free workplace requirements

For more information, contact ATOD Coordinator Jim Crittenden at 858-298-2092.

Vaping Education and Presentations

Vaping: What You Need to Know

Learn more about current devices, risk associated with vaping and nicotine use, the environmental impact of e-cigarette waste and more!

Available in both virtual and in-person presentations for students, staff, and parents.

Contact Alex Swift at alexandra.swift@sdcoe.net or call 858-298-2103 with any questions or to schedule a presentation.

Download Printable Vaping Presentation Flyer (PDF)

Substance Abuse Prevention Assemblies: I Choose My Future

“I Choose My Future”

“I Choose My Future" provides students with comprehensive, straightforward insight into how substance abuse impacts the individual, the home, the school, the community, and more.

The Fundamental Message: All of the harm that results from substance abuse begins with the initial decisions by users to experiment with the drugs. YOU Choose Your Path!

Topics Addressed:

Teen brain development and the impact drugs can have on teens
How and why addiction occurs
How to identify potentially harmful drugs
Financial and human costs of overdoses
Strategies for handling peer pressure
How to get help

Ideal Audiences: Middle and high school students, parents, and school staff
Cost: Free
Languages: English and Spanish
Format: In person or virtual, 60-90 minutes, depending on the time allotted by the schools.
Speaker: Rocky Herron, alcohol and other drug ambassador for the San Diego County Office of Education and a 31-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Agency. To date, Rocky has delivered the presentations to more than 130,000 students in 15 countries.
Staff/Parent Presentations: The presentations are also available for school staff training and parent groups. The importance of sharing this message with the adults in the school community is to ensure that students, parents, and school staff have shared understandings of the serious and constantly evolving drug threats facing our children. The goal is that these presentations begin conversations on the school sites that continue long after the assemblies conclude and result in the school communities implementing and utilizing the additional free curriculum resources available to them through Operation Prevention San Diego.

To schedule an assembly, please contact Rocky Herron by email at rockwell.herron@sdcoe.net or call 858-298-2151.

Naloxone Resources and Training

To promote awareness and aid districts in obtaining naloxone, a life-saving drug that reverses an opioid overdose, SDCOE has gathered a variety of resources to provide instruction and guidance in this process. Please visit the SDCOE School Nursing web page to access resources, learn more about obtaining naloxone for your district/school, and training on how to administer it.

Operation Prevention San Diego

Operation Prevention: San Diego (OPSD), is a partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), San Diego. The partnership exists to provide schools, parents, and community groups access to effective alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs (ATOD) prevention, intervention, and treatment resources throughout San Diego County.

As part of Operation Prevention San Diego, the DEA-San Diego, in consultation with SDCOE, developed resources to provide educators with engaging tools that are aligned to national health and science standards, and integrate seamlessly into classroom instruction. Through a series of hands-on investigations, students can explore the science behind substance misuse, and the resulting impacts on our brain and body. Please register your email to gain access to the materials.

There are also resources for parents on drugs and strategies for talking to kids about drugs.

For more information, contact ATOD Coordinator Jim Crittenden at 858-298-2092.

Resources / Parent Communication

Parent Communication/Letters

Alert on the dangers of rainbow fentanyl (Spanish)

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