When it comes to youth substance use, prevention is not about a single program, a single lecture, or a single rule. It is about the environment we build around young people: at home, at school, and in the community.
The good news is that prevention works, and researchers have learned a lot about what makes it effective. The best strategies are not complicated or expensive. Most come down to connection, clear expectations, and paying attention early.
At Midwest Behavioral Health Center (MBHC), we are preparing to open with a premier focus on child and adolescent behavioral health. In this post, we break down what the research says about preventing youth substance use, the protective factors that make the biggest difference, and what parents, educators, and communities can do starting today.
Why Prevention Matters So Much During Adolescence
To understand why prevention is so important, it helps to understand what is happening in a young person’s brain.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the part of the brain responsible for assessing situations, making sound decisions, and controlling emotions and impulses, the prefrontal cortex, typically is not mature until a person is in their mid-20s. Meanwhile, the brain systems tied to reward and emotion develop earlier.
NIDA describes the teen brain as being like a car with a fully functioning gas pedal (the reward system) and weak brakes (the prefrontal cortex). That imbalance makes teens more likely to act on impulse, seek new experiences, and be swayed by peers.
Because their brains are still actively developing, teens are also more vulnerable to lasting changes from substance use. NIDA notes that early use is a strong indicator of problems ahead, including addiction. Michigan’s 2025 prevention proclamation makes the same point: people who start using alcohol or other drugs when they are young are more likely to develop a substance use disorder later in life.
Put simply, every year we can help a young person delay or avoid substance use is a meaningful win.
The Encouraging Reality: Most Teens Are Not Using
It is easy to feel like youth substance use is everywhere, but the data tells a more hopeful story.
The Monitoring the Future study, conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, found that teen use of most substances held steady near historic lows in 2025, and that abstention remained at historically high levels. In the past 12 months, 11% of eighth graders, 24% of tenth graders, and 41% of twelfth graders reported alcohol use, while cannabis use was reported by 8%, 16%, and 26% respectively.
This matters for prevention because young people often believe “everyone is doing it.” Helping kids understand that most of their peers are making healthy choices is itself a protective message.
At the same time, researchers flagged areas to watch, including a continued upward trend in nicotine pouch use among high school students and a slight but significant increase in heroin and cocaine use, even though overall levels remain low. Prevention has to keep pace with what young people are actually encountering.
Understanding Risk Factors and Protective Factors
Prevention science is built on two ideas: risk factors, which make substance use more likely, and protective factors, which make it less likely.
Michigan’s prevention framework describes the goal as stopping substance misuse before it starts by strengthening protective factors and reducing risk factors across individuals, families, schools, and communities.
Common Risk Factors
Risk factors do not mean a child will use substances. They simply raise the odds. Some of the most commonly identified include:
- A family history of substance use
- Poor parental monitoring or supervision
- Favorable attitudes toward substance use at home or among peers
- Friends who use substances
- Lack of connection to school
- Low academic achievement
- Early exposure to trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
- Untreated mental health concerns, such as anxiety or depression
Common Protective Factors
Protective factors are the buffers. They include:
- Strong, supportive relationships with parents or caregivers
- Parental disapproval of substance use
- Age-appropriate parental monitoring
- Connection to school and positive adults
- Involvement in meaningful activities
- Healthy coping and problem-solving skills
- Clear rules and consistent expectations
Here is one of the most hopeful findings in prevention research. NIDA’s guidance on preventing drug use among children and adolescents notes that the presence of many protective factors can lessen the impact of a few risk factors. For example, strong parental support and involvement can reduce the influence of peers who use substances.
That means families are not powerless, even when some risk factors are outside their control.
When asking a member of the MBHC team: In your opinion, what is the single most effective thing families or communities can do to prevent youth substance experimentation early on?
“Start with a calm, open discussion about substance use. Share age-appropriate facts, risks, side effects, and consequences without exaggerating or using scare tactics, and give your child space to ask questions openly and be able to share what they think and feel.” – Midwest Behavioral Health Center
Prevention Strategy 1: Build a Strong, Open Relationship
If there is one theme that shows up again and again in prevention research, it is connection.
SAMHSA notes that one of the most important factors in healthy child development is a strong, open relationship with a parent. NIDA describes family bonding as the bedrock of the parent-child relationship and notes it can be strengthened through parent supportiveness, communication, and involvement.
In practice, that can look like:
- Eating meals together when you can
- Showing genuine interest in your child’s friends, activities, and worries
- Being available for conversation, especially during low-pressure moments like car rides
- Responding calmly when your child brings up something difficult
Kids who feel close to their parents are more likely to come to them with questions and problems, including ones involving alcohol or drugs. For practical ideas on starting those conversations, see our companion post on how to talk to your kids about drug and alcohol prevention (sibling post: link once published).
Prevention Strategy 2: Practice Age-Appropriate Monitoring
Parental monitoring sometimes gets a bad reputation, as if it means hovering or snooping. In prevention research, it means something more balanced.
The CDC describes parental monitoring as including expectations for teens’ behavior, actions to keep track of them, and ways of responding when they break the rules. According to the CDC, 86% of students report that their parents usually or always know where they are and who they are with, and parental monitoring is associated with less substance use, fewer sexual risks, and better mental health.
A CDC analysis of the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that high parental monitoring was protective across all risk behaviors and experiences studied.
Effective monitoring usually includes:
- Knowing where your child is, who they are with, and when they will be home
- Getting to know their friends and, when possible, their friends’ parents
- Setting clear expectations and consistent, fair consequences
- Checking in regularly without turning every conversation into an interrogation
- Adjusting the level of independence as your child shows responsibility
The key is balance. The goal is to stay informed and involved while still giving young people room to grow.
Prevention Strategy 3: Be Clear About Where You Stand
Kids benefit from knowing exactly what their parents expect. Research from SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You.” campaign shows that over 80 percent of young people ages 10 to 18 say their parents are the leading influence on their decision whether to drink.
Being clear means stating your expectations directly, explaining the reasons behind them, and following through consistently. Michigan State University Extension also cautions parents against sending mixed messages about alcohol, which can make teens more likely to misuse it.
It is also important to be clear about access. Keeping alcohol, cannabis products, and prescription medications secured at home removes one of the easiest paths to experimentation.
Prevention Strategy 4: Strengthen Connection to School
School is where young people spend a huge part of their day, and how connected they feel there matters.
The CDC identifies school connectedness and parent engagement in schools as two key factors that can protect students from high-risk drug use and other health risk behaviors. School connectedness means students feel that adults and peers at school care about them as individuals and about their learning.
Parents can support this by:
- Staying in touch with teachers and school staff
- Encouraging participation in clubs, sports, arts, or other activities
- Attending school events when possible
- Paying attention if your child suddenly seems disconnected from school
Educators play a major role too. Safe, supportive school environments, clear policies, and access to school-based mental health support all contribute to prevention.
Prevention Strategy 5: Teach Coping and Refusal Skills
Many young people who experiment with substances are trying to manage something: stress, anxiety, boredom, social pressure, or painful emotions. Teaching healthy coping skills gives them other options.
That might include:
- Helping kids name and talk about their feelings
- Modeling healthy ways to handle stress, like exercise, rest, and talking things through
- Encouraging hobbies and activities that build confidence
- Practicing what to say when someone offers them a substance
Refusal skills are especially practical. Role-playing a few simple responses, such as “No thanks, I’ve got practice tomorrow” or “My parents would kill me,” can make it much easier for a young person to say no in the moment. Some families also set up a code word so kids can text for a ride home without having to explain in front of friends.
Prevention Strategy 6: Pay Attention to Mental Health
Youth substance use and mental health are closely connected. Anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and trouble managing emotions can all increase the risk that a young person will turn to substances.
In Michigan, an estimated 119,000 young people ages 12 to 17 have depression, according to NAMI. Many are not getting the care they need.
Supporting a child’s mental health is one of the most powerful forms of substance use prevention. Signs a young person may be struggling include persistent sadness, irritability, withdrawal from friends, changes in sleep or appetite, falling grades, or loss of interest in things they used to enjoy.
If you notice these signs, a conversation with your child’s pediatrician or a licensed behavioral health professional can help you understand what is going on. When our doors open, MBHC plans to offer child and teen mental health programs focused on conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, and emotional dysregulation.
Prevention Strategy 7: Get the Community Involved
Prevention is not just a family responsibility. Communities play a big role in shaping the environment young people grow up in.
Across the country, community coalitions work on prevention by strengthening connections between youth and their families, schools, and communities. A national evaluation of the Drug-Free Communities Support Program notes that research suggests youth who feel connected are far less likely to engage in substance use.
Community-level prevention can include:
- Mentoring programs and positive youth activities
- Safe places for young people to spend time after school
- Responsible alcohol and cannabis retail practices
- Medication take-back events and safe disposal options
- Awareness campaigns during observances like Substance Use Prevention Month and Red Ribbon Week
Coaches, faith leaders, youth group leaders, employers, and neighbors all have a role to play. Sometimes one caring adult outside the home makes a lasting difference.
Early Intervention: When Prevention Needs Backup
Even with strong protective factors in place, some young people will experiment. That does not mean prevention failed, and it does not mean a child is headed for addiction. It means it is time to pay closer attention and respond early.
Early intervention might look like:
- Having a calm, honest conversation about what happened
- Setting clear expectations and consequences going forward
- Increasing supervision and check-ins for a period of time
- Talking with a pediatrician or school counselor
- Seeking an evaluation from a licensed behavioral health provider if use continues or other concerns show up
The earlier a pattern is addressed, the better the outcome tends to be. NIDA’s adolescent treatment guidance emphasizes that the teen years are a critical window, because the brain is still developing and more easily affected by substances.
If substance use is paired with signs of anxiety, depression, or trauma, integrated care that addresses both is important. Our upcoming teen substance use programs and care for co-occurring disorders are being designed around that exact principle. For families who need more structure than weekly therapy, we are also preparing Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) options for teens.
If a young person is ever in immediate danger, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
A Quick Prevention Checklist for Families
If you are looking for a simple place to start, here is a short checklist:
- ☐ Have at least one short, relaxed conversation about alcohol, vaping, or drugs this month
- ☐ Clearly state your family’s expectations
- ☐ Know where your child is, who they are with, and when they will be home
- ☐ Secure alcohol, cannabis products, and medications at home
- ☐ Get to know your child’s friends
- ☐ Encourage at least one positive activity your child enjoys
- ☐ Check in on your child’s mood, stress, and sleep
- ☐ Know who you would call if you became concerned
Prevention Starts With Us
Preventing youth substance use before it starts is not about getting everything perfect. It is about stacking the odds in a young person’s favor through connection, clear expectations, supportive schools, caring communities, and early attention to mental health.
Every conversation, every check-in, and every caring adult adds up.
As Midwest Behavioral Health Center prepares to open, we are committed to being a resource for Michigan families, schools, and communities. Learn more about what we are building on our Child & Teen Programs page, and explore our virtual tour for a look inside.
You May Also Enjoy
- 5 Signs It’s Time to Consider Outpatient Mental Health Treatment
- 5 Easy Steps to Getting a Professional Psychiatric Evaluation
Stay Connected
Follow Midwest Behavioral Health Center on Instagram and Facebook for prevention tips, family resources, and updates as we prepare to open.
Sources
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Principles of Adolescent Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction
- NIDA / CDC, Preventing Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents: In Brief
- Michigan Governor’s Office, October 2025 Substance Misuse Prevention and Youth Substance Use Prevention Month proclamation
- University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and NIDA, Monitoring the Future 2025 results
- Partnership to End Addiction, Monitoring the Future 2025 summary
- CDC, Parental Monitoring; Youth High-Risk Drug Use; MMWR 2021 YRBS parental monitoring analysis
- SAMHSA, “Talk. They Hear You.” Five Conversation Goals
- Michigan State University Extension, “Talking to teens about alcohol and drugs”
- NAMI, Mental Health in Michigan fact sheet
- ONDCP / CDC, Drug-Free Communities Support Program National Evaluation
