Authors' recommendations: We included ten systematic reviews of high methodological quality. Based on our results and our assessment of the quality of the documentation for long-term effects of the preventive interventions in the ten included systematic reviews, we draw the following conclusions: • Comprehensive school-based interventions to prevent the use of alcohol and marijuana are effective in preventing the use of both alcohol and marijuana among 10-15 year olds. • School-based interventions, which emphasize skills, to prevent the use of illegal drugs may be effective in preventing the use of hard drugs among children and adolescents. • The following interventions to prevent smoking may possibly be effective: i) mass-media campaigns, ii) school-based interventions that emphasize social skills, iii) parenting programs for children aged 5-11 years. • The following prevention interventions may possibly be effective: i) school-based interventions against illegal drugs which emphasize knowledge to prevent use of marijuana, ii) parenting programs to prevent the use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs among adolescents aged 11-14 years, iii) family-based interventions to prevent alcohol abuse among children and adolescents, iv) multi-component interventions to prevent alcohol abuse among children and adolescents. • School-based interventions, which emphasize knowledge, to prevent the use of alcohol and marijuana are possibly not effective in preventing alcohol abuse among adolescents aged 10-15 years. • Family-based interventions to prevent smoking among children and adolescents are possibly not effective in keeping children and adolescents smoke-free.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2012

URL for published report: http://www.kunnskapssenteret.no/publikasjoner/effekten-av-prim%C3%A6rforebyggende-tiltak-mot-bruk-av-tobakk-alkohol-og-andre-rusmidler-hos-barn-og-unge?threepage=1

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Norway

Organisation Name: Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Contact Address: Universitetsgata 2, Postbox 7004 St. Olavs plass, NO-0310 Oslo NORWAY. Tel: +47 23 25 50 00; Fax: +47 23 25 50 10;

Contact Name: Berit.Morland@nokc.no, dagny.fredheim@nokc.no

Contact Email: Berit.Morland@nokc.no, dagny.fredheim@nokc.no

Copyright: Norwegian Knowledge Centre for the Health Services (NOKC)