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Seal of the Office of National Drug Control PolicyAugust 2026 is Substance Abuse Primary Prevention Month. To celebrate, youth leaders from the White House National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program came together to use their voice and prevention expertise to encourage youth across the country to make healthy choices.

Proclamation

Join us during Substance Abuse Primary Prevention Month and amplify Prevention Messaging using #TruthFromYouth:

  • DRUG-FREE IS THE SOCIAL NORM: 83% of Americans are living drug-free.
  • PRIMARY PREVENTION WORKS: Prevention education grounded in science results in decreased substance use.
  • LIFELONG PREVENTION BUILDS LIFELONG HEALTH: Comprehensive prevention approaches that combine accurate education, supportive adult relationships, and engagement in positive activities not only prevent early substance use, but also enhance overall brain health, emotional regulation, and lifelong decision-making skills.
  • YOUTH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS CRITICAL: decreased violence, decreased suicidal behavior, and better academic achievement among youth.
  • BRAIN DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES THROUGH AGES 25-27: Brain maturation occurs well into the mid-twenties, when the brain completes critical developmental processes. Exposure to addictive substances during this formative period can interfere with these processes.

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