Substance use prevention is often driven by fear-based messaging and one-off assemblies—but research and lived experience suggest these approaches fall short.

In this episode, Tricia Friedman is joined by Katie Greeley, founder of PreventionEd, for a grounded conversation about what effective, student-centered prevention education actually looks like.

Drawing on neuroscience, international school data, and professional experience, listeners can explore how adolescent brain development, adult modeling, media narratives, and school culture shape young people's decisions around substances: particularly alcohol. The discussion emphasizes non-judgmental dialogue, emotional and social intelligence, and the importance of community connection as protective factors.

What This Episode Explores

• Why fear-based prevention strategies are limited in effectiveness

• How adolescent brain development changes how risk is perceived

• The influence of adult behavior and media narratives on youth norms

• What research shows about permissive parent attitudes toward alcohol

• How schools can support healthy decision-making without moralizing

Learn about our guest:

https://www.preventioned.org/katie-greeley

Connect with research mentioned:

https://www.preventioned.org/isreport

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31750959/

Key Takeaways

• Adolescents process risk differently than adults, limiting the impact of scare tactics.

• Most young people are already making healthy choices around substances.

• Adult modeling plays a significant role in shaping norms and expectations.

• Permissive environments around alcohol are associated with increased risk.

• Emotional and social intelligence are critical components of prevention.

• Prevention education is most effective when it is science-based and student-centered.

• Community connection and meaningful engagement reduce reliance on substances.

• Healthy risk-taking is an important part of adolescent development.

Chapters

00:00 – The limits of traditional prevention education 04:39 – Adolescent development and risk perception 08:50 – Media narratives and alcohol normalization 13:10 – Adult modeling and school culture 17:49 – Parent attitudes and research findings 26:00 – Global perspectives on alcohol use 30:28 – Connection, community, and 'natural highs' 34:59 – Risk-taking and healthy development 41:48 – Emotional intelligence as prevention 46:33 – What makes PreventionEd's approach distinct 52:25 – Supporting young people with accurate information