When examining drug education curricula, beware of those that promote harm reduction or harm minimization strategies such as “safe” or “responsible” drug use. According to Positive Prevention Plus, evaluate drug prevention materials by doing the following:

• Check the date of the publication. If the materials were first published in the 1980s, they are probably out of date. Always check for the first imprint date.
• Research the author's affiliations. (Are they attached to legalization organizations?) Should we give examples such as NORML, DPA, MPP, etc?
• Ensure current, accurate facts. Latest information on the harmfulness of marijuana is particularly important since, together with cigarettes and alcohol, it is most often the first drug used by young people.
• Be alert for contradictory messages. Good drug prevention materials should carry “no use” messages that are clear and unequivocal.

Such curricula should:

• Promote positive standards of behavior
• Provide information to reinforce a young person's orientation to stay drug free
• Teach people of all ages, especially youth, to make decisions for which they are responsible and accountable and to focus on reasons not to use drugs