Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC) Practice

Which prevention strategy is aimed primarily at young individuals with little or no drug experience?

1. Tertiary Prevention

2. Primary Prevention

3. Secondary Prevention

4. Intervention Education

The correct answer is: Primary Prevention

The chosen answer relates to primary prevention because this strategy focuses on preventing the onset of substance use and promoting healthy lifestyles among individuals who have not yet engaged in drug use. Primary prevention aims to educate young people, build resilience, and encourage them to make informed choices, thereby reducing the risk of developing substance use disorders later in life. This approach is crucial for young individuals with little or no drug experience, as it addresses the potential susceptibility to substance use by instilling knowledge and skills that promote well-being and discourage experimentation with drugs. Through community programs, school-based education, and parental involvement, primary prevention effectively targets this demographic to help them avoid initial exposure to drugs. Other strategies mentioned—tertiary prevention, secondary prevention, and intervention education—serve different purposes. Tertiary prevention focuses on managing and rehabilitating individuals who already have substance use disorders, while secondary prevention is more about early detection and intervention in individuals who have begun experimenting with drugs but are not yet dependent. Intervention education might involve specific strategies to help those already using substances, rather than preventing use among those who have not yet started.