Operation Snowball: drug prevention programme for adolescents

Abstract

Smoking and alcohol drinking are widespread behaviour patterns in Lithuania. Data gathered in 1994 in 53 Kaunas secondary schools about prevalence of smoking and usage of alcohol among 12,738 boys and 12,772 girls show that the onset of such behaviours is in Junior high school grades. The number of smoking and drinking schoolchildren begins to increase with grade 5 and among graduates it equals to that of adults (Gostautas A, Pilkauskiene I, 1992). It is noteworthy that smoking among girls in all grades is less popular, and the number of girls who have started to drink alcohol is rapidly increasing. In senior grades it is almost equal to the number of drinking boys. It is proved that preventive means have a positive influence on lowering smoking rates among schoolchildren (Gostautas A, Pilkauskiene I, 1993). Numerous measures are undertaken to control alcohol and other drugs abuse by specialists in various countries. Operation Snowball is an ongoing support system for youth and adults, providing community-based prevention and health activities with an emphasis on youth involvement. Such activities include staff development/training, experiential events, leadership skills training, and follow-up educational and support programmes for communities. Operation Snowball (Operation Snowball Curriculum Guide, 1994) accomplishes this through five prevention strategies: 1. Training impactors - people who can have a positive influence on others. 2. Providing information about smoking, alcohol and other drug abuse prevention and issues important to young people. 3. Developing life skills - the ability to make decisions, solve problems, communicate, and be assertive. 4. Providing drug-free activities which are alternatives to drug use while building self-confidence. 5. Changing social policy and norms to create positive, healthy environments. The first Operation Snowball Event in Kaunas took place in 1994, 10-12 August, in school No 13 (principle Janina Zaparackiene).