What is the Red Ribbon Week Toolkit?
This free toolkit is meant to be a helpful guide for anyone planning Red Ribbon Week in October or general substance misuse prevention activities throughout the year. In many schools, parents who are members of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) plan Red Ribbon Week. Many people are not familiar with modern prevention science and promote activities that are not helpful in enabling youth to live drug free. This toolkit was designed by prevention specialists in collaboration with various Utah organizations with the hope that communities will use the prevention knowledge from this kit to protect youth from drug use and addiction using evidence-based/informed strategies while also more effectively utilize their time and resources.
Why use this kit?
- Prevent Drug Use: Using evidence-based/informed prevention strategies in this toolkit, we can steer youth and children away from using drugs.
- Promote Healthy Behaviors: Activities promote mental health and increase family bonding, community connection, healthy relationships, personal development and resiliency, all while having fun!
- Free and Flexible: Crafted by a multi-disciplinary team, this kit is completely free to use and adapt throughout the year.
History of Red Ribbon Week
In 1985, DEA Agent Enrique Camarena was killed in drug related crime. In response, parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons to symbolize their commitment to live drug-free lives and raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs. Red Ribbon Week is an opportunity for schools and communities to host fun, prosocial activities and educate youth on staying substance-free.¹
Prevention Science
What works?
Drug prevention takes place in every domain of a child’s life: community, school, family, and individual/peer. Prevention targeted through these domains connects youth to prosocial activities and builds age-appropriate skills that can be applied when faced with negative pressures and risks around drugs and alcohol. Effective substance prevention for youth utilizes activities that build social competence, self-regulation, developing self-control, emotional awareness, communication, healthy relationships, social problem-solving, and academic support.² Citing immediate consequences and focusing on normative education that portrays true use rates and corrects misperceptions are also effective strategies to use with youth. For example, youth tend to be more concerned about social acceptance and immediate consequences than substance use’s long-term effects. Citing stained teeth and bad breath is more impactful than the distant threats of lung cancer or death.³⁻⁵
What doesn’t work?
Youth drug prevention has moved beyond “Just Say No” and “This is Your Brain on Drugs” campaigns. Fear-based activities, one-time events, or assemblies do not help educate young people on the harms of drug use and dangers of addiction. Though these activities may be well-intentioned, prevention research tells us that these types of activities are often ineffective and have the potential to cause harm. For example, increasing fear about substances without providing clear action steps can actually increase use.⁶⁻⁹
“Scare tactics use shocking or graphic images and statements to deter people from behaving in ways that will lead to negative outcomes.”¹⁰ The use of these types of tactics or other fear-based messaging may cause youth to question the validity of the information being shared and distrust the provider of the message. This distrust can carry on to other prevention messaging. Youth are more likely to be in denial, make fun, or be skeptical of scare tactic messages. Youth might even avoid thinking about the message in their defense to the feeling of fear.⁶⁻⁹
For more resources about what works and what does not work, visit:
- Washington State Department of Social and Health Services – Prevention Tools
- Prevention Action Alliance – Scare Tactics in Prevention
How to Use This Toolkit
Included in this kit are ways that adults can engage youth and children in effective drug prevention messaging and activities that are based on modern prevention science and research. The categories target communities, schools, individual, and peer relationships.
Activities are separated by age (elementary, secondary, or both) and include instructions, templates, and resources needed for implementation. You can adjust activities and themes as needed.
References
- The history of red ribbon week. DEA.gov. Published July 3, 2018. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://www.dea.gov/red-ribbon/kiki-red-ribbon-history.
- Robertson E, David S, Roa S. Preventing drug use among children and adolescents. Department of Health and Human Services. Published 2003. Accessed June 28, 2023. https://nida.nih.gov/sites/default/files/preventingdruguse_2.pd
- Flay BR, Sobel JL. The role of mass media in preventing adolescent substance abuse. NIDA Res Monogr. 1983; 47, 5-35.
- Flynn BS, Worden JK, Secker-Walker RH, Pirie PL, Badger GJ, Carpenter JH. Long-term responses of higher and lower risk youths to smoking prevention interventions. Prev Med. 1997;26(3):389-394. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1997.0159
- Rohrbach LA, Johnson CA, Mansergh G, Fishkin SA, Neumann FB. Alcohol-related outcomes of the day one community partnership. Eval Program Plann. 1997;20(3):315-322. doi: 10.1016/s0149-7189(97)00011-6
- Ruiter RAC, Abraham C, Kok G. Scary warnings and rational precautions: a review of the psychology of fear appeals. Psychol Health. 2001;16(6):613-630. doi: 10.1080/08870440108405863
- Hastings G, Stead M, Webb J. Fear appeals in social marketing: strategic and ethical reasons for concern. Psychol Mark. 2004;21(11):961-986. doi: 10.1002/mar.20043
- Leventhal H. Findings and theory in the study of fear communications. Adv Exp Soc Psychol. 1970;5:119-186. doi: 10.1016/s0065-2601(08)60091-x
- Rogers RW, Mewborn CR. Fear appeals and attitude change: effects of a threat’s noxiousness, probability of occurrence, and the efficacy of coping responses. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1976;34(1):54-61. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.34.1.54