Operation Prevention is the brainchild of a collaboration between the Drug Enforcement Administration and Discovery Education hoping to activate and facilitate conversations about drug-free living, particularly as it relates to opioid abuse and addiction. The site provides resources including lesson plans that vary by age group.

Majority of people in the U.S. have in some way been effected by this epidemic and research by Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse has found that 90 percent of Americans who suffered from addiction started abusing substances before age 18. Risks of drug use is not something that should be addressed when kids are older, but beginning in elementary school students should learn about these risks and prevention methods. Resources are free at Operation Prevention and would be a great addition to an afterschool program!

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