The Partnership at Drugfree.org is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. We are not part of any government agency.

The Partnership at Drugfree.org accepts no funding nor in-kind services from alcohol or tobacco manufacturers.

The Partnership at Drugfree.org has been concerned for several years by the high levels of teen abuse of prescription drugs, and has worked with numerous partners and funders to educate parents about what they can do to prevent or get help for their children’s abuse of medicine that was not prescribed for them. Those funders have included the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as a number of pharmaceutical companies who are also concerned about the misuse and abuse of their otherwise beneficial products. These companies have provided The Partnership at Drugfree.org with unrestricted support for research on prescription drug abuse, for web-based educational modules and for community education programs delivered at the grassroots level.

No. The Partnership at Drugfree.org helped secure Congressional support for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (NYADMC) in 1998, and worked on the Campaign — on an unpaid, unreimbursed basis — between 1998 and 2008. Our contribution to that effort, in terms of staff time, travel expenses, value of advertising content and waived talent payments has exceeded $60 million dollars. Since July 2009, we have been reimbursed for actual costs of travel and staff time related to the NYADMC — a total of $80,360 in 2009.

We have no relation whatsoever. Managed by Executive Director, Calvina Fay, Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. is a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing, promoting and sustaining global strategies, policies and laws that will reduce illegal drug use, drug addiction, drug-related injury and death. Their site can be found at http://www.dfaf.org.

The position of The Partnership at Drugfree.org on legalization is based on the perspective of parents, our core constituency. Many parents understand that marijuana can be harmful, especially for kids whose brains are still developing.

From a parent’s viewpoint, it’s already hard enough to keep kids away from alcohol and tobacco, both legal and regulated substances. According to the 2009 Monitoring the Future study, by the time teens are in the 12th grade, 66 percent have already tried alcohol in the past year, and 47 percent report having been drunk. The same study finds that past year marijuana use was 50 percent lower, at 33 percent. Adding marijuana to the menu of legally available and potentially harmful substances will make it more likely that kids will use it. This not only adds to the challenges parents face, but directly affects the percentage of kids who will have problems because of the increased ease of access to marijuana, including drugged driving and dependence (marijuana is the number one drug abused among teens admitted for treatment today). And, marijuana, like other intoxicants, damages relationships, affects the quality of work (academic or other) and limits potential.

From this perspective, we don’t support legalized marijuana.

The Partnership at Drugfree.org is compassionate toward those who are struggling with serious illness, and we know that some have reported finding relief from smoked marijuana. Having said that, we know marijuana can be harmful, especially to kids whose brains are still developing, and we believe that medicine should be researched, reviewed and approved through the FDA process, not referendum.

Whether or not marijuana remains illegal, the role of The Partnership at Drugfree.org in motivating and equipping parents to prevent or get help for a child’s involvement with marijuana, alcohol and other drugs will not diminish. In fact, the need for education, prevention and guidance toward effective treatment will increase should marijuana become more available.

In talking and engaging with parents — on our website, at our community education trainings and via our grassroots partners and parent advisors — we know they are looking for help. And parents are finding the help they need through our programs and at drugfree.org.

With these insights, we changed our name, The Partnership at Drugfree.org, and also changed our mission: to help parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children. Our new name and mission offer us a greater relevancy and engagement among parents and caregivers. And, with the debut and expansion of our programs and resources, we have evolved to a place where we can uniquely be a trusted partner to all parents, whether they’re focused on prevention, stopping a child’s drug or alcohol use, finding treatment or supporting a child in recovery.