of substance use prevention In 2011 President Obama issued October as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. It pays tribute to all people working hard to prevent use in communities and working hard to make a safer drug-free country. Millions of Americans currently participate in Red Ribbon Week activities, according to the National Family Partnership (NFP)—the Red Ribbon campaign's national organizer. The Drug Enforcement Administration, a Federal partner in Red Ribbon Week, describes it as “the most far-reaching and well-known drug prevention event in America.” Through the efforts of the NFP, other national organizations, Federal and State agencies, and communities, Red Ribbon Week has become more than a call to action. It has grown to be a unifying symbol of family and community dedication to preventing the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs among youth. In 2017, the FDA created the Opioid Policy Steering Committee (OPSC) to help guide FDA efforts in fighting this opioid epidemic specifically focusing on topics of new addiction, treatment support and development, assessment of risk over benefit and overall enforcement. In the United States, there is a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration that provides a free 365 days per year 24-hour phone service. Their purpose is to provide information or therapy referrals to anyone experiencing substance use disorders or mental health issues. This national helpline number is (1800-662-HELP (4357)). The NIH has made research-based guides available to help prevent substance use and addiction in youth. One guide speaks on prevention for early childhood. Another talks about prevention in children and adolescents. Successful intervention programs typically involve high levels of interactivity, time-intensity, and universal approaches that are delivered in the middle school years. These program characteristics aligned with many of the effective program elements found in previous reviews exploring the impact of school-based drug prevention on licit drug use. More recently, a $3.3 billion federal spending bill has been passed by Congress, which will be used to support prevention, treatment, and law enforcement activities, supporting state and local governments. See also 0-0-1-3 Abuse prevention program Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Reach Out (non-profit) Education sector responses to substance abuse References External links Hot Topic: Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention - Service-learning-related substance abuse prevention information at Learn and Serve America's National Service-Learning Clearinghouse Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration official website National Institute on Drug Abuse: "NIDA for Teens". Further reading Editor, N.