All too often, teenagers get on the wrong path in life at an early age, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol before they even graduate high school.
Studies have shown that developing these unhealthy habits at a young age can lead to addiction in adulthood, providing one more reason why staving off this type of behavior is integral in creating peaceful places to live.
Researchers at the University of Washington tested the efficacy of a system called Communities That Care, a program meant to help cities and neighborhoods choose the best prevention strategies for them. They recently released a paper that illustrates how effective the intervention has been, significantly reducing rates of teen smoking and drinking.
"This is an approach that can have sustained improvements in teen outcomes community-wide," said Sabrina Oesterle, co-author of the paper and research associate professor in the UW School of Social Work.
Author and philosopher Ilchi Lee believes in the power of a supportive community. Additionally, he says that meditation for beginners can be a great tool to help teens strengthen their minds and avoid drugs.
