File:  IHAMB - TEACHING ABOUT DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND TOBACCO

In accordance with state and federal law, the Framingham School District shall provide age-appropriate, developmentally based drug, alcohol and tobacco education and prevention programs in grades K-12.

The drug, alcohol and tobacco education and prevention program shall address the legal, social, and health consequences of substance, alcohol and tobacco use. It shall include special instruction as to the effects upon the human system,  the emotional, psychological and social dangers of such use with emphasis on nonuse by school age children in addition to the illegal aspects of such use. The program shall include information about effective techniques for resisting peer pressure to use illicit substances, alcohol or tobacco.

The objectives of this program, as stated below, are rooted in the Framingham School Committee's belief that the prevention of drug and alcohol use by students requires education, and that the most important aspect of the policies and guidelines in this area should be the education of each individual to the dangers of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Education and Prevention Program Objectives:

  To create an awareness of the total substance abuse problem including: prevention, education, treatment, rehabilitation, and law enforcement at the local, state, national and international levels.
  To relate the use of drugs, alcohol and tobacco to physical, mental, social and emotional practices.
  To develop the student's ability to make intelligent choices based on facts and to develop the student's courage to stand by one's own convictions.
  To understand the personal, social and economic problems causing the misuse of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
  To prevent, delay, and/or reduce alcohol, tobacco, and substance use among children and youth.
  To teach students self-management skills, social skills, negotiation skills, and refusal skills that will help them to make healthy decisions and avoid alcohol, tobacco, and substance use.
  To develop a student's interest in preventing illegal use of substances in the community.

The curriculum, instructional materials and outcomes used in this program shall be recommended by the Superintendent or his/her designee.

This policy shall be posted on the district's website and notice shall be provided to all students and parents in accordance with state law. Additionally, the district shall file a copy of this policy with DESE in accordance with law in a manner requested by DESE.

LEGAL REFS.:  M.G.L. 71:1; 71:96

MASC revision March 2016

Updates to this policy were approved by the Framingham School Committee on June 13, 2017.