Environmental Approaches

People make decisions about using mind-altering or mood-altering substances in the context of environments which may incite, ignore, or enable their behavior and in the context of environments which may prevent, discourage, or sanction their behavior. These environmental influences may occur in the surroundings [Page 364]closest to the individual, such as family, school, or faith community. Or, they may occur in the broader societal context, including the physical, economic, social, and political aspects of culture. Environmental approaches to prevention view substance abuse as a systemic issue and follow the public health model, which seeks to reduce the risk and harm for all people rather than for specific individuals or subgroups. Therefore, environmental strategies for the prevention of alcohol problems, tobacco use, and illicit drug involvement ...