title: A universal harm-minimisation approach to preventing psychostimulant and cannabis use in adolescents: a cluster randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Psychostimulants and cannabis are two of the three most commonly used illicit drugs by young Australians. As such, it is important to deliver prevention for these substances to prevent their misuse and to reduce associated harms. The present study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the universal computer-based Climate Schools: Psychostimulant and Cannabis Module.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted with 1734 Year 10 students (mean age = 15.44 years; SD = 0.41) from 21 secondary schools in Australia. Schools were randomised to receive either the six lesson computer-based Climate Schools program or their usual health classes, including drug education, over the year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Climate Schools program was shown to increase knowledge of cannabis and psychostimulants and decrease pro-drug attitudes. In the short-term the program was effective in subduing the uptake and plateauing the frequency of ecstasy use, however there were no changes in meth/amphetamine use. In addition, females who received the program used cannabis significantly less frequently than students who received drug education as usual. Finally, the Climate Schools program was related to decreasing students' intentions to use meth/amphetamine and ecstasy in the future, however these effects did not last over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings provide support for the use of a harm-minimisation approach and computer technology as an innovative platform for the delivery of prevention education for illicit drugs in schools. The current study indicated that teachers and students enjoyed the program and that it is feasible to extend the successful Climate Schools model to the prevention of other drugs, namely cannabis and psychostimulants.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000492752.
authors.forename: Laura Elise
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Vogl
authors.affiliation: National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, 22-32 King Street, Randwick 2031, New South Wales, Australia. n.newton@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nicola Clare
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: Katrina Elizabeth
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Champion
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Teesson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001315:Australia; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012572:School Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013566:Sympathomimetics; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D013566:Sympathomimetics