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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2007.112524v1 98/2/270    most recent Submit a response View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McBride, D. C. Articles by Myllyluoma, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McBride, D. C. Articles by Myllyluoma, J. Related Collections Community Health Health Policy Adolescent Health School Health Prevention African Americans/Blacks Hispanics/Latinos Drugs Health Reform

Duane C. McBride, PhD, Yvonne M. Terry-McElrath, MSA, Curtis J. VanderWaal, PhD, MSW, Jamie F. Chriqui, PhD and Jana Myllyluoma, PhD

Duane C. McBride and Curtis J. VanderWaal are with the Institute for Prevention of Addictions, Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Mich. Yvonne M. Terry-McElrath is with the Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. At the time of the study, Jamie F. Chriqui was with the MayaTech Corporation, Silver Spring, Md. At the time of the study, Jana Myllyluoma was with the Battelle Corporation, Baltimore, Md.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Duane C. McBride, PhD, Institute for Prevention of Addictions, Andrews University, 10211 IPA Rd, Berrien Springs, MI 49104-0211 (e-mail: mcbride{at}andrews.edu).

Objectives. We examined local public health agencies’ involvement in community illicit drug policy advocacy and provision related to youths to determine the extent to which public health agencies were involved in local drug policy activities and could potentially provide an infrastructure for policy alternatives.

Methods. We conducted telephone interviews from 1999 to 2003 with 1793 US public health agencies in 804 communities surrounding schools participating in the Monitoring the Future study. Respondents reported public health agency planning, priorities, and involvement in alternative drug policy advocacy and prevention activities. We examined results for variance by site sociodemographic characteristics.

Results. Most students lived where public health agencies provided resources for community- and school-based drug use prevention. More than one third resided where public health agencies advocated for drug policy alternatives and more than one quarter where public health agencies were involved in juvenile drug court programs. Such activities were significantly higher in urban communities, in the West, and in sites where the proportion of African Americans was above the national average.

Conclusions. Although local public health agencies could increase participation levels in drug policy alternatives, current involvement suggests that agencies may provide a base for supporting the development of public health alternatives to deterrence-based drug policies. Such a base may be more likely in communities with the highest need for such policies and services.