[Evidence-based and promising interventions to prevent drug use among youth: a literature review]

France has one of the highest rates of psychoactive substance use among young people in Europe. Psychoactive substances affect brain functioning and can cause serious health problems. The identification of effective strategies and prevention programs is a major challenge for public health. The purpose of this study was to identify empirically validated and promising intervention programs aimed at preventing drug use. The study used a standard protocol to identify and review the literature and to classify the selected interventions. Two criteria were used to classify the results: age (interventions aimed at children under 10 years of age versus interventions aimed at children over 10 years of age) and the type of approach used in the interventions (universal versus targeted). Our data suggest that the most effective interventions generally involve interactive programs aimed at promoting the development of psychosocial skills in children and parents. Interventions targeting populations at risk for drug use require more resources, including a community component (based on an approach aimed at incorporating a range of local actors), personalized assistance (for young people and families) and, in many cases, the provision of psychotherapeutic services. Most of the interventions presented in this paper were implemented in English-speaking countries. However, we argue that they can also contribute to promoting reflection and improving prevention programs in France.