[What works in addiction prevention]

WHAT WORKS IN ADDICTION PREVENTION. The most widely consumed psychoactive substances have often been present in the environment of our human societies for a long time. A first series of measures to prevent addiction consists of modifying the environment to discourage their use through regulations or taxes. Another series of actions is based on identifying users to help them reduce or stop their consumption. This particularly involves early detection and brief interventions. However, none of the measures listed above constitute prevention in the strict sense, which, in principle, consists of preventing the onset of use, not helping them quit. Cohort data teach us that negative early events can increase the risk of psychoactive substance use. Therefore, it is important to leverage 50 years of prevention research that has demonstrated the benefits of home visits before and after birth, parenting support programs, programs to improve the work environment in primary schools, and the acquisition of psychosocial skills during adolescence. These broad-spectrum approaches, not specific to addiction prevention, also have the advantage of intervening positively in many areas of social life.