As Indiana legislators grapple with how to deal with a growing drug abuse problem, youth workers are looking at ways to reduce drug use among teens.
The Indiana Youth Institute hosted a forum on the topic in Bloomfield Tuesday. It focused on new trends – like an increase in electronic cigarette use – and how to best address the problems.
Experts say developing evidence-based prevention programs is key to curbing drug use among adolescents.
"Those are things like restricting access or changing policies and then once you've done that putting the right implementation in place from people who have been trained," says Jasynda Radanovich, Project Manager for Education and Training Services at the Indiana Prevention Resource Center.
An annual survey of Indiana youth found drug use rates are actually lower than the national average.