The substance use landscape regularly experiences changes in the demand and supply of substances, the relative importance of various risk and protective factors, and the impacts of the social determinants of health. Prevention professionals should be able to identify and understand these changes so that they can adjust service delivery as needed. Relative changes in substance use patterns, or the causes behind use, can lead to a re-prioritization of key prevention activities. However, prevention professionals must balance these potential re- prioritizations with ensuring that they continue to address core, underlying prevention needs. This three-part webinar series will provide an overview of emerging drug trends in the United States, with a focus on the Central East region, explain what is known about the causes behind these trends, and discuss potential implications for the prevention field. It will also discuss how prevention professionals can incorporate addressing emerging trends into their existing workflow.
This webinar, part one in a series, will provide a broad overview of the most recent data on emerging substance use trends in the Central East region and around the United States. Among other topics, it will cover the current status of the opioid epidemic, changes in cocaine and methamphetamine use and consequences, and underage alcohol and vaping product trends. As part of this discussion, the webinar will summarize research findings on the causes behind the trends. The webinar will also discuss why it is important for prevention professionals to be aware of emerging trends and incorporating them into their strategic planning efforts.
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to: