Gateway Drug Initiative Activities

Revere CARES’ substance abuse prevention efforts engage the community in a variety of ways. These strategies can be categorized into four areas of activities: policy development and enforcement, educational opportunities, community collaboration. Examples of these strategies include (but are not limited to) the following:

Policy: Strengthen policies to limit access to Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs (ATOD) and enforce consequences.  These efforts have included advocacy at licensing commission hearings, compliance checks, Sticker Shock Campaigns, and support for the rollback of bar closing hours in Revere from 1am to 2am.

Education: Change in social norms.  In collaboration with Revere Public Schools, the Revere Police Department, and several other local groups, Revere CARES launched the first social marketing camp aign known as the ‘Power of Know’ in 2003 to increase community awareness about the risk, harm and penalties associated with ATOD use. In 2010 the campaign was expanded and is now called the Power of Action. This latest campaign efforts urges parents to get the facts about substance abuse, talk to their children about not using drugs, enforce the consequences for braking the rules and stay connected with other parents and community member who want to keep our youth alcohol and drug free.

Collaboration: Provide educational opportunities for parents and develop a parent network.  Through the STOP Act Grant, Revere CARES has conducted parent coffee sessions in order to provide parents with opportunities to connect with each other and to learn about how substance use affects youth brain development.

Services: Increase alternative activities for youth.  Since 2000, Revere CARES has collaborated with the City of Revere and local after school providers to obtain funding for youth programming that has now become institutionalized throughout the community.