Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence

Lions Quest Skills for Adolescence (SFA) is a comprehensive youth development program for middle school students that unites educators, parents, and community members to help adolescents develop social skills and competencies for resisting drug use. The program operates based on three specific goals: 1) prevent or significantly delay the initiation of “gateway” (alcohol, tobacco, marijuana) drug use during the study period, 2) reduce the frequency or amount of substances used by those who do initiate use before or during the study period, and 3) prevent or delay the progression to more “advanced” substance use (e.g., binge drinking, regular smoking, and regular marijuana use) or “hard” drug use. In sum, the program strives to promote the development of capable, healthy young people of strong character in the school environment to prevent or delay substance use.