Addressing causes early makes difference
Early intervention can successfully promote the protective factors that make later drug misuse less likely, while at the same time tackling the risk factors that make it more likely.
Protective factors protect against a wide range of threats, not simply the likelihood of drug misuse. These factors include positive relationships, clear standards for behaviour and individual characteristics such as confidence, intelligence and resilience.
Risk factors are the lack of these things plus more acute problems such as parental drug use or mental disorders such as depression, attention deficit and hyperactivity.