Preventing Substance Use Begins with Knowledge
Quick Links
- For Your Safety...For Your Life
- Prescription Meds
- Workplace
- Adolescents
- Drugs
- Alcohol
- Glossary of Agency Acronyms
FOR YOUR SAFETY...FOR YOUR LIFE
Here at the Department of Transportation, we are strongly focused on protecting the safety of the traveling public. We want to make sure that people whose jobs affect not only their own safety, but that of everyone else who travels or can be affected by transportation systems, are alert, able to exercise good judgment in potential emergency situations, and committed to compliance with safe practices and safety rules. That is the reason why, for nearly 30 years, the Department has implemented a safety-oriented drug and alcohol testing program for safety-sensitive transportation workers.
But, through our work in this program, we have become aware that preventing substance use is an imperative that reaches far beyond the transportation industry. Substance use creates serious effects across our society: people die, families are devastated, livelihoods are lost. The effects of substance use on transportation safety grow out of this more pervasive problem.
Make no mistake: substance use affects your mind, body, and your future. Whether you are at home, at work, in school, or just out and about, substance use poses a risk to you and those around you. Whether you are an employee or an employer; a teenager, adult, parent or other caregiver; a family member or friend; an educator or health care professional, knowing about substance use is a good first step to preventing or dealing with it.
For this reason, we have compiled a list of resources -- mostly from Federal agencies -- that can help you learn about substance use and finding treatment; proper disposal of unwanted, unneeded or expired medication; workplace and prevention programs, facts about alcohol and drugs, and data and research on prevention practices. The list is not all-inclusive, but it's a good starting point for finding out what you can do to prevent or deal with substance use issues in your life and the lives of people you know.
Find treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for substance abuse/addiction and/or mental health programs not related to the DOT Return to Duty requirements. |
NOTE: This page contains links to non-Federal websites. The U.S. government, its organizational units, and its employees are not responsible for the information found through these links. No endorsement of these sites or their content is provided or implied.
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PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS
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- Opioids: The Prescription Drug & Heroin Overdose Epidemic [SAMHSA]
- Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain (including resources for patients and providers) [CDC]
- Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose [Surgeon General]
- Driving While You Are Taking Medications [FDA]
- Operation Prevention [DEA and Discovery Education]
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- How to Dispose of Unused Medicines [FDA]
- Dispose My Meds (find local medical disposal programs/locations) [NCPA]
- Safe Medicine Disposal [AAPCC]
- Drug Disposal Information [DEA]
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- Prescription Drug Overdose [CDC]
- Drug Overdose Death Data [CDC]
- MMWR Report: Increases in Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2010–2015 [CDC]
- Prescription Drug Overdose State Resources (CDC funded state programs, success stories, and promising state strategies) [CDC]
- CDC Prescription Drug Resources (articles, MMWR reports, and other materials) [CDC]
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- Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) [BJA]
- Information on Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) for states and providers [CDC]
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- Prescription and OTC Medications Tool Kit [FTA]
- Knowledge Application Program (KAP) – various e-courses on substance abuse [SAMHSA]
- Talking to Your Kids About Prescription Drug Abuse: Not Worth the Risk (for parents) [SAMHSA]
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WORKPLACE
- Recovery Ready Workplace Hub/Toolkit [DOL, ONDCP]
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- One Pill Can Kill [DEA]
- Drugs of Abuse (English/Spanish) [DEA]
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- Growing Up Drug Free – A Parent’s Guide to Prevention [DEdu]
- Driving While You Are Taking Medications [FDA]
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- How to Dispose of Unused Medicines [FDA]
- Dispose My Meds (find local medical disposal programs/locations) [NCPA]
- Safe Medicine Disposal [AAPCC]
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- Prescription and OTC Medications Tool Kit [FTA]
- Policy Builder [FTA]
- Best Practices Manual – Example Drug and Alcohol Policies and Procedures [FTA]
- Balancing Safety and Medical Treatment - Safe Use of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications - Information for Safety-Sensitive Employees [FTA]
- Balancing Rx/OTC Programs with Employee Safety and Health - What an Employer Should Know [FTA]
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- What Employers Need to Know About DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing [ODAPC]
- What Employees Need to Know About DOT Drug and Alcohol Testing [ODAPC]
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- Recovery Ready Workplace Resource Hub [DOL/ONDCP]
- Components of a Drug-Free Workplace [SAMHSA]
- Drug-Free Workplace Tool Kit [SAMHSA]
- Opioids: The Prescription Drug & Heroin Overdose Epidemic [SAMHSA]
- Facing Addiction in America [Surgeon General]
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ADOLESCENTS
- One Pill Can Kill [DEA]
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- Operation Prevention (Culture-Based Resources)
- Growing Up Drug Free - A Parent's Guide to Prevention [DEA and DEdu]
- Raising Awareness of Opioid Addiction (video) - [FBI and DEA]
- Operation Prevention "Get Smart about Drugs" [DEA and Discovery Education]
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- Underage Drinking Fact Sheets [CDC]
- Underage Drinking Prevention: "Talk. They Hear You." [SAMHSA]
- "Talk. They Hear You." - Discussion Starter Video [SAMHSA]
- Answering Your Child's Tough Questions [SAMHSA]
- Having a Conversation about Drugs and Alcohol [SAMHSA]
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- Campus Drug Prevention [DEA]
- Just Think Twice [DEA]
- Operation Prevention [DEA]
- Strategies and Interventions to Prevent Youth Marijuana Use [SAMHSA]
- Preventing Drug Use Among Youth Works [UNODC]
- Substance Abuse Prevention [Youth.Gov]
- Drug Facts for Teens [NIDA]
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- Safe Supportive Learning - Substance Abuse [DEdu]
- Drug Endangered Children Training [Nat'l DEC]
- Health Rocks [NIFA]
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DRUGS
- Drugs of Abuse (English/Spanish) [DEA]
- One Pill Can Kill [DEA]
- National Drug Threat Assessment 2024 [DEA]
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- Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit – Updated 2014 [SAMHSA]
- Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose [Surgeon General]
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- Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction [NIDA]
- Growing Up Drug Free - A Parent's Guide to Prevention [DEA and DEdu]
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- Recovery Ready Workplace Resource Hub [DOL/ONDCP] !!NEW!!
- Campus Drug Prevention [DEA]
- Get Smart About Drugs [DEA]
- Marijuana Use and Driving Fact Sheet [CDC]
- Drugs of Abuse – Resource Guide [DEA] [DEA]
- Drugs of Abuse [NIDA]
- Drug Facts – Lessons from Prevention Research [NIDA]
- Drug Facts for Teens [NIDA]
- Facts and Resources for Parents [NIDA]
- Facts, Lessons, and Resources for Teachers [NIDA]
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- Dispose My Meds (find local medical disposal programs/locations) [NCPA]
- Drug Disposal Information [DEA]
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- Just Think Twice [DEA]
- The Next Step Toward a Better Life [SAMHSA]
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ALCOHOL
- Alcohol Use and Your Health [CDC]
- About Alcohol [NIDA]
- Binge Drinking [CDC]
- Moderate Drinking [CDC]
- Under aged Drinking: Talk with your child.pdf [SAMHSA]
- Alcohol & Public Health: Frequently Asked Questions [CDC]
- Preventing Excessive Alcohol Use [CDC]
- Preventing Drug Abuse and Excessive Alcohol Use [Surgeon General]
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- Impaired Driving [CDC]
- Teen Drinking and Driving [CDC]
- Drinking and Driving [CDC]
- College Drinking: Prevention Perspectives Video Series [SAMHSA]
- Talking With Your College-Bound Young Adult about Alcohol [SAMHSA]
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- Recovery Ready Workplace Resource Hub [DOL/ONDCP] !!NEW!!
- Communities Talk: "Starting Conversations about Preventing Underage Drinking" [SAMHSA]
- "Talk. They Hear You." - Discussion Starter Video [SAMHSA]
- Real Kids are Curious about Alcohol [HHS]
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