HISTORY AND MISSION

Founded in 1977 in response to increasing rates of substance abuse in the United States, the American Council for Drug Education (ACDE) was created to ensure that the public has access to scientifically-based, compelling prevention programs and materials. To guarantee the scientific validity of all ACDE materials, the organization relies on its Scientific Advisory Board – a group of distinguished researchers in the fields of addiction and prevention research.

Today, ACDE reaches hundreds of thousands of people through print, broadcast media and film, providing the very latest scientifically accurate information on illegal drugs and their effects. Through creative initiatives and alliances, ACDE makes available an exciting range of educational programs and services from a magazine designed for teachers, to story books for pre-schoolers. ACDE continually develops special formats and teaching alternatives that are designed to engage teens, address the needs of parents and provide employers, educators, health care providers, policy-makers and the media with authoritative information on substance abuse and its effects.

ACDE also operates the free, national, 24-hour 1-800-DRUGHELP helpline with a staff specially trained to answer questions about substance abuse. 800-DRUGHELP fields more than 10,000 telephone inquiries each month from individuals seeking treatment, crisis counseling and information about particular drugs and their effects. It enables ACDE to disseminate accurate information about drugs to a very broad sector of the public.

In 1995, ACDE became an affiliate of Phoenix House Foundation, the largest, private, non-profit drug abuse service agency in the country. Phoenix House has treated more than 75,000 adults and adolescents since its first treatment center opened in 1967, and has introduced model programs for drug prevention and intervention. Its mission to "promote a drug-free society" and to "seek innovative solutions to emerging social problems," is fulfilled, in part, by the prevention and education efforts of ACDE. In turn, Phoenix House’s history of successful treatment and intervention programs enhances ACDE’s ability to provide the public with credible and comprehensive substance abuse prevention materials.