There is also a widespread concern about a prescription drug crisis currently facing North America [2]. This concern appears particularly warranted in the case of young people, where 15–25 year olds report the highest rates of prescription drug misuse of any age group [3]. Non-medical prescription drug misuse (NMPDM) is indeed a risk factor for future prescription drug dependence [17] and has been linked to the rise in heroin abuse in the USA [18]. The number of overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers has more than quadrupled since 1999 in the USA [19]. There is a pressing need for effective substance abuse prevention and early intervention, yet very few programmes have been developed to address illicit drug use among youth and even fewer have been evaluated with respect to their efficacy in preventing onset of prescription drug use.
