Youth to Youth was founded in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, as a community-based drug prevention and youth leadership program focusing primarily on middle school and high school students. The goal of its many projects is harnessing the powerful influence of peer pressure-- making it a positive force that encourages young people to live free of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. Our programs are in 36 states and 13 countries. The Youth to Youth philosophy is based on the influence of positive peer support and on helping other teens choose and maintain a drug-free lifestyle. Teens use their creative energy to spread that drug-free message to others. The history of Youth to Youth has proven this philosophy to be very successful. From its inception Youth to Youth recognized that nationally and internationally, actions needed to be taken to change attitudes and behaviors surrounding drugs and their usage in this generation, or the resulting conditions in our communities could only get worse. Youth to Youth had a plan for success with teens as the nucleus. Due to the continuing achievement Youth to Youth is having in the areas of youth involvement and drug prevention at a local level, hundreds of communities in the United States and abroad have chosen the program model to help facilitate favorable change. Youth to Youth estimates more than 300,000 young people have been touched by its programs.