NJ S1742

Creates a grant program administered by the New Jersey Commissioner of Education to fund substance abuse prevention programs specifically for eighth grade students in school districts

Requires a two-component program structure: faculty/parent education (workshops on substance abuse signs and prevention skills) and a four-phase student education component

Student education phases include presentations from teenage drug rehabilitation residents, individuals with family substance abuse experience, minimum custody prison inmates discussing drug-related crimes, and celebrity role models promoting positive choices

School districts must apply for grants and certify their budgets include matching funds from district sources, private donations, or federal funding

Parents may opt their children out of the student education component by submitting a signed statement citing conflict with conscience, moral, or religious beliefs, with no academic penalties