Currently, in Australia more than seventy percent of adolescents (14-19 years of age) have consumed alcohol at some point (McBride, Farringdon, Midford, Meuleners & Philip, 2004 ). For this reason, many health programs have set themselves the goal of trying to prevent or at least minimize the damage caused by health problems such as alcohol and smoking. However, in order for these specific programs, interventions and health goals to be achieved, many things need to be in place. One of the important steps concerns the creation of health programs through an evidence-based approach. This looks at programs that focus not only on prevention, but takes into account the theory behind it, the evaluation of the program, the dosage administered (timing and at what age) as well as the well-trained staff used, i.e. presenting the program. program (Nation, Crusto, Wandersman, Kumpfer, Seybolt, Kane & Davino, 2003). Farringdon (2014) suggests that at the very least it should not cause harm to those involved. The effectiveness of evidence-based programs, what is required of them, examining the effects of non-evidence-based programs, and understanding what harm minimization is will all be examined and analyzed in this essay. Health education has often been seen as a means of providing ways to correct or improve a person's behavior only through rigorous prevention. Nutbeam (2000) explains that this in turn has led to minimal effort being made to promote the behavioral side of things and how to change it in order to reduce the risk of that particular health problem. Good evidence-based health education allows it to be a tool that can be used in any public health involvement and setting (Nutbeam, 2000). Butterfoss, Goodmanl and Wandersman (1993) ... at the center of the article ... also positive and overall reduce harm to oneself and others in any health circumstance. Avoiding abstinence-only programs is a must as it ensures that minimal harm is done to those involved. Meanwhile, using the evidence-based approach has shown positive results regarding effective improvement of outcomes through testing. As stated by Farringdon (2014), the reasoning behind the importance of evidence-based practice lies in the overall factors it entails; knowing that it can actually change behavior positively, knowing that it is a proven resource that shows results compared to non-evidence based programs where you cannot predict the outcome or future outlook. In conclusion, if evidence-based programs were used sooner, the future would seem much more certain for younger generations to adopt healthier and safer lifestyles..