For the Health of It – April is Alcohol Awareness Month
The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) announced the 2015 NCADD Alcohol Awareness Month Theme – “For the Health of It: Early Education on Alcoholism and Addiction.”
Tweet: April is Alcohol Awareness Month – For the Health of It! Spread the word bit.ly/1DHAg1V
NCADD sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. This April, NCADD highlights the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family and community consequences.
Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous—both to themselves and to society, and is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide, educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors, even for those who may never develop a dependence or addiction. Adolescence is a time of heightened risk taking and young people may not be fully prepared to anticipate all the consequences of drinking alcohol, such as swigging drinks to “celebrate” a special occasion, or being in a car with a driver who has been drinking. Alcohol is the number one drug of choice for America’s youth, and is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined.
“Underage drinking is a complex issue,” says Andrew Pucher, President and Chief Executive Officer of NCADD, “one that can only be solved through a sustained and cooperative effort. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment, and recovery support are essential for them and their families,” says Pucher. “We can’t afford to wait any longer.”
How can Alcohol Awareness Month make a difference?
We can use this month to raise awareness about alcohol abuse and take action to prevent it, both at home and in the community.
Here are just a few ideas:
- Encourage friends or family members to make small changes, like keeping track of their drinking and setting drinking limits.
- Share tips with parents to help them talk with their kids about the risks of alcohol use.
- Ask doctors and nurses to talk to their patients about the benefits of drinking less or quitting.
Read more HERE.
