April Is Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month

This year’s theme for Alcohol Awareness Month is “Talk Early, Talk Often: Parents Can Make a Difference in Teen Alcohol Use,” aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism, particularly among our youth, and the important role that parents can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives. Local Affiliates as well as schools, colleges, churches, and countless other community organizations are working to create awareness and encourage individuals and families to get help for alcohol-related problems. 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 behaviours, even for those who may never develop a dependence or addiction. Adolescence is a time of heightened risk-taking and as alcohol and drugs enter the picture, parents are faced with a unique set of challenges. It can be daunting to talk with children about drinking and drug use, but it is well worth the effort parents put into it. In fact, research has shown that kids who have conversations with their parents about the dangers of alcohol and drug use are 50% less likely to use these substances than those who don’t have such conversations.

DID YOU KNOW?

  • That according to a recent national survey, 16 percent of eighth graders reported drinking alcohol within the past month?
  • That 32 percent of eighth graders reported drinking in the past year?
  • That 64 percent of eighth graders say that alcohol is easy to get?
  • That a recent survey shows that more girls than boys ages 12 to 17 reported drinking alcohol?

Do your part and help your child make smart decisions about alcohol and drugs.

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