Author: John Carter

National Prevention Week Substance Use Treatment, Prevention, and Recovery

Included are youth facts, funding information, and tools to help you assess community assets, generate maps of local and federal resources, search for evidence-based youth programs, and keep up-to-date on the latest, youth-related news. As such, National Prevention Week is shifting to celebrate and promote your year-round prevention initiatives. SAMHSA created a new, ongoing virtual series to showcase, elevate, and celebrate the important prevention ideas, events, news, and activities that impact communities across the country. Throughout the year, the series will focus on spotlighting prevention organizations and cultivating social innovation to address the real needs of our communities and young people.

Alcohol Awareness Month is a public health program organized by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as a way of increasing outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol. The program was started in April 1987 with the intention of targeting college-aged students who might be drinking too much as part of their newfound freedom. It has since become a national movement to draw more attention to the causes and effects of alcoholism as well as how to help families and communities deal with drinking problems. Participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) and help share facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in your community.

We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate. Long-term, excessive drinking of alcohol can gravely affect your health and leads to chronic diseases including high blood pressure, liver disease, digestive problems, and even cancer. Binge drinking is when blood alcohol concentration comes to 0,08 g/dL, which happens when a man drinks five glasses and a woman drinks four in about two hours. Send questions and requests to SAMHSA’s National Prevention Week coordinator David Wilson at or to Marion Pierce at As I discussed in my previous blog post, NIAAA also has an important new website that can help you navigate the often complicated process of choosing treatment for alcohol problems.

How To Observe National Alcohol Awareness Month

Prevention strategies targeting the root of the problem are essential to curb drug use and help people lead healthier lives. Early intervention helps prevent substance abuse and reduce the negative consequences of addiction before they occur. Through community-based efforts involving youth, parents, educators, and government officers, we can strengthen the support systems that deter our Nation’s young people from drug consumption and improve both academic performance and workforce readiness. This October marks the second annual National Substance Abuse Prevention Month – an observance to highlight the vital role of substance abuse prevention in both individual and community health and to remember those who have lost their lives to substance abuse.

1. NIAAA’s wealth of research-based resources can help cut through the clutter and get at the heart of the issues around alcohol misuse.
2. Since its inception in 1987, National Alcohol Awareness Month has saved many lives from alcohol-related deaths.
3. As I discussed in my previous blog post, NIAAA also has an important new website that can help you navigate the often complicated process of choosing treatment for alcohol problems.
4. Through community-based efforts involving youth, parents, educators, and government officers, we can strengthen the support systems that deter our Nation’s young people from drug consumption and improve both academic performance and workforce readiness.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy joins President Obama in celebrating National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and encourages prevention efforts this month and all year long to ensure the health of teens and young adults. This Alcohol Awareness Month is a great opportunity to update your knowledge about alcohol, alcohol use disorder, and their impacts on health and society. Alcohol-related problems continue to exact an immense toll on individuals, families, and communities. In the United States, more than 140,000 people per year die from alcohol misuse, making it one of the leading causes of preventable deaths. Alcohol misuse is linked to more than 200 disease and injury-related conditions, meaning alcohol misuse contributes substantially to health care costs and lost productivity and affects people’s health in ways that they may not realize. Alcohol misuse can also have painful emotional impacts on individuals and their loved ones.

Facts About Alcohol Consumption That Will Blow Your Mind

At the same time, alcohol-related problems are among the most significant public health issues in the country. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects about 15 million adults in the United States, and an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the nation. In 2017, Frances M. Harding, the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, singled out the alarming rates of alcohol consumption in colleges and universities as an example of why Alcohol Awareness Month is important.

Additionally, access a suite of prevention- and mental health-focused activities to share within your community. National Prevention Week is a public education platform showcasing the work of communities and organizations across the country that are preventing substance use and misuse and promoting positive mental health. Since its inception in 1987, National Alcohol Awareness Month has saved many lives from alcohol-related deaths. Some of the ways the NCADD has made it possible to fight alcoholism is by launching personalized campaigns every year, Alcohol-Free-Weekend encouraging abstinence, and seeking help for someone if they are unable to. The D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and Know Your Limits campaigns have also instilled much-needed information about the harmful effects of alcohol consumption in children from an early age.

Programs like Alcohol Awareness Month exist to ensure that families and communities have the resources, information, and options available to control the crisis of alcoholism. Throughout National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, ONDCP will orchestrate Federal prevention activities and support participation in the observance within states and communities. These numbers suggest that problematic alcohol use continues to plague our society, and awareness about addiction and its harmful effects on our lives, is necessary in order to protect our loved ones and selves. Don’t forget, you can help promote prevention at any point throughout the year by sharing your #MyPreventionStory on social media, downloading our planning toolkit, promoting National Prevention Week, and telling us about your own prevention event. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

NDAFW is an annual health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. NDAFW provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance the science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. Sign up for NDAFW email updates below, and find lots of great resources for planning and promoting your very own NDAFW event. SAMHSA’s mission is to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.

The NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator can help you recognize and find high quality treatment for alcohol use disorder. If you drink excessively, seek medical help to plan a safe recovery as sudden abstinence can be life threatening. NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking can help you assess your drinking habits and provides information to help you cut back or stop drinking. Most adults in the United States who drink alcohol drink moderately and without complications.

Full of educational events across the week, NDAFW will focus on educating teens and families on the myths of substance abuse and addiction with the help on industry experts. NIAAA’s wealth of research-based resources can help cut through the clutter and get at the heart of the issues around alcohol misuse. Whether you are seeking more information about what AUD is, are thinking about cutting back on alcohol, are a parent looking for information about how to talk to your kids about alcohol, or a health care professional looking for how to serve your patients, NIAAA can help. Millions of Americans suffer from substance abuse, which includes underage drinking, alcohol dependency, non-medical use of prescription drugs, abuse of over-the-counter medications, and illicit drug use. Learn how you can implement a prevention-focused community event and submit your event details.

National Alcohol Awareness Month – April 2024

Binge drinking is often thought of as a rite of passage, and many fraternities and sororities use alcohol in hazing rituals that often turn deadly. College administrations and state governments are turning to “creative prevention strategies” to address the epidemic, and Alcohol Awareness Month gives them the platform to spread the message. This year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) will be hosting the 10th annual National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) from March 30 through April 5, 2020.

The Prevalence of Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism in the U.S.

If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, it’s time to rethink the role that alcohol plays in your life. NIAAA has some interactive resources to help you examine your drinking patterns further and, if needed, recognize and search for quality care. As a subsidiary of American Addiction Centers, a nationwide provider of treatment facilities, Alcohol.org will also be showcasing the cost alcoholism and addiction can have on your life throughout the entire month of April. We’ll be helping give a real glimpse into how it can affect your mental and physical health, financial well-being, relationships (family and friends), and what it could mean for your current and future career. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW), an annual health observance, connects youth with resources about drugs, alcohol, and related health topics.

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With this in mind, Alcohol Awareness Month gives public health bodies, community centers, and treatment facilities the chance to increase their efforts to reach people who may not fully appreciate the dangers of unhealthy alcohol consumption. A big part of the work of Alcohol Awareness Month is to point out the stigma that still surrounds alcoholism and substance abuse in general. Youth.gov is the U.S. government website that helps you create, maintain, and strengthen effective youth programs.