  |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Contact:
Candice Dunaway For Immediate Release: April 3, 2006 Teens and Alcohol Don’t Mix Alcohol Awareness Month Since 1987, Alcohol Awareness Month, sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) has been observed every April. This year The Partnership for a Drug-Free Community's focus for the observance is underage drinking, a problem that shatters young lives and communities across the nation. Motor vehicle crashes, alcohol poisoning, violence, and addiction are just some of the ways children under age 21 are being devastated by the inappropriate and illegal use of alcohol. Keep Children Alcohol FreeRecently the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also launched an initiative to prevent underage drinking. The little-known but alarming facts surrounding alcohol consumption by children ages 9 to 15 prompted more than 25 Governors' Spouses to join forces and put this issue on the national agenda. In March they launched
Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free, a multi-year,
public-private partnership focused on preventing the use of alcohol
by children, funded by the NIAAA at the National Institutes of
Health and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. A Significant Threat"Scientific evidence shows that the earlier children begin
drinking the more likely they are to develop serious alcohol
problems in their lifetime," says Enoch Gordis, M.D., Director of
NIAAA. "Put simply, our nation can no longer ignore alcohol use by
children."
"Statistics for Madison County are higher than the national
average," states Deborah Soule, Executive Director for the
Partnership for a Drug-Free Community in Huntsville, Alabama "Proms
and graduations are coming up soon. That is why it is important
for parents talk to their kids about the dangers of underage
drinking during April. Alcohol consumption is one of the leading
causes of death and injury among teenagers. Experts say the number
one deterrent to underage drinking is having parents who talk to
their teens about the dangers. Call 1-800-729-6686 for tips on how
to get the conversation started. Also, read more about our other programs:
Kelly Bear to the Rescue | At-Risk Tutorial Program | Smoke, Choke and Eventually Croak | Think, Don't Drink! | Too Good for Drugs and Violence | Marijuana: Myths & Facts | Youth Empowerment Program | Community Resource Center | Speakers Bureau | Red Ribbon Rally
And read more about... |
|
|
