National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

Teenagers have joined forces with other teens and scientists across the United States as part of “National Drug & Alcohol Facts WeekSM” (NDAFW). The week-long health observance, organized by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health, takes place Monday, January 25th through Sunday, January 31st. NDAFW celebrates the inquisitive minds of teens by giving them a space (virtual or physical) to ask questions about drugs and alcohol and to get scientific answers from experts.

About a third of high school seniors across the country report using an illicit drug sometime in the past year, and more than ten percent report nonmedical use of a narcotic painkiller. While drugs can put a teenager’s health and life in jeopardy, many teens are not aware of the risks. Even for those teens who do not abuse drugs, many have friends or family who do, and they are often looking for ways to help them.

In Montana, alcohol remains the drug of choice for youth. The 2014 Montana Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) revealed that 51.1% of 12th graders had used alcohol, and 23.4% of 12th graders had used marijuana within the past 30 days. Each of these figures are in increase from the previous PNA report in 2012. In addition, the PNA covers narcotic prescription drugs, such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet and Codeine, where it was found that 0.8%, 3.4%, and 3.9% of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders respectively had used drugs such as these without a physician’s orders in the last 30 days.

“We want teens to have the opportunity to learn what science has taught us about drug abuse, alcohol, and addiction,” said Vicki Turner, Director of the Prevention Resource Center. “There are so many myths about drugs and alcohol cluttering our popular culture. National Drug & Alcohol Facts WeekSM is for teens to get honest answers about drugs so they can make good, informed decisions for themselves and share accurate information with friends.”

The website hosts interactive activities, videos and a blog teaching guide. Additionally, there are publications available for download, promotional resources and drug-specific toolkits. You can take the National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge or see the latest news and highlights as well as download statistics and infographics. The annual online live chat held between teens and NIDA scientists is scheduled for January 26th and you may logon now to register for the chat.

http://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week

http://prevention.mt.gov/

http://parentpower.mt.gov/