On January 22-28, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse will be hosting their annual National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW)! Taking part in National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week is a great opportunity for your local health department to reach teens and shatter the myths about drug abuse through science based facts.
Every day, teens are presented with conflicting messages from a variety of sources such as the internet, social media, movies, and friends. This misinformation about drug use can lead to a sense of confusion about who to ask for facts. With 2.3 million young people (ages 12-17) reporting drinking alcohol in the past month, and 45% of U.S. teens reporting trying marijuana at least once by high school graduation, it is crucial to provide teens with resources to understand the serious consequences of drug and alcohol misuse.
Want to get your local health department involved? There are plenty of ways to take part in National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, including the following:
- Plan a local NDAFW event and promote it by registering online
- Provide the Drugs: Shatter the Myths booklet, and other resources, to teens for free
- Find out how much you know by taking the National Drug IQ Challenge, and encourage other to do the same!
- Promote facts from NDAFW and your events on social media using the hashtag #drugfacts
For more ideas, the latest news, and a list of registered local NDAFW events near you, take a quick look at the National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week website at https://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week.
