By Diane Braun, Jan. 22, 2019 –
When asked which of these is a symptom of alcohol overdose, which would you choose?
- Irregular breathing B.) Confusion C.) Vomiting D.) All of these.
The answer is D, all of these.
January 22-27 is National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW). The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has been sponsoring National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week since 2010 to educate youth and shatter the myths about substance use and addiction.
NDAFW happens every year in January and is a week-long series of educational events that link teens with scientific experts. Since its inception, NDAFW has continued to grow, with more than 2100 events held throughout 50 states and 35 countries last year. Activities focus on general drug use or on specific trends of concern in individual communities.
NIDA has produced a wide variety of resources for organizers of events and promotional activities, including resources for parents and educators. Classroom activities specific to the week and other year-round lessons on drugs and alcohol, including lesson plans, are available on the NDAFW website.
Free booklets with science-based facts about drugs and alcohol are available and include NIDA’s most in-demand teen publications. New this year is the “Opioids: Facts for Teens” booklet.
An on-line chat with National Institute of Health scientists and science writers is available on Thursday, January 24 from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. Teens in schools around the country can submit substance use questions in an anonymous forum. Registration is available on the NDAFW website. In previous years, more than 50 schools participated with more than 10,000 questions submitted.
Youth can be curious about substances they see and hear about on social media. Misperceptions can happen when they only follow certain views. Making sure your child’s questions are answered is vital to keeping them safe.
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids recommends:
- Always keep conversations open and honest.
- Come from a place of love, even when you’re having tough conversations.
- Balance positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement.
- Keep in mind that teachable moments come up all of the time — be mindful of natural places for the conversation to go in order to broach the topic of drugs and alcohol.
Take this opportunity to educate yourself and your child about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Begin a dialogue so they will feel free to come to you with any future questions or concerns.