Every April the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of the nation’s #1 public health problem: alcoholism.
Alcohol is the most used substance by youth and adults in the United States. According to the National Institute of Health’s 2020 Monitoring the Future Survey, 55.3% of high school seniors used alcohol in the past year. Results of Cambria County’s Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) 2019 report, demonstrated that the highest lifetime usage rates were seen in alcohol (44.8% of students in this county, compared to 41.0% at the state level). The 30-day use rate of alcohol reported by twelve graders was 40.7%, compared to 33.9% at the state level.
According to the Cambria County Drug & Alcohol Program’s prevention needs assessment, 30-day alcohol remains one of the prioritized youth problem behaviors in Cambria County. Parents are one of the most important influences in their child’s choice to experiment with alcohol and other drugs.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) “Talk. They Hear You.”® substance use prevention campaign helps parents and caregivers start talking to their children early about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs.
Check out these resources to help you start talking to your kids about the dangers of drinking alcohol and using other drugs at a young age.