With the harm reduction approach to substance use, this can cultivate a safer environment for consumption, encourage using drugs safely, and can minimize the shame one may feel for using a substance. It can help people that have addictions cut back in a more managed way, instead of going “cold turkey” which 5 expert tips to quit benzos for good fhe health for some can be life threatening. Harm reduction can help one that is struggling get to a path of complete sobriety if one chooses to utilize this route. „One way to help during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) is for parents to start a conversation with their child about drugs and health.”
The value and importance of working with our NIDA colleagues to provide accurate information about how alcohol and drugs affect the brains and bodies of young people is critical,” said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D. All approved events will be displayed on the Events Map within 2 weeks of submitting the registration form. Tweet, blog, or update your Facebook status to help spread the word about your NDAFW event. Share information with your family and friends that will inspire dialogue about preventing youth drug and alcohol use.
Please send an email to with information about your event, the dates, and any questions you may have. Education on substance abuse is vital in working to reduce the number of people who struggle with substance abuse. It is important to consider factors that may increase one’s likelihood of abusing substances. In some environments, substance use may be normalized, making it difficult for one to even recognize they may have an issue with it.
History on Youth Education on Drug and Alcohol abuse and Current Interventions
NIDA will host a Tweetstorm to raise awareness for NDAFW on Monday, March 30, from 3 to 4 p.m. Students and organizations can participate by tweeting about drug and alcohol education and using the hashtag #NDAFW during that hour. EDT, NIDA will host a Twitter Trivia Challenge in collaboration with Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD). Anyone can test their knowledge by following the hashtag #NDAFW and answering multiple-choice questions about drugs and alcohol. NDAFW is a week of educational events that annually brings together teens and scientific experts to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about substance use and addiction.
- Education on alcohol and drugs is necessary from an early age, but the conversation cannot stop there.
- Although this week is specifically used to talk about the facts surrounding drug and alcohol use and prevention strategies, it takes more than one week of the year for change to be made.
- With the harm reduction approach to substance use, this can cultivate a safer environment for consumption, encourage using drugs safely, and can minimize the shame one may feel for using a substance.
- Participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) and help share facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in your community.
Since its inception in 2010, NDAFW has continued to grow, with planners organizing nearly 2,000 events in all 50 states and in 20 countries last year. Due to COVID-19, many NDAFW local events may be cancelled, rescheduled, or adjusted to a virtual/remote activity. It is important to educate youth fentanyl detox guide not only on the dangers of substance use, but also provide an environment that is supportive in having uncomfortable conversations around drugs and alcohol. In an ideal world, it would be enough to encourage and educate the youth to not use substances and to not let peer pressure get to them.
If we bury our heads in the sand and pretend that this alone will prevent substance abuse, the statistics will only increase. If kids fear being crucified if they are caught using substances, they will go to more extreme measures to hide their use. This could lead to individuals getting drugs or alcohol from the black market and places that mix in other drugs that can be fatal if consumed such as fentanyl. Although this week is specifically used to talk about the facts surrounding drug and alcohol use and prevention strategies, it takes more than one week of the year for change to be made.
Teens that are interested in hosting events must partner with an adult who meets this criterion (including your parents!). NDAFW is supported by many partners, including federal agencies such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Office of Safe and Healthy Students in the U.S. Additionally, here at Clarity Clinic, we have resources and trained clinicians who are ready to help, including psychiatrists and therapists. We also have an Early Recovery Group that provides safe environments to provide support for individuals who may be looking to begin seeking treatment. Throughout the years, a variety of initiatives and campaigns have taken place to educate children and adolescents on alcohol and drug use. The D.A.R.E. program, an initiative to get children to “say no to drugs”, took place in schools from the early 80’s until 2009.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week celebrates 10 years
Education on alcohol and drugs is necessary from an early age, but the conversation cannot stop there. It is important to be aware of the potential signs of alcohol and drug abuse throughout ones lifetime. National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW), an annual health observance, connects youth with resources about drugs, alcohol, and related health topics.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®, or NDAFW, is an annual health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. It provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance the science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. It was launched in 2010 by scientists at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to stimulate educational events in communities so teens can learn what science has taught us about drug use and addiction. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism became a partner in 2016, and alcohol has been added as a topic area for the week. NIDA and NIAAA are part of the National Institutes of Health, and work with leading organizations, media outlets, and other Government agencies to spread the word about NDAFW.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW)
NDAFW is supported by many partners, including federal agencies such as the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy; the Office of Safe and Healthy Students in the U.S. Department of Education; the Health Resources & Services Administration and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and the Drug Enforcement Administration in the U.S. During National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® and year round, teens can test their knowledge about drugs, alcohol, and drug use by taking the interactive National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge quiz.
National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) marks its 10th anniversary March 30 through April 5, 2020, encouraging communities around the country to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about substance use and addiction. NDAFW is a joint initiative of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which are both part of the National Institutes of Health. Check out events already registered on our NDAFW Map to see who is hosting an event in your area. Stay up to date on National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® by following @NIDAnews and @NIAAAnews on Twitter or join the conversation by using the hashtag #NDAFW.
We understand it may not be possible for some event planners to hold events during the week of NDAFW. Registered activities held any time in the same month as the week of NDAFW can be recognized as NDAFW events. Make sure to register your event, have it listed on the Events Map, or promote it as an NDAFW event.
Related Events
In this program, police officers would come into school to educate students on different types of drugs and encourage them to say no if they encountered them. This campaign ended up being counterproductive, due to law enforcements no tolerance policy to drugs, leading many children to take no action at all. Mar. 14—Clayton Tselee Jr., prevention specialist with Neighbors Building Neighborhoods, answers five questions about National Alcohol and cannabis marijuana national institute on drug abuse nida Drugs Facts Week. March 23, 2020—National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) marks its 10th anniversary March 30 through April 5, 2020, encouraging communities around the country to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about substance use and addiction. NDAFW is a joint initiative of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which are both part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) and help share facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in your community. NDAFW is an annual health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. NDAFW provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance the science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. Sign up for NDAFW email updates below, and find lots of great resources for planning and promoting your very own NDAFW event. NDAFW is an annual, week-long observance in which local educational events link teens with science-based facts about drugs and alcohol through live and online activities across the country.