April Marks 27th Alcohol Awareness Month

Waukesha, WI. Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues. This year highlights the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family and community consequences. The theme for 2013 is “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.” “We would like to thank Claudia Roska and our NCADD Affiliate, the Addiction Resource Council in Waukesha, WI for their recommendation of the theme that was selected as the winner by all NCADD Affiliates from among a number of excellent suggestions,” said Robert Lindsay, President/CEO of NCADD.

Alcohol use by young people is extremely dangerous—both to themselves and to society, and is directly associated with traffic fatalities, violence, suicide,
educational failure, alcohol overdose, unsafe sex and other problem behaviors.
Annually, over 6,500 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related
injuries and thousands more are injured.

Additionally:

• Alcohol is the number one drug of choice for America’s young people, and is more likely to kill young people than all illegal drugs combined.
• Each day, 7,000 kids in the United States under the age of 16 take their first
  drink. Those who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin at age 21.
• More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—about 4.65 a day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries.
• 25% of U.S. children are exposed to alcohol-use disorders in their family.
• Underage alcohol use costs the nation an estimated $62 billion annually.

Reducing underage drinking is critical to securing a healthy future for America’s youth and requires a cooperative effort from parents, schools, community
organizations, business leaders, government agencies, the entertainment industry, alcohol manufacturers/retailers and young people.

An integral part of Alcohol Awareness Month is Alcohol-Free Weekend. This event takes place annually on the first weekend of April (April 5-7, 2013) to raise public awareness about the use of alcohol and how it may be affecting individuals, families, businesses and our communities.

“Underage drinking is a complex issue,” says Lindsey, “one that can only be solved through a sustained and cooperative effort. As a nation, we need to wake up to the reality that for some, alcoholism and addiction develop at a young age and that intervention, treatment, and recovery support are essential for them and
their families,” says Lindsey. “We can’t afford to wait any longer.”

During Alcohol-Free Weekend, the Addiction Resource Council extends an open invitation to all Wisconsinites to engage in three alcohol-free days. It provides an excellent opportunity for parents to discuss expectations about alcohol use and what is low-risk use. Any individual or family member who finds it difficult to get through the 72-hour abstinence period is urged to contact the Addiction Resource Council to learn more about alcoholism, its early symptoms and local resources for help.

For more information or for help for someone you know, contact the Addiction Resource Council at 262-524-7921, info@arcouncil.net or our 24-Hour Helpline at 262-524-7920.