Montgomery, Ala. – The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) celebrates and supports the annual National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW®), along with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). The weeklong observance, held March 22 – March 28, 2021, is designed to bring teens and scientific experts together to discuss the scientific facts about drugs, as well as potential health effects on teen bodies and brains.
During the week, students are able to participate in programs hosted virtually by community providers to “Shatter the Myths” and counteract the falsehoods about drugs and alcohol teens may receive from the internet, social media, television, movies, music, or from friends. Launched in 2010 by scientists at the NIDA, the week was created to stimulate educational events in communities, so teens can learn what science has taught about drug use and addiction.
“National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week gives an opportunity to encourage teens around the country to ask their most wanted questions about drugs, alcohol, and its addictive effects,” said ADMH Prevention Services Director, Beverly Johnson. “In addition, we also provide resources on how to help friends or a family member that may have a substance use disorder.”
Currently, ADMH has 22 Certified Prevention Providers that offer prevention activities aligned with the Centers for Substance Abuse and Prevention strategies including Alternative, Community Based Process, Education, Environmental, Information Dissemination, and Problem Identification and Referral. Through these strategies, many providers implement and participate in prescription drug takeback events, health fairs, media campaigns, and various other national observance activities.
Join ADMH and help teens get the facts about drugs and alcohol. ADMH’s Office of Prevention will host the following activities during NDAW:
- Monday, March 22 – Watch the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week video View at: https://youtu.be/Pfq35N1146A
- Tuesday, March 23 – Underage Drinking and Alcohol Misuse National Drugs & Alcohol IQ Challenge – Test your knowledge by taking the interactive National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge quiz! https://teens.drugabuse.gov/quiz/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week/take-iq-challenge/2021
- Wednesday, March 24 – Dangers of Marijuana Use (Facts Sheet) –View at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana
- Thursday, March 25 – Coping with COVID-19 and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Nora Volkow, the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in the United States, joined AMI-Quebec to discusses the challenges faced by those in recovery or struggling with addiction and NIH research dedicated to understanding SUD-related health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. View at: https://youtu.be/iEF6g83EOTI and NDAFW Word Search View at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BTTZp9Hwx7nSSe0n_wpEEYCKeqJVrpCM/view?usp=sharing
- Friday, March 26 – Keeping Prescriptions Safe: The Facts About Prescription Drug Use – Kahoot! Game The National Institute on Drug Abuse invites you to test your knowledge on how drugs and alcohol affect young people’s brains and bodies. Join at: https://create.kahoot.it/pages/test/dea33ab0-584e-4ed0-9464-5a1ec01b22aa?_=1584372908
For more information about the listed events coordinated by the Office of Prevention contact Satavia Mann at 334-353-7372. More resources can be found at Resources to Help Your Patients with SUD During the COVID-19 Pandemic | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)