SAFE GC Coalition: April is Alcohol Awareness Month

In 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) designated April as Alcohol Awareness Month. NCADD is an advocacy organization made up of individuals from the medical, scientific, political, and social fields who work together to overcome the stigma of alcoholism by increasing public understanding of the disease.

Alcohol-related problems continue to take a heavy toll on individuals, families, and communities. Researchers estimate that each year there are more than 178,000 alcohol-related deaths, making alcohol a leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

Alcohol is a significant factor in the deaths of people younger than age 21 in the United States. This includes deaths from motor vehicle crashes, homicides, alcohol overdoses, falls, burns, drownings, and suicides. Research indicates that alcohol misuse during the teenage years can interfere with normal adolescent brain development. Alcohol use during adolescence also significantly increases the risk of developing alcohol use disorder later in life, and the earlier a teen starts, the higher the risk. In addition, more than 200 diseases and injury-related conditions are associated with alcohol misuse.

Alcohol Awareness Month opens the conversation to talk to teens about drinking and to equip them with the knowledge to handle situations involving alcohol. Prom is around the corner. Even teens who would not normally be tempted to drink alcohol may be drawn in by certain social situations and require all the facts they need to resist peer pressure. Parents and trusted adults can play a meaningful role in shaping youth’s attitudes toward drinking.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the 2023 Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey compared to previous years indicated that alcohol use remained stable for 8th and 10th graders with 15.1% and 30.6% reporting use in the past year respectively, and declined for 12th graders, with 45.7% reporting use in the past year (compared to 51.9% in the previous year). Monitoring the Future (MTF) is one of the nation’s most relied upon scientific sources of valid information on trends of use by adolescents, college students, young adults, and adults up to age 60.

Research has shown that delaying the start of alcohol and substance use among youth, even by one year, can decrease use for the rest of their lives. This downward trend is positive, yet it remains crucial to continue to educate young people about the risks and harms of alcohol use through year-round prevention education, highlighting Alcohol Awareness during the month of April.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov.

The SAFE Glen Cove Coalition was formed in 2003 to change societal norms about alcohol and substance use. The Coalition is concerned about excessive alcohol use in youth and adults and seeks to educate the community about its negative effects on one’s health and wellness. The Glen Cove Police Department has been a longstanding member of the Coalition and works diligently to monitor alcohol sales to minors and provide prevention education to youth and adults about Social Host Law and its consequences throughout the year. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about Alcohol and its negative consequences please visit www.safeglencove.org.