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National Drug Facts Week
Community Connections wants to separate fact from fiction this week.
Some teenagers think that everyone is drinking or using.
As KNOP found out, that's just not the case.
When it comes to alcohol and drug use, teens may be getting a mixed message, but hopefully not this week.
"Monday, January 28th, through Sunday, February 3rd, is the third annual National Drug Facts Week. Basically, it's a week to encourage teens,
parents, anyone in the community to learn about the scientific facts behind alcohol and drug use,” said Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Lauren Henry.
The initiative is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse who has posted hard evidence of the dangers of teen alcohol and drug use on their website at drugabuse.gov.
But, locally, there are some promising statistics.
"One thing that is really important, especially with teens, and when you're talking about alcohol or drug use is we have a tendency to say that it's something that everybody's doing, everybody's trying alcohol and experimenting and that's part of being a teenager,” Henry said.
In reality, 34% of Lincoln County high school seniors: never tried alcohol in their lifetimes.
The 2010 survey also found that 48% had never tried tobacco or marijuana.
And those numbers are even higher when looking at the previous thirty days.
68% had not used alcohol in past 30 days, 70% had not tobacco product, and 86% had not used marijuana.
These numbers help Community Connections know where to target efforts.
"But it's also just as important for us to celebrate the number of students who aren't using. Students who report not using alcohol or other drugs should be congratulated and celebrated for making these positive choices,” said Henry.
Henry encourages these wise teens to talk to their friends about their decisions.
They might be surprised at the response.
http://www.knopnews2.com/index.php?...m&id=6945:national-drug-facts-week&Itemid=105
Community Connections wants to separate fact from fiction this week.
Some teenagers think that everyone is drinking or using.
As KNOP found out, that's just not the case.
When it comes to alcohol and drug use, teens may be getting a mixed message, but hopefully not this week.
"Monday, January 28th, through Sunday, February 3rd, is the third annual National Drug Facts Week. Basically, it's a week to encourage teens,
parents, anyone in the community to learn about the scientific facts behind alcohol and drug use,” said Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, Lauren Henry.
The initiative is sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse who has posted hard evidence of the dangers of teen alcohol and drug use on their website at drugabuse.gov.
But, locally, there are some promising statistics.
"One thing that is really important, especially with teens, and when you're talking about alcohol or drug use is we have a tendency to say that it's something that everybody's doing, everybody's trying alcohol and experimenting and that's part of being a teenager,” Henry said.
In reality, 34% of Lincoln County high school seniors: never tried alcohol in their lifetimes.
The 2010 survey also found that 48% had never tried tobacco or marijuana.
And those numbers are even higher when looking at the previous thirty days.
68% had not used alcohol in past 30 days, 70% had not tobacco product, and 86% had not used marijuana.
These numbers help Community Connections know where to target efforts.
"But it's also just as important for us to celebrate the number of students who aren't using. Students who report not using alcohol or other drugs should be congratulated and celebrated for making these positive choices,” said Henry.
Henry encourages these wise teens to talk to their friends about their decisions.
They might be surprised at the response.
http://www.knopnews2.com/index.php?...m&id=6945:national-drug-facts-week&Itemid=105
