ATLANTA‚ GA - Underage drinking in Georgia leads to substantial harm due to traffic crashes, violent crime, property crime, unintentional injury, and risky sexual behavior. This April, which is Alcohol Awareness Month, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs (TCAD) encourages you to take time to educate yourself, your friends and loved ones about the dangers of drinking. In Georgia alone there were 277 alcohol-related fatalities in 2011 contributing to 23% of all roadway fatalities. Young, inexperienced drivers, ages 16-24, have a higher rate of crashes, injuries, and fatalities than drivers over age 24. To spread the word and prevent alcohol abuse among our youth, The Council on Alcohol and Drugs is joining other organizations across the country to highlight Alcohol Awareness Month and prevent alcohol abuse in our communities.

Alcohol Awareness Month, founded and sponsored by The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) in 1987, is a national grassroots effort observed by communities throughout the United States to support alcohol-related prevention, research, education, intervention, treatment as well as recovery from alcoholism. This April, GOCF, NCADD and TCAD highlight the important public health issue of underage drinking, a problem with devastating individual, family, and community consequences. With this year’s theme being “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” the month of April will be filled with local, state, and national events aimed at raising awareness and encouraging individuals and families to talk about this issue.

Youth who drink before age 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol problems as adults. To combat the early onset of alcohol use, parents can use this time to speak with their children about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking. Research shows that parents establishing a strong positive relationship with their child in the early, formative years is one of the best predictors that the child will be able to avoid alcohol and other drug problems. Establishing a strong pattern of communication now between you and your child will be of great value down the road.

The Governor’s Office for Children and Families and The Council on Alcohol and Drugs want parents to know that with your help progress is being made towards preventing underage drinking in our communities. Alcohol Awareness Month offers community members an opportunity to work together to raise awareness and understanding about the negative consequences of alcohol, and to take action in protecting our children. To join us in providing “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow” in Georgia, visit http://www.stopalcoholunder21.org/

For more information, please contact Kay M. Manning, LCSW, MAC at The Council on Alcohol and Drugs at [email protected] or at (770) 725-1837.

Contact:
Kay M. Manning, LCSW, MAC
Associate Director of Prevention/Intervention
The Council on Alcohol and Drugs
Phone: (770) 725-1837
Email: [email protected]
http://www.livedrugfree.org/