National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week

SSCYE invites you to participate in

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, Jan. 25 - 31

Help educate young people about the effects and consequences of drug and alcohol use by taking part in National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week. Hosted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Drug Facts Week takes place from Jan. 26 to 31.

In its sixth year, National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week was developed by NIDA to educate teens with science-based facts about the effects and consequences that drugs have on the brain, body, and behavior. By bringing young adults and scientific experts together with a common goal, National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week aims to shatter the myths and empower teens with the knowledge to make positive choices.

Join hundreds of participants across the country, and tens of organizations and school districts in Southern Saratoga County, by getting the facts out about the risks of youth drug use.  Consider working with local youth, schools, and prevention coalitions to organize an educational event or activity for teens that delivers real, factual information about drugs and drug abuse.

Here’s how you can take part:

• Use your social media accounts to share information with your followers using the tweets provided below.  Be sure to give a “shout-out” to the Southern Saratoga County Youth Empowerment (SSCYE) Partnership by using our twitter handle, @SSCYE1.

• Plan an educational event for your community using NIDA’s step-by-step toolkit and free educational materials. More information here:  https://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week

• Register here https://www.nidachat.org/register.aspx for the Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 26^th from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., or take the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge Quiz https://teens.drugabuse.gov/quiz/national-drug-facts-week/take-iq-challenge/2015

SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING

Marijuana

1. A study showed people 13-38 who used marijuana regularly from teen to adulthood had a significant drop in IQ even if they quit #drugfacts
2. Marijuana use more than doubles a driver’s risk of being in an accident. #drugfacts
3. Early marijuana use can increase the risk of psychosis, a mental disorder where delusions and hallucinations are common symptoms #drugfacts
4. Is Marijuana addicting? 1 in 11 youth who smoke marijuana seek treatment. #drugfacts
5. THC in marijuana, deadens neurons in the part of the brain that’s in charge of short-term memory #drugfacts

 

Alcohol

1. About 5,000 people under 21 die each year from injuries caused by underage drinking #drugfacts
2. More than 4 in 10 people who begin drinking before age 15 eventually become alcoholics #drugfacts
3. Teens who drink heavily are 3 times more likely to try to hurt themselves than those who don’t. #drugfacts
    
   Prescription Drugs

1. In 2007, prescription pain meds were involved in more overdose deaths than heroin and cocaine combined #drugfacts
2. Half of the young people who injected heroin in 3 recent studies started out abusing prescription drugs first #drugfacts
3. Students who abuse Adderall are 9x more likely to use cocaine #drugfacts
    
   Tobacco

1. Most people who start smoking in their teens become regular smokers before they’re 18 #drugfacts
2. 1 in 3 youth smokers will eventually die from a tobacco related disease #drugfacts
3. There are 69 human and animal carcinogens in tobacco smoke #drugfacts
4. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death causing almost half a million deaths each year, many from cancer #drugfacts

 

General

1. The 3 drugs most often mentioned in ER visits related to drug use are cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs #drugfacts
2. The drugs with the highest risk for addiction are heroin, cigarettes, and cocaine #drugfacts