Alcohol awareness is important

April is Alcohol Awareness Month, an observance founded and sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) in 1987. This year�s theme is �Changing Attitudes: It�s not a �rite of passage.��

No other substance is more widely used and abused by America�s youth than alcohol, making alcoholism and alcohol-related problems a critical public health issue in the United States. Parents often forgive underage drinking and accept it as a �rite of passage,� especially surrounding popular teen events like prom. While one can hope youth will simply �make the right choices,� this is not always the case and can lead to tragic consequences.

The Southeast Prevention Resource Center along with NCADD want to raise awareness of the issues underage drinking can cause and urge parents, teachers and mentors of all types to talk to their children about alcohol misuse. Doing so will help them take an active role in learning about alcohol and develop a better understanding of how their choices not only affect their lives but those around them.

For more information, visit www.NCADD.org or the PRC at www.semo.edu/preventionresourcecenter/. Together, we can build a safer, healthier tomorrow.

Dr. Jeremy Barnes, Cassie Talley, Landon Robert, Josh Tomlin, Nikki Wolfe

Southeast Prevention Resource Center