National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week 2019

This year the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) will be January 22-27, 2019. Every year the NDAFW brings teens and scientific experts together to discuss the scientific facts about drugs, as well as their potential health effects on teen bodies and brains. Events are held throughout the country, with registrants getting free science based materials designed for young people. As in previous years, part of the week’s activities includes scientists and science writers answer questions from teens around the country during a live web chat called National Drugs and Alcohol Chat Day.

You can host an event in your community by following the online guide here. The guide includes information to successfully plan, promote and host a community outreach project for NDAFW.

Some of the drug and alcohol facts that NDAFW brings to light include:
• About 4 in 10 people who begin drinking before age 15 eventually become alcoholics.
• More people die from prescription pain reliever overdoses (like Vicodin and OxyContin) than from heroin and cocaine combined.
• Mixing pills with other drugs or with alcohol can increase your risk of death from accidental overdose.
• Marijuana is linked to lower grades, school failure, some mental illness and poorer quality of life.

For more information, visit https://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week.