Guest Post: April is Alcohol Awareness Month by Rebecca Rouse

The spring semester is down to the wire and we are all anxious to get outside and start enjoying the warmer temperatures. How will you spend your time? Did you know that April is Alcohol Awareness Month? Many communities and organizations plan events to sponsor Alcohol Awareness during the month of April. These events began in 1987 when the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) started its sponsorship of the first Alcohol Awareness month. Alcohol awareness month highlights events, which focus on raising awareness and prevention of underage drinking and alcohol abuse (NCADD, n.d).

How Can I Make A Difference?
Raise your personal awareness of alcohol abuse and how it impacts individuals, families and communities. According to collegedrinkingprevention.gov (2013),  over 1800 18-24 year old students attending college will die from an alcohol related incident, over half a million will fall victim to assaults as well as more than 3 million 18-24 year old students will drive under the influence.

How Can I Help Others?
Use the month of April to raise awareness among your family and friends through popular social media outlets; such as, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to spread the word about Alcohol Awareness Month (healthfinder.gov, 2013). Additionally, healhfinder.gov (2013) suggest the following tips:

1.    Partner with a local high school or youth organization to host an event about alcohol abuse prevention.
2.    Host an alcohol-free community block party to show how much fun can be had without drinking. Invite local restaurants and a local radio station to provide free food and music.
3.    On April 11, National Alcohol Screening Day, partner with a local health clinic to offer free or low-cost screenings for alcohol abuse.
4.    Partner with your local police station and host a Family Information Night. Share free information on preventing alcohol abuse and provide demonstrations. For example, use drinking goggles to show how drinking too much can affect vision.
5.    Post information on bulletin boards at local community centers, places of worship, the library, and post office.

Where Can I Find More Information?
The following websites provide the tools you are your organization need to plan, promote an Alcohol Awareness event. Additionally, if you or someone you know is drinking beyond what is considered the recommend limits, please contact your local health provider or Alcoholics Anonymous.

http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#excessivealcohol

http://collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/snapshot.aspx

http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/OtherAlcoholInformation/Summerfactsheet_May2012.pdf

http://www.healthfinder.gov/NHO/AprAnnounce.aspx

http://www.healthfinder.gov/NHO/PDFs/AprilNHOToolkit.pdf

http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/programs-a-services/alcohol-awareness-month  



References
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved     from http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm#excessivealcohol

College Drinking Changing the Culture (2013). A snapshot of annual high-risk college
    drinking consequences. Retrieved from
    http://collegedrinkingprevention.gov/StatsSummaries/snapshot.aspx

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.(n.d.) Alcohol Awareness
    Month. Retrieved from
    http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/programs-services/alcoholawareness-month

National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (2012). Risky drinking can put a chill on   your summer fun. Retrieved from
    http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/OtherAlcoholInformation/Summerfactsheet_  
    May2012.pdf

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013). Alcohol Awareness Month. Retrieved
    from http://www.healthfinder.gov/NHO/AprAnnounce.aspx

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013). Alcohol Awareness Month Toolkit.
    Retrieved from http://www.healthfinder.gov/NHO/PDFs/AprilNHOToolkit.pdf

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Alcohol Awareness Month: Interview with Sonia Redwine, Assistant Director of Health Education

Rebecca Rouse is a 2nd year TWU Health Studies doctoral student focusing on higher education. She received her BS and MS in Health Promotion from Texas A&M University-Commerce. Currently, she is the Assistant Executive Director for the Commerce Housing Authority as well as an adjunct instructor in the Health and Human Performance Department of Texas A&M University-Commerce.