National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (March 22-28,2021) is an annual, week-long health observance that aims to inspire dialogue about the science of drug use and awareness of addiction among youth. This is the 11th year the National Institutes of Drug Abuse, which is a federal agency serving as part of the National Institutes of Health, has sparked conversations for this observance.
Through a variety of free resources and events, the NIDA and NIH deliver information to improve the overall health and well-being of our communities across the country. Healthcare providers, scientists, students, educators, and community members partner to improve prevention and awareness of drug and alcohol abuse.
If teens and adolescents are provided with accurate, science-based information about drugs and alcohol, they may gain a better understanding of the short and long-term effects these substances can have on their lives. Below are a few facts about drug and alcohol use here in Alabama and nationwide:
- The current drug overdose rate in the state of Alabama is 16.3 (per 100,000).
- Excessive alcohol use leads to more than 95,000 deaths each year in the United States.
- The CDC estimates 37 million U.S. adults –– or 1 in 6 –– binge drink about once a week, consuming an average of 7 drinks per binge.
- Every day, about 1,600 people under the age of 18 try their first cigarette, and nearly 200 of them become daily cigarette smokers.
- Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths annually, including 41,000 deaths attributed to complications from secondhand smoke.
UAB Medicine offers both inpatient residential and outpatient programs that assess and treat alcohol and substance dependence.
Beacon Recovery is a UAB-Medicine affiliated outpatient substance-abuse treatment program for adults and adolescents ages 13-18. This comprehensive program offers a wide range of services tailored to meet the individual needs and recovery goals of each patient.
For more information about the services offered at Beacon Recovery, visit https://uabmedicine-develop.go-vip.net/uabmedicine/beaconrecovery
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