April is National Alcohol Awareness Month
National Alcohol Awareness Month is observed annually in April to increase public awareness about alcohol use disorder and the adverse impacts of alcohol misuse on individuals, families, and communities.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use. This includes alcohol-related deaths from chronic conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, and liver disease, as well as alcohol-related deaths from binge drinking or drinking too much on one occasion, including vehicle crashes and alcohol poisonings. Alcohol remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in the U.S.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General published an advisory, Alcohol and Cancer Risk, recognizing the link between alcohol consumption and increased risk for at least seven different types of cancer - mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, colon and rectum. Shareable resources are available to help spread the word!
Alcohol Awareness Toolkit: #ProofIsInTheNumbers
In honor of National Alcohol Awareness Month, the Northwest Prevention Technology Transfer Center launched an alcohol awareness toolkit, #ProofIsInTheNumbers, to raise awareness about alcohol-related harms and the importance of alcohol policies. The toolkit includes weekly themed social media shareables, a policy analysis worksheet, legislator letter templates, and more!
Additional resources
Interested in expanding your knowledge or sharing additional resources? Check out these virtual alcohol education and awareness resources:
- Rethinking Drinking provides evidence-based information about alcohol and health, along with tips, tools, and resources for those who want to cut down on or quit drinking. Check out the calculators page to learn how much alcohol is really in your drink!
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Alcohol Awareness Month toolkit includes four unique social media post graphics with multiple post copy options for each. The toolkit includes information about resources, treatment and support, signs of alcohol misuse, and underage drinking.
- Start Talking Now is Washington's underage substance use prevention campaign for parents/caregivers. Visit the campaign website for helpful tips on talking to youth about substance use or check out the partner toolkit (Password: StartTheConversation) to access resources.
- Not a Moment Wasted is Washington's underage drinking and substance misuse prevention campaign for young adults. The campaign website encourages healthy choices and provides information about the health impacts associated with alcohol and cannabis use. A partner toolkit (Password: HealthyinCollegeWA) is also available for this campaign.
- Focus On is the Washington State Health Care Authority's underage drinking prevention campaign for youth. The campaign encourages youth to focus on what matters - their future, their friends, and what brings them joy - instead of underage drinking. The campaign website educates about the risks associated with underage drinking and helps teens develop refusal skills and feel empowered to stand firm in their decision to remain substance-free. Follow Focus On on Instagram or access the partner toolkit (Password: FocusOnYou) to download resources and shareable social media content!