By Alexandra Duff, Talbot County Health Department Prevention Supervisor
Near the kick-off of summer, National Prevention Week (NPW) runs May 13-19 – the perfect time for communities to come together and rally around prevention. The week is a SAMHSA-sponsored annual health observance that helps raise awareness about the importance of preventing substance use.
Everyone can take part in NPW. This year’s theme is “Action Today. Healthier Tomorrow.” This theme is intended to remind us that simple, daily acts of prevention – like helping a friend make positive choices – can lead to healthier lives for us all.
Here at the Talbot County Health Department Prevention Office, we support our community and our youth in making positive choices when it comes to drug and alcohol use. Most teens don’t use illegal drugs or alcohol – instead, they focus on their futures, schools, hobbies, families, etc. You can participate in NPW by spreading the word that most teens make healthy choices and by encouraging others to think twice about taking risks with their health and safety.
The longer children can delay drinking and drug use, the less likely they are to develop problems. Parents can make a difference – that’s why it is so important to help your child connect the dots and make smart decisions.
To learn more about how to prevent alcohol and other drug use or abuse in your child, contact Alexandra Duff, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Prevention Supervisor at Talbot County Health Department, at 410-819-5600.
The Talbot County Health Department Prevention Office helps community groups, agencies and individuals in providing programs and activities to prevent alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse, and to build a healthier community. Resources include parenting skills, video and resource loan library, awareness campaigns and educational workshops.
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Editor’s Note:
National Prevention Week is an annual health observance dedicated to increasing public awareness of, and action around, substance abuse and mental health issues.
From the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Web site:
National Prevention Week is held each year during the third week of May—near the start of summer, an important time for school, communities, and prevention professionals to re-focus on prevention! Adolescents and full-time college students most often use substances for the first time during June or July, according to SAMHSA National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data on adolescents and NSDUH data on full-time college students.