1,600 Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking Scheduled

Source: Jointogether.org News Summary, 3/25/08

The federal government is cosponsoring a series of more than 1,600 town-hall meetings nationwide in March and April focused on the problem of underage drinking.

The first meeting was held on March 24 in Riverton, Wyo., and was attended by Acting U.S. Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, Wyoming first lady Nancy Freudenthal, and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo). The meetings are being sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Federal Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention of Underage Drinking, and state and local leaders.

The intent of the meetings is to raise awareness of the dangers of underage drinking and educate parents, community leaders and others on how to combat the problem locally. Attendees will include public officials, parents, youths, community leaders, law-enforcement officials, highway-safety experts, alcohol-control officers, and business leaders.

“This problem is not going away on its own,” said Galson. “Only by working together can we make a difference.”

More information about the town hall meetings — which will be held in all 50 states — can be found online at www.stopalcoholabuse.gov or by calling 1-877-SAMHSA7.

Click here to see events in Colorado.

ONDCP to debut first teen Rx drug campaign during Super Bowl

Source: ONDCP Press Release, 01/24/08
ONDCP LAUNCHES FIRST MAJOR INITIATIVE TO COMBAT TEEN PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE : New Ad Campaign Debuts During Super Bowl
(Washington, D.C.)—The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is launching its first major Federal effort to educate parents about teen prescription drug abuse. This national public awareness campaign will begin with advertising during this year’s Super Bowl, and is ONDCP’s first paid TV advertising targeting parents in nearly two years. The effort includes broadcast, print, and online advertising, community outreach, and new print and online resources to help parents and communities combat the troubling trend of teen prescription drug abuse. The Administration will leverage $14 million to generate nearly $30 million in advertising. The ads were made in collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (The Partnership), with pro bono creative provided by Draftfcb New York.
Read the rest of the Press Release
Access report “Prescription for Danger: A Report on Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Abuse Among the Nation’s Teens.”

NIDA Library Shuts Down

A sad story during National Library Week:

Source: JoinTogether.org News Summary, 4/4/2007
The National Institute on Drug Abuse <http://www.nida.nih.gov/> (NIDA) library, which contained up to 12,000 journal volumes and 8,000 books, has been shut down due to budget cuts, SALIS News reported in its Winter 2007 issue.

The library primarily served NIDA’s 400-person staff but also archived many historic documents, including every research article published by program staff since the original Addiction Research Center (ARC) was founded in Lexington, Ky., in 1935, and the minutes of every Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence meeting held since 1929.

Children of Alcoholics Week is Feb. 12-18

The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) and its affiliates promote Children of Alcoholics Week 2006 from Sunday, February 12, through Saturday, February 18. The theme of this public awareness campaign, “A Celebration of Hope and Healing,” offers the potential for resilience in children of alcoholics if caring adults support the well-being of all children, but especially those who struggle with alcohol or drug addiction in their families. NACoA envisions a society in which these vulnerable children are encouraged to seek help and have access to adults who can help them.

Visit NACoA online at: www.nacoa.org.

Colorado residents can order free materials concerned with families and addictions as well as resources to support your Children of Alcoholics week activities by visiting our online RADAR Clearinghouse store.

SAMHSA Webcast: Recovery and the Military: Treating Veterans and their Families

Just in time for our February focus, SAMHSA is premiering a webcast that examines the availability of and options for alcohol and drug addiction treatment for veterans and their families.

The show also addresses current trends and prevalence of substance use disorders among veterans and will shed light on current addiction treatment issues facing veterans and their families.

For more information visit:
http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2006/multimedia/w.aspx?ID=470