New Online Program Gives Parents and Schools an Innovative Tool to Prevent Substance Use Among Youth
GAITHERSBURG, Md/PRNewswire/ -- National Institute For
Alcohol Recovery (NIFARŽ) is unveiling a new online program, Youth
Awareness, a practical tool to help concerned parents and educators
prevent teen alcohol and drug use. This endeavor is one of several new
programs launched by NIFAR, a progressive organization dedicated to
alcohol prevention and recovery programs for home use.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091229/DC30833LOGO)
Currently, alcohol use is widespread among youth. Surprisingly, 62%
of high school seniors report they have been drunk -- and 31% say they
have had five or more drinks in a row in the last two weeks[1].
Concurrently, each day young people are injured or fatally killed in
alcohol-related incidents. Further, a survey of female college students
found a significant relationship between the amount of reported weekly
drinking and experiences of sexual victimization[2].
Youth Awareness explains what alcohol and drugs are and how they can
impact a young person's future. The program is designed to be fun as
well as informative. "Today's teens don't want to be lectured. They
just want the info so they can make up their own minds", said Kamran
Loghman, Executive Director of NIFAR. Further, the program is available
at Nifar.com via high-speed streaming audio and downloads for an iPodŽ
or mp3 player -- a modern format kids know and love.
Youth Awareness has received the support of leading experts in
addiction medicine, including Dr. Devang Gandhi, a board-certified
physician in addiction medicine, and Dr. Thomas Goldbaum, a
board-certified cardiologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at
Georgetown University.
This program is being launched at a critical time. Alcohol addiction
is now the number one health problem in the U.S. and in more than forty
countries worldwide[2,3]. Sadly, underage drinking lays the foundation
for alcoholism and related health problems later in life, such as heart
disease, cancer, and brain damage. Even advanced brain imaging has
shown that kids who drink develop a smaller brain than those who do
not[4].
NIFAR seeks to reduce the social and economic impact of problem
drinking with Youth Awareness and other breakthrough programs in
alcohol recovery and family support. To learn more, please visit
www.nifar.com. Or contact Kamran Loghman, Executive Director, at nifar@nifar.org.
About Youth Awareness
This new, dynamic program was developed by substance abuse experts,
but it was designed by kids, for kids. It features two college-age
people struggling with the difficult choices and consequences of
drinking. The two interact in a playful way, with lively banter that
today's kids will find entertaining. Together, they present a positive
and eye-opening program with valuable information for kids and parents
alike. To learn more about Youth Awareness, alcohol addiction, or the
latest in alcohol recovery techniques please visit www.nifar.com.
About NIFARŽ
NIFAR is an organization of devoted recovery experts and addiction
researchers. Its goal is to advance recovery with the latest proven
techniques. In addition to Regenerate, NIFAR offers a family support
program called RestoreŽ that provides effective tools for loved ones to
cope with the challenges of recovery. Also, NIFAR has a fun and
informative Youth Awareness program that gives teens vital information
to help them make smart decisions. The tone of each program is positive
and uplifting, and they all convey enthusiasm for the participant's
future. Further, each daily segment reinforces empowerment, healing,
and lasting change. To learn more about NIFAR, or the remarkable
success stories the organization has inspired, visit www.nifar.com.
NOTES:
[1] Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies. (2000). "Position
Paper on Drug Policy, Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy
PLNDP". Brown University, Providence, RI.
[2] National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. Fact Sheet. New York, NY.
[3] World Health Organization. (2004). Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse. Geneva. [Global Status Report on Alcohol].
[4] Crews, Fulton T., Miranda, Robert, Jr., Monti, Peter M., Nixon,
Kimberly, Sher, H., Swartzwelder, Scott, Tapert, Susan F., White,
Aaron, (2005), "Adolescent Binge Drinking Causes Life-Long Changes in
Brain", Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research., Vol. 29, (2),
pp 207-220.
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Source: NIFAR
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