Alcohol causes a lot of problems in the United States. People suffer from it in both the short and long term. Drinking too much can lead to serious health issues like liver disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and even death. It also contributes to accidents and injuries. Every year, around 95,000 people in the US die because of alcohol.
However, the negative impacts of alcohol extend beyond the individuals who consume it. Excessive alcohol consumption can have wide-reaching consequences affecting innocent bystanders, such as through incidents of drunk driving leading to accidents and injuries. Additionally, families experience significant emotional and social distress when faced with a loved one’s alcohol abuse.
These issues come with a hefty financial burden, estimated at approximately $249 billion in 2010. This includes costs associated with lost productivity, medical expenses, and addressing alcohol-related crimes.
Addressing these complex challenges necessitates the implementation of effective rules and regulations. Recognizing the importance of mitigating alcohol-related harm, April is designated as National Alcohol Awareness Month. In response, we have introduced the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit: #ProofIsInTheNumbers to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of alcohol and advocate for policies that can effectively address these concerns.
During April, the Alcohol Awareness Toolkit will:
- Spread awareness about the harm alcohol can cause and why we need strong rules about it using memes.
- Get folks involved in prevention and public health to educate decision-makers about good alcohol policies. We’re providing templates to help write opinion pieces, letters to lawmakers, and proclamations.
We’re excited to share these resources with communities in Region 10 and across the PTTC Network. We hope our partners in prevention will use these materials to raise awareness about the weekly themes for National Alcohol Awareness Month in April 2024:
- Week 1: Understanding Alcohol-Related Harms (April 1-6)
- Week 2: Talking About Policies to Prevent Excessive Drinking (April 7-13)
- Week 3: Exploring Alcohol’s Role in The Opioid Epidemic (April 14-20)
- Week 4: Examining Alcohol’s Link to Cancer Risk (April 21-30)
Learn more and share the knowledge! https://pttcnetwork.org/products_and_resources/2024-alcohol-awareness-toolkit-engagement-materials/
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