Why And How To Participate In Drug and Alcohol Facts Week

Observed from January 22-27, 2019, National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (NDAFW) exists to educate teens about substance abuse and addiction. It connects teens and scientific experts. Your business can participate in NDAFW as you support your employees and their loved ones.

What is NDAFW?

NDAFW started in 2010. In 2018, over 2,100 NDAFW events were hosted by schools, community groups, hospitals, and other organizations. These events provide education and information about specific community concerns or general drug or alcohol use.

Why does NDAFW Matter to your Company?

Your company will want to participate in NDAFW events if you employ teens. This information can empower them to understand the effects, challenges and dangers of drug and alcohol use, including accidental exposure, opioid pain medication, experimentation, and peer pressure.

NDAFW participation also helps your adult employees. Many of your staff members may have family, friends, neighbors, or acquaintances who have been affected by substance abuse or addiction. Use NDAFW events and awareness to address these concerns, help employees to help their affected loved ones and address personal drug or alcohol dependency.

You can also use NDAFW to make a difference in your community. Sponsor, host or advertise NDAFW events as you take a leadership role and start conversations about substance use and addiction.

How to Support NDAFW

Because it’s important, encourage your employees to support NDAFW in several ways.

• Take the National Drug and Alcohol IQ Challenge. It’s a 12-question, multiple choice quiz that’s available in English and Spanish. The quiz takes 10 minutes to complete and can be accessed on a mobile device by individual employees or projected onto a large screen, allowing your entire company to take the quiz together and learn more about the challenges teens face.
• Observe the National Drugs and Alcohol Chat Day on January 24. Scientists and science writers will answer questions from teens across the country. Topics include drugs and drug misuse, addiction and its effects, and how to help loved ones who are abusing drugs.
• Share information about NDAFW on your corporate and personal social media pages and include the hashtag #NDAFW.
• Write and record a public service announcement about teen drug and alcohol use or sponsor PSAs written and recorded by local high school students.
• Spread the word with brochures and posters about local events.
• Sponsor an event, such as Lunch and Learn, at a local school.
• Add information about drug and alcohol use, addiction prevention tips and recovery information to your employee handbook.
• Encourage employees to use their health insurance to get help if necessary.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is important to your company, employees and community. Participate this year as you make a difference.