(Salisbury, MD) National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week is March 21-27, 2022. Launched in 2010 by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), this initiative informs the community about how drugs and alcohol affect the body and the prevalence of substance misuse among the youth population. By providing adolescents with the knowledge of the long-term and short-term effects of these substances on their lives, they will hopefully better understand the potential dangers. Throughout the week, the Wicomico County Health Department (WiCHD) will highlight facts about drugs and alcohol as well as promote awareness about local resources.
“The earlier that youth begin using drugs, the greater the chance they will become drug users. Most adults who become addicted to substances began using drugs as teenagers,” states the 2018 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. This is why the WiCHD strives to educate and support our community in several ways as it relates to drug and alcohol awareness and prevention.
Each year during the month of September, the Wicomico Goes Purple Substance Misuse Awareness Campaign educates youth on the dangers of substance misuse. Also, the Opioid Intervention Team Educational Trailer offers parents a tour of a simulated adolescent’s bedroom to help them identify the signs and symptoms of addiction as well as potential hiding spaces. The Drug Action Response Team (DART) utilizes the youth to address youth substance misuse with their peers. When asked about DART, Cynthia Shifler, the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator for WiCHD, said “DART is youth-led and adult-guided which provides youth with the opportunity to learn leadership skills and lead their own organization. Most of the time, they have decided to educate their younger peers (elementary/middle school) which has been quite impactful.”
To test your knowledge on substances and their effects, go to this website and take a fun and quick quiz: Kahoot!
Local Substance Use Disorder Resources
- Wicomico County Community Outreach Addictions Team (COAT) (443) 783-6875
- S.H.O.R.E Center (Supporting Harm Reduction, Outreach, Resources, and Education) (443) 210-2169
- Wicomico Behavioral Health Authority (410) 543-6981
For more information on Drug and Alcohol Facts Week, visit the following websites:
· Learn About National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week® | NIDA for Teens (drugabuse.gov)
· What You Need to Know About Drugs (for Kids) – Nemours KidsHealth
· Short and Long Term Effects | Teens | Survive – Stop Yourself. Stop a Friend.
If you or someone you love is struggling with substance use, please contact the Community Outreach Addictions Team (COAT) at (443) 783-6875 or call 211 & press 1 for resources. To learn more about the drug and alcohol related prevention programs, please contact Christina Bowie-Simpson at (443) 977-7994.