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5 Million Parents Have Alcohol Problems

an alcohol abusing parent SAMHSA recently released new data that show nearly 5 million alcohol-dependent or alcohol-abusing parents have at least one child living at home with them. According to the report, these parents are more likely than other parents to smoke cigarettes, use illicit drugs, and report household "turbulence."

Data from SAMHSA's 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), formerly the National Household Survey on Drug Use, show that the 5 million parents with alcohol problems who have children under age 18 at home account for more than 25 percent of all adults with alcohol problems.

The data also reveal a connection between alcohol misuse and the use of illicit drugs. According to the survey, more than 35 percent of parents with past-year alcohol dependence or abuse also used illicit drugs in the past year. In comparison, only 11 percent of parents without alcohol problems used illicit drugs.

"There is good news," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie M.A., A.C.S.W. "Children of alcoholic parents can be helped to build on their strengths and develop resilience to overcome their difficulties."

SAMHSA partnered with the National Association for Children of Alcoholics to develop and distribute materials to community organizations. A Children's Program Kit is available. (See SAMHSA News, Volume XI, Number 2.)

The report, Alcohol Dependence or Abuse Among Parents with Children Living in the Home, is based on interviews with 68,126 respondents in their homes. For a print copy of the report or the Children's Program Kit, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. Telephone: 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). The report can also be downloaded from the SAMHSA Web site at www.drugabusestatistics.samhsa.gov.