For Release November 22, 2002

In its ongoing initiative to raise awareness among cultural populations in the United States about the health risks of drug abuse and addiction, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has created a special calendar for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). With the creative recommendations of leading AAPI individuals and organizations nationwide, the rich histories of the many Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander cultures are captured in each month's graphics and text selections, several of which include translations.

"The calendar beautifully weaves together the richness of Asian American and Pacific Islander life, with messages about the importance of drug abuse prevention and drug addiction treatment," said Dr. Glen R. Hanson, NIDA's Acting Director. Patterned after NIDA's previous calendars for American Indians and Alaska Natives, the AAPI calendar serves as a science-based resource on drug information, providing families and teachers with useful information to help them speak to children about the dangers of drug abuse in a way that incorporates the cultural richness and diversity of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Free copies of the calendar are now available through the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, at 1-800-729-6686 or ncadi.samhsa.gov, by asking for publication number AVD153. It also can be downloaded from the NIDA website.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports more than 85 percent of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to ensure the rapid dissemination of research information and its implementation in policy and practice. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs of abuse and further information on NIDA research can be found on the NIDA web site at http://www.drugabuse.gov.