December 18, 2015
Schools can now register for Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day, the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) annual Web chat that connects NIH and FDA scientists with teens around the country, at http://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week/chat-with-scientists. Teens, who are bombarded daily with misinformation and myths about drug use, can ask questions not only about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, but also about common mental health challenges they experience in high school. Scientists respond with the most current scientific information available.
Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day occurs on January 26 during National Drug & Alcohol Facts WeekSM, which runs from January 25 – 31, 2016. Transcripts from last year’s chat can be found at http://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week/chat-with-scientists/2015/transcript. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has joined forces with NIDA for this outreach effort, and questions focusing on both alcohol and drugs will be encouraged.
NIDA is also offering students around the country a chance to fill out and submit a pledge card to help SHATTER THE MYTHS about drug and alcohol use and addiction. Students can submit a photo or video answering the following question: “I want to SHATTER THE MYTHS because…” Details can be found at http://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week/get-activity-ideas/i-want-shatter-myths-because.
Further details about National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, including updated toolkits, the National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge, and other free resources for event planners, can be found at http://drugfactsweek.drugabuse.gov/.
For more information, contact the NIDA press office at media@nida.nih.gov or 301-443-6245.
Contact:
NIDA Press Office
301-443-6245
media@nida.nih.gov
About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. Fact sheets on the health effects of drugs and information on NIDA research and other activities can be found at www.drugabuse.gov, which is now compatible with your smartphone, iPad or tablet. To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDA’s DrugPubs research dissemination center at 1-877-NIDA-NIH or 240-645-0228 (TDD) or email requests to drugpubs@nida.nih.gov. Online ordering is available at drugpubs.drugabuse.gov. NIDA’s media guide can be found at www.drugabuse.gov/publications/media-guide/dear-journalist, and its easy-to-read website can be found at www.easyread.drugabuse.gov. You can follow NIDA on Twitter and Facebook.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
NIH. . .Turning Discovery Into Health®
