National Substance Abuse Prevention Month
Equipping individuals with knowledge and support to make smart choices, ensuring healthier lives and steering clear of harmful pitfalls.
Position your organization as a trusted partner in youth prevention and community recovery support during National Substance Abuse Prevention Month.
- Share recovery success stories and testimonials from individuals in your community
- Create educational content for parents on age-appropriate conversations about substance abuse (starting at age 5)
- Host a virtual or in-person prevention workshop or support group event
- Highlight your organization's prevention programs and resources for families and schools
Getting its start in October 2011, National Substance Abuse Prevention Month was established to show support for and raise awareness about the harm that substance abuse can have – not only on individuals and families but also on entire communities.
In addition, this event offers opportunities to remember those whose lives have been lost to drug addiction as well as encouraging and promoting the formation of education programs that help with prevention, particularly for youth.
The United States government recognizes and supports this event not only through the annual president’s proclamation, but also through different agencies such as the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and many others.
In addition, many different non-profit organizations and counselor support networks are also involved, including the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) and a wide range of others throughout the nation.
While some people who may not be personally affected by substance abuse might think that they don’t need to be involved, this problem is a national situation that affects people in communities – whether they know someone who is a substance abuser or not.
In fact, experts have estimated that substance abuse is costing the nation hundreds of billions of dollars each year, with more than $240 billion of costs for alcohol misuse and at least $190 billion in illicit drug use.
Even more important than financial costs, overdose deaths have spiked in recent decades, increasing by more than 700% from 1999 to 2021.
People’s lives are literally on the line, from neighbors and friends to coworkers and family members. And one of the most important ways forward is to work toward prevention, with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month as a vital part of that effort.
Support a Loved One
Those who have a friend, coworker or family member who may be struggling with an addiction or some form of substance abuse might want to take National Substance Abuse Prevention Month as an opportunity to care for them. This could mean showing support by telling a person in recovery how great they are doing, or by addressing a person who may have a problem with substance abuse.
Educate Young People
One of the most important parts of substance abuse prevention is to connect with and educate children and young people before they have access to drugs, alcohol and other mind-altering substances. Statistics show that 90% of addiction and substance abuse problems begin before the age of 18, which means educating youth is vital for prevention. Some experts say that the age of five is a good time to begin talking to children about alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Parents can bring up the topic through conversation that is on the child’s level or they may want to introduce children’s books on the subject. Consider some of these book titles that could help parents, teachers, counselors or others to explain and discuss the difficulties of addiction and substance abuse: Critters Cry Too: Explaining Addiction to Children by Anthony Curcio (2016)I Want More – How to Know When I’ve Had Enough by Dagmar Geisler (2020)A Sickness You Can’t See by Laura Washington (2019)What’s the Big Deal About Addictions? by James J. Crist, PhD (2021)
Host a Substance Abuse Prevention Event
Those who are community leaders, teachers, youth workers, or other influencers can get on board with National Substance Abuse Prevention Month by hosting events whether in person or online. This could include meetings and seminars that educate parents and teachers on how to help students. Or it could be a social media campaign that encourages individuals to consider their life choices and also offers options for getting help to kick existing habits or addictions. Anyone can use their voice to raise awareness, volunteer for charities, make a donation, or get involved with some other activity that works toward prevention of the devastating impact that substance abuse has on families, communities and the world.