Login / Register | 0 items - $ 0.00 CONTACT US

AlcoPro - Drug and Alcohol Testing Products & DOT Training

  • Products
  • Training
    • DOT Drug and Alcohol Training
    • Employer Substance Abuse Awareness Training
    • Hotels in Knoxville
    • Training Materials
    • DOT Regulations Knowledge Base
  • Knowledge Base
  • Repairs & Services
  • Resources
    • Catalogs
    • Knowledge Base
    • Buyer’s Guide
    • Product Document Library
    • Drug Test Finder
    • Drink Wheel
    • Window of Detection Tool
    • Breath Alcohol Instrument Mouthpiece Chart
  • News
    • News
    • AlcoPro Blog
    • Sign Up – AlcoPro Blog
  • Customer Service
    • Order & Return Policy
    • Shipping Information
    • Apply for Tax Exempt Status
    • Satisfaction & Warranty Policy
    • Repair Services and Technical Support
    • Privacy Policy
    • Customer Reviews
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Quote Request
    • Catalog Request
    • Product Sample Request
    • BAC Wheel Request
    • Customer Reviews
  • About Us

800.227.9890

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on LinkedIn

NIDA Going Social to Reach Teens

January 27, 2015 by Jennie Lee-Pace Leave a Comment

NIDA Going Social to Reach Teens

To my great shock, last month my seventeen-year-old daughter logged over 3,500 minutes of texting time, which breaks down to over 58 hours or 2.4 days of thumb-numbing achievement. I am convinced the folks at Verizon have erected a tower for her sole use.  With more teens using text and all things cloud based and social, it comes as no surprise the scientific and educational communities are keenly using more of these tools to target drug and alcohol abuse messages to teens.

To counteract the drug and alcohol myths teens get from the internet, TV, movies, music or peers, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), in 2010 launched National Drug Facts Week.  National Drug Facts Week runs this week, January 26 – 30, and includes a wide variety of local and nationally organized events aimed at giving high school students science-based information on drug abuse and addiction.

A large component to the week’s events is National Chat Day scheduled for Friday January 30.  National Chat Day connects students and NIDA scientist via live chat for the purpose of real-time conversations about drug and alcohol usage.  NIDA reports that teens are more inclined to share concerns and questions with an adult using the medium of chat because it offers a cloak of privacy and anonymity.  Internet chat is also a medium that falls into the social media category, so teens are more likely to favor and be more responsive to that mode of communication.

Fifty scientists working for NIDA and other federal agencies team up to answer the questions submitted during Chat Day.  The questions posed by teens around the country runs a wide spectrum of topics from behavioral to physical effects.  NIDA reports positive responses from teens, who seem more inclined to accept and be influenced by the information coming from someone with a medical background.

National Chat Day organizers with NIDA look at the event as an opportunity to hear directly from students in order to find out what they’re hearing from their friends, the internet and other sources.  That information better advises NIDA scientists so they can effect enhanced science, research and materials designed to help teens make better life choices.  NIDA makes available chat forum transcripts from previous years.  Reviewing chat transcripts gives parents, teachers and students an opportunity to gain greater understanding of the types of questions and concerns being raised.

According to NIDA, a third of high school seniors report using an illicit drug sometime in the past year; more than ten percent report nonmedical use of a prescription drug; and more than 20 percent report smoking marijuana in the past month. Many of these teens are unaware of the risks these drugs pose to their health, success and the dangers of driving while under the influence.  Planned school and community events, materials, and interactions are viewed as opportunities to shatter commonly held myths and facilitate robust conversations about how drugs and alcohol affect the brain, body and behavior.  NIDA offers an online toolkit with event planning suggestions, how to find experts to participate and free materials for teens.  Learn more about National Drug Facts Week and National Chat Day events.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

ABOUT ALCOPRO

Since 1982, AlcoPro has supplied and manufactured the most accurate drug and alcohol testing instruments, kits, and supplies for professional use. We take pride in maintaining our industry-wide reputation for accuracy and quality as we help you—our top priority—perform alcohol and drug screenings and tests with greater precision and confidence.

Subscribe to Our Blog

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

800.227.9890
Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on LinkedInFollow Us on YouTube

Privacy Policy

© 2023 AlcoPro.
All Rights Reserved.

Custom Website Design & Development by VIEO Design