Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - Science of Addiction  

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Additional Resources

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
(NCADI)
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
American Society of Addiction Medicine
Mental Health America
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP)

Spring Break Information for Parents
(from NIAAA)

For many students, spring break is a carefree time away from classroom pressures. Unfortunately, for many it is also a time of excessive drinking and dealing with its aftermath—violence, sexual aggression, and even death.

CollegeDrinkingPrevention.gov offers important information and resources on alcoholism and substance abuse for college students, parents of college students, high school parents and students. 

For information on how to talk to college-age children about the consequences of drinking and about how alcohol affects the body, please click here to view NIAAA’s new factsheet, “Parents – Spring Break is Another Important Time to Discuss College Drinking.”

Another resource is the APA’s newly created brochure, “Let’s Talk Facts about College Students and Alcohol Abuse."

Surgeon General Issues National Call to Action on Underage Drinking

In its first Call to Action against underage drinking, the U.S. Surgeon General's Office appealed to Americans to do more to stop America's 11 million current underage drinkers from using alcohol, and to keep other young people from starting.

Acting Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu, M.D., M.P.H., laid out recommendations for government and school officials, parents, other adults and young people. "Alcohol remains the most heavily abused substance by America's youth," said Dr. Moritsugu. "This Call to Action is attempting to change the culture and attitudes toward drinking in America. We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children."

Copies of The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking and other related materials are available at www.surgeongeneral.gov / Watch video.

College Students Alcohol Abuse

For most students, college is a time of learning and growth. It is also a time for making new friends and enjoying the social atmosphere that thrives on campuses. But for some college students, partying and drinking can present a real threat to their academic careers and their overall health and well-being. Pressure to participate in binge drinking, drinking large quantities of alcohol most nights during the week, and drinking to feel like the part of the crowd, are all common occurrences.


Did you know…

Approximately 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die each year from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes.

More than 97,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

About 25 percent of college students report academic consequences of their drinking including missing class, falling behind, doing poorly on exams or papers, and receiving lower grades overall.

A recent study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, warns that college partying has become more extreme with students binge drinking and abusing prescription drugs more frequently.  Read full story...

Learn the facts about college alcohol abuse and resources for help in the new “Let’s Talk Facts about College Students and Alcohol Abuse.”

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