by Lisa Frederiksen
Four times the number of people who are alcoholics, abuse alcohol. Four times! And often they are not aware they are drinking more than their brains and bodies can process, nor the consequences of doing so, nor that they can take steps to cut down and bring their drinking within the health and safety limits.
To help all of us do what we can to raise awareness about these kinds of issues, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) coordinates the national observance of April as National Alcohol Awareness Month. This year, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has launched Alcohol Awareness Month toolkit. The toolkit provides readers with easy, actionable ways to educate and engage people in Alcohol Awareness Month—and it’s free. The toolkit can be viewed online or downloaded in PDF format. Elements include:
- A sample newsletter or listserv article
- Sample tweets (for those on Twitter)
- “5 Ways to Get Involved”
- Background information and related healthfinder.gov content
- A list of tools and resources
- E-cards, Web badges and more
Additionally, the following offers a sampling of what you’ll find on the website that you, too, can share with those in your sphere of influence…
Did you know that “one drink” equals: 5oz. of wine, a 12oz. bottle of beer, OR a 1.5oz. shot? http://bit.ly/4VS9. #nho [Tweet this! 
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Not sure about your drinking? 4 questions to ask yourself: http://bit.ly/RfSYM. #nho [Tweet this! ]
Every cent matters. How much are you spending on alcohol? This fun Alcohol-Spending Calculator can tell you: http://bit.ly/ZZc3k. #nho [Tweet this! ]
Health Tip: When trying to control your alcohol intake, take a day off. Choose one day a week to abstain from alcohol. #nho [Tweet this! ]
So please help spread the word and pass this information along…
