April is the month observed by communities throughout the

United States as Alcohol Awareness Month.

Creating awareness during the month is a national effort to

support research, education, intervention and treatment for

alcoholism and alcohol-related problems, said Janice Lowe,

InTouch specialist for the Central East Alcoholism and Drug

Council.

A grassroots event led by the National Council on Alcoholism

and Drug Dependence since 1987, it offers organizations with

different missions an opportunity to work together to raise

awareness about the negative consequences of drinking, she

said.

Lowe said CEAD would like to encourage the campus and community

to plan and participate in activities throughout Alcohol

Awareness Month that focus on “drawing the line” on underage

drinking.

According to NCADD, alcohol remains the number one drug problem

among the young. About 10.4 Americans between ages of 12 to 20

had at least one drink last month. Of these, more than half

were “binge” drinkers, meaning they consumed five or more

drinks in a row on a single occasion.

Also according to the NCADD, alcohol costs the nation more than

$58 billion per year, this includes traffic crashes, violent

crimes, burns, drowning, suicide attempts, fetal alcohol

syndrome and alcohol poisonings and treatment.