New NIAAA web resources for middle and high school
Underage drinking is a significant public health problem in the United States. As part of its efforts to raise awareness of and combat underage drinking, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) has launched NIAAA for Middle School and NIAAA for Teens.
“Early initiation of alcohol consumption increases the risk of a wide range of harmful consequences during adolescence and adulthood,” said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D. “We created these resources knowing that alcohol intervention efforts started at a young age can positively influence a young person’s path in life.”
NIAAA for Middle School contains interactive activities to help parents, caregivers, and teachers introduce and reinforce key messages about why early alcohol consumption is dangerous, what peer pressure is and skills to resist it, and other helpful resources on underage drinking. These sections begin with an overview providing background information and end with print-friendly handouts and interactive activities designed for kids ages 11 to 13 that can be used at home, in classrooms, or in after-school programs. NIAAA for Middle School replaces and continues the objectives of the long-standing and very popular Cool Spot website. Like the former Cool Spot, NIAAA for Middle School is grounded in the Alcohol Misuse Prevention Study (AMPS) from the University of Michigan.
NIAAA for Teens is a research-based online resource aimed at preventing underage drinking by directly educating teens. This web resource highlights how alcohol affects your body and mind, warning signs and symptoms of a problem with alcohol, and where to get help for alcohol-related problems. Teens can peruse this resource to get informed about alcohol with accessible, accurate information. They can use this information for their own education, as well as for school projects.
