NIH Educates on Drugs, Alcohol

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Participating in National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day are (from l) FDA Center for Tobacco Products director Dr. Mitch Zeller, NIAAA director Dr. George Koob, NIMH director Dr. Joshua Gordon and NIDA deputy director Dr. Wilson Compton.

National Drug & Alcohol Facts Week, an annual health observance about drug and alcohol use, took place Jan. 22-27. Launched in 2010 by NIDA, and in partnership with NIAAA since 2016, the event links students with scientists and other experts to shatter the myths about drugs and alcohol that teens get from the Internet, social media and movies. 

NIDA’s Josie Anderson holds an NDAFW sign as she braves the cold in New York City outside NBC’s The Today Show studio.

This year, close to 2,000 events were held in all 50 states and in several international sites. On Jan. 24, NIDA also held its annual Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day, a web chat between hundreds of students in 44 schools across the nation and approximately 50 NIH scientists who answered a variety of drug, alcohol and mental health-related questions. Representatives from NIDA, NIAAA, NIMH and FDA were all in attendance. Nearly 4,500 questions were submitted. Visit http://teens.drugabuse.gov/national-drug-facts-week for more information about NDAFW and to read the transcript from Chat Day.