Founded and sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), Alcohol Awareness month was created in 1987. It was created in order to reduce the disgrace associated with alcoholism. It does this by encouraging people to reach out to the American public each April with information about alcoholism and recovery.

Alcoholism is a chronic progressive disease that, if left untreated, can be fatal, according to the NCADD. However, people can recover, and they do. In fact, almost 20 million people are living in recovery today.

With this year’s theme, “Changing Attitudes: It’s not a ‘rite of passage,'” the month of April will be filled with local, state and national events aimed at educating people about the treatment and prevention of alcoholism, particularly among our youth. It will also inform parents of the important role they can play in giving kids a better understanding of the impact that alcohol can have on their lives.

VSU can use this month to raise awareness about alcohol abuse and take action to prevent it, both at home and in the community.

With graduation just around the corner, alcohol safety is very important. The months of May and June are filled with graduation parties as many young people look forward to new adventures. One important consideration for parents who host a graduation party should keep in mind is taking the necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of their guests.

Here are a few ways to keep people safe when it comes to alcohol:

* One of the major factors in ensuring graduation party safety is deciding whether alcohol will be served. If you do serve alcohol, you should make sure that it is not served to anyone underage.

* Limit the amount of alcohol that is served in order to keep people from becoming too intoxicated.

* Consider offering one or two specialty drinks that are lower in alcohol content.

* Provide plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages

* Be prepared to provide rides home.

Those are a just a few ways to stay safe when consuming alcohol as graduation and the summer near. Remember to stay safe and party right because graduation shouldn’t end in tragedy.

Story by Savannah Oliver, Assistant Campus Life editor. Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

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