Teens and Adults Who Care for Them: Finding Answers to Drug Abuse and Addiction More Easily
At the end of October, it is the 20th anniversary of actor River Phoenix's death; he was 23 when he died*. Cause of death was a heroin and cocaine overdose.
Teens — and adults who care for them — can now find answers to questions about drug abuse and addiction more easily, and through smartphones and tablets. Spanish language versions of easy to understand resources on drug abuse and addiction are now also available. The updates, announced by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, are being launched as part of National Substance Abuse Prevention Month events in October.
For teens, their parents and teachers, NIDA has upgraded its popular teen website to a "responsive design" model that automatically adjusts to fit the viewer’s screen for better viewing through smartphones and tablets. The new design is also more engaging, with larger, more vibrant buttons that link directly to resources that provide answers to questions and concerns related to drug abuse in adolescents. The teen site continues to house free, interactive resources such as its teen blog and PEERx, an online educational initiative to discourage abuse of prescription drugs among teens.
In addition to the redesigned teen site, NIDA’s improved Parents and Educators page makes it easier for caregivers and teachers to find free, scientifically based prevention and education resources. Examples include Family Checkup — a tool for talking with children about drugs — as well as the latest science-based information on the health effects and consequences of drug abuse. Teachers can also find free resources for elementary, middle and high school students, including examples of classroom-based science experiments from the NIH Lab Challenge.
To reach adults with limited literacy skills, NIDA’s Easy-to-Read website now includes Spanish-language versions of its Drug Facts pages; its What is Addiction? section; as well as two easy to understand videos explaining the science behind drug addiction.
In October, parents, youth, schools, businesses and community leaders across the country join together in recognizing the role that substance abuse prevention plays in promoting safe and healthy communities. National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, which began in 2011, is organized by the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
"By using improved Web and handheld device strategies to distribute research findings, we can reach a broader audience," said NIDA Director Dr. Nora D. Volkow. “NIDA is launching these tools during National Substance Abuse Prevention Month and will continue to translate the science to guide effective prevention and education efforts in homes and communities.”
For more information on drug prevention, see NIDA’s Preventing Drug Abuse among Children and Adolescents at www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-abuse-among-children-adolescents. To find out how to get involved in National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, visit www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/prevention-intro/prevention-month .
If you're too old or too young to remember River Phoenix, consult IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000203/
From Wikipedia: Phoenix began acting at age 10 in television commercials. He appeared in diverse roles, making his first notable appearance in the 1986 film Stand by Me, a hugely popular coming-of-age film based on a novella by Stephen King. Phoenix made a transition into more adult-oriented roles with Running on Empty (1988), playing the son of fugitive parents in a well-received performance that earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and My Own Private Idaho (1991), playing a gay hustler in search of his estranged mother. For his performance in the latter, Phoenix garnered enormous praise and won a Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, along with Best Actor from the National Society of Film Critics.
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