KAREN Consultants

According to the American Council for Drug Education "Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used drug in the world.  Nearly one half of all Americans over the age of 12 are consumers of alcohol.  Although most drink only occasionally or moderately, there are an estimated 10-15 million alcoholics or problem drinkers in the United States, with more than 100,000 deaths each year attributed to alcohol.  Among the nation's alcoholics and problem drinkers are as many as 4.5 million adolescents, and adolescents are disproportionly involved in alcohol-related automobile accidents, the leading cause of death among Americans 15 to 24 years old."  (www.acde.org)

In her 1999 report to Congress as outlined by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Donna E. Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, stated that "drug use is a preventable behavior and drug addiction is a treatable disease of the brain."

She also noted the connection between drug use and addiction and health and violent crimes.  "Drug use and addiction also have tremendous negative implications for the health of the public because drug use, directly or indirectly, is a major factor in violent crimes and is a vector for the transmission of serious infectious diseases, particularly AIDS, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.  Because addiction is such a complex and pervasive health issue, we must include in our overall strategies a committed public health approach that includes extensive education and prevention efforts, treatment, and research."

 FACTOIDS

Did you know...

• 85% of family violence is alcohol and other drug related
• 80% of crime has an alcohol and/or drug involvement
• 50%of all hospital admissions are alcohol related
• 58.8% of women age 15 - 44 reported drinking while pregnant

www.recoveryemporium.com

KAREN Consultants is committed to providing public awareness through community services such as education and prevention by speaking to schools and other organizations seeking information on the ever growing problem of addiction.