Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK) is joining forces with The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse to celebrate Family Day – Be Involved. Stay Involved® on September 26, 2016. CASA Family Day is a national initiative to promote simple acts of parental engagement as key ways to help prevent risky substance use in children and teens. Research shows that children with hands-on parents are far less likely to smoke, drink or use other drugs.
“ASK aims to provide youth with the information and skills needed to make healthy decisions while emphasizing the need for families to protect and nurture their children by getting informed and staying involved. Parents are the number one influencers in their child’s life,” said Erica Stanzione, Director of Communications and Partnerships at ASK.
“Every child deserves to grow up healthy and happy with an adolescence that is free from addiction. Parents, one of the best ways you can help keep your kids substance free is to be engaged in their lives – that includes being there for them at dinner,” says Jeffrey B. Lane, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse’s Chairman. “The conversations that take place during family dinners give you a window into what your kids are going through and helps you keep the lines of communication open with them.”
Remember, parental engagement matters!
Adolescence is the critical period for the initiation of risky substance use and its consequences.
- Nine out of 10 Americans who meet the medical criteria for addiction started smoking, drinking, or using other drugs before age 18.
- Addiction is a disease that in most cases begins in adolescence so preventing or delaying teens from using nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health and safety.
- Preventing or delaying teens from using alcohol, nicotine or other drugs for as long as possible is crucial to their health and safety.
ASK is committed to strengthening families and believes that celebrating Family Day is an important first step in helping to keeping America’s children and teens free of addiction.
For additional information about Family Day, visit www.CASAFamilyDay.org.