Orange County Joins Unique National Effort to
Prevent Substance Abuse Among Children and Teens
For
Immediate Release: September 18, 2008
Contact: Howard
Sutter (714) 834-2178
(Santa Ana) - The Prevention Coalitions of Orange County (PCOC) and the Orange County Health Care Agency are joining in the eighth annual celebration of Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™ on September 22 as part of the continuing effort to prevent substance abuse among children and teens.
Launched in 2001, Family Day is a movement that encourages parents to frequently eat dinner with their kids and be involved in their children’s lives. Research conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University consistently shows that the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs.
“We hope that families will embrace Family Day and will continue having regular family dinners throughout the year,” said Dr. Eric G. Handler, County Health Officer. “The conversations we have with our children over the dinner table open lines of communication that truly can make a difference in their lives and help them make healthier choices along the way.” According to the CASA report entitled The Importance of Family Dinners III, compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week, children and teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week) are at 70 percent lower risk for substance abuse, are half as likely to try cigarettes or marijuana, and are one third less likely to try alcohol. The report also found that teens that have frequent family dinners are more likely to get better grades in school.
The Prevention Coalitions of Orange County (PCOC) consists of several local organizations and agencies that share in the mission to strengthen Orange County’s capacity to provide coordinated alcohol, tobacco, and other drug prevention services and resources that promote safe neighborhoods and healthy lifestyles. PCOC believes that celebrating Family Day is an important first step in helping to achieve a substance abuse free life for American’s children and teens.
For information on local Family Day activities, contact Pauline Stauder, program supervisor for the Orange County Health Care Agency Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Team (ADEPT), at (714) 834-2094, or for more information on the national observance of Family Day, visit
www.CASAFamilyDay.org.
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