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April marks National Alcohol Awareness Month and is sponsored by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) to educate the masses about America’s #1 health problem: alcohol dependence. Claiming the lives of more than 90,000 people every year, this month focuses on raising awareness about alcohol abuse and dependency before it is fatal.

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In 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) designated April as Alcohol Awareness Month. Their mission was to create a public health outreach program to spread awareness about the risks associated with the misuse of alcohol. The program originally focused on educating college students about the risks of alcohol use but has since become a national movement to help people of all ages understand the dangers inherent in alcohol use.

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An important part of Alcohol Awareness Month is choosing an Alcohol-Free weekend during the month of April. The intent is to refrain from drinking from Friday through Monday, and then gauge the effect of the alcohol-free days. During Alcohol-Free Weekend, NCADD extends an open invitation to all to engage in three alcohol-free days.

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