1. Alcohol Free April Challenge Presentation
Vancouver 2017

2. The Drug Awareness Society of Toronto
100% volunteer based organization
Goal: to reduce the incidence of drug abuse among youth and within families
Particular focus on the Canadian South Asian Community
Registered under Ontario’s Not For Profit Corporations Act

3. Our Mandate Awareness Prevention Empowerment
Knowing the facts is half the battle
Prevention
Creating an environment to support healthy decisions
Empowerment
As an empowered individual, we think, is less likely to engage in drug abuse

4. What is the Alcohol Free April Challenge?
In honour of Sikh Heritage Month!
No Alcohol in April.
Simple as that!
By doing this we want to create conversation among the community and bring awareness to:
The excessive value of alcohol within the Canadian South Asian community
The challenges faced by family members of a victim of alcohol addiction
The challenges faced by victims trying to overcome alcohol addiction

5. The 30-Day No Alcohol Challenge Agreement
 I commit to completing 30 days of no alcohol. Not 1 week, not 20 days, I commit to 30 days.
I agree to supporting others taking on the 30 day challenge!
I agree to learning how alcohol influences the individual, the family and the society by tuning into radio and tv discussions throughout the month of April.
Register today at Dast.ca

6. Who is the challenge for?
NOT JUST FOR PROBLEM DRINKERS
Even social drinkers; any one who drinks…even a little bit.
Sober buddies stay sober !
please do not start drinking just to join the challenge

7. Alcohol Consumption in Canada
A review of the Chief of Public Health Officer's Report-2015

8. Prevalence Alcohol is a mind altering drug
In million Canadians (80 percent of the population) drank alcohol
Globally, alcohol is related to 3million deaths per year (slightly more than lung cancer)
How common is it

9. What are Canadians Using?

10. Summary of Alcohol’s Impact

11. Drinking patterns matter
how much and how often a person drinks alcohol are key factors that increase or decrease health impacts
Social situations, family contexts and messaging influence drinking patterns
Exposure to alcohol through families and friends as well as through entertainment and advertising can strongly influence people’s motives for drinking alcohol and their drinking patterns.

12. Safe Level of Alcohol
The International Agency for Research on Cancer’s World Cancer Report 2014 and the Canadian Cancer Society state
there is no “safe limit” of alcohol consumption when it comes to cancer prevention

13. Factors that help reduce the impact on Canadians, especially youth
A regulated alcohol industry
Policies on pricing and taxation
Controls on sales and availability
Minimum age laws
Banning advertisement of alcohol similar in nature to cigarettes should be considered -Dast

14. The Cost of Alcohol

15. Who is drinking and driving in Canada?
More men than women
Rate of women increasing since 2005
Highest amongst year olds
2nd highest in year olds and
3rd highest in year olds!

17. Is Alcohol Consumption the same as Alcohol Abuse?
No – but be mindful of drinking patterns and factors that increase health risks

18. Youth and Alcohol
Teenage brains are more vulnerable to the effect of alcohol.
Families, friends can play a positive role if they recognize their influence on youth’s drinking patterns and support their healthy physical, mental and emotional development

19. Youth and Alcohol Are more impulsive Have trouble with self-control
Deal with stress differently
Have under-developed areas of the brain related to decision making, motivation, emotion and reward
Why are youth more likely to drink underage
90% of alcohol addictions are individuals who started drinking as teenagers

20. Percentage of Consumption Among Youth
60% of youth aged had drank alcohol in 2013

21. Motives for Drinking To be social To create a positive mood To cope
To conform
Coping and conforming are considered negative motives!

22. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Canada's Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines

24. Resources for Alcohol Abuse
If you need help
If your child needs help
If your partner/friend needs help
If your parent needs help
Visit this link (can also be found on Dast.ca):