Registration opens for National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day 2019
Registration is now open for the 12th annual National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day, a live web chat between high school teenagers and addiction and mental health scientists. Chat Day will be held on January 24, during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®, which runs from January 22–27, 2019. Registrations are confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to the first 100 high schools that sign up. The event is coordinated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in partnership with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), both part of the National Institutes of Health. 
Students can chat live with scientists between 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. EST. Past questions have ranged from health consequences of drugs and alcohol, including effects on the body and brain; causes of addiction; and how to help friends or family members who are misusing drugs. Scientific experts from the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) are also on hand to answer questions about depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues that might contribute to teen substance use. Since Chat Day’s inception in 2007, more than 100,000 student questions have been asked. NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow, NIAAA Director Dr. George Koob, and NIMH Director Dr. Joshua Gordon are all scheduled to be in attendance, answering questions based on their respective knowledge and expertise. It is a rare opportunity for students to chat directly with some of the Nation’s top experts in the field.
NIDA will be live streaming National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day on Facebook Live for the entire day, allowing students to follow the conversation in real time, even if their high school does not register for the event. Students may search for the event using the hashtag #NDAFW. Students who do not receive answers before their classroom time ends can check back when a transcript is posted, searching for their question with their user name.
Chat Day is part of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week®, a week-long observance for communities and schools to hold events that provide teens with the scientific facts about drugs and alcohol, without judgment, using NIDA science-based materials designed for teens. Groups that register events in advance will be offered free copies of NIDA’s popular teen materials. NIDA has numerous resources available to help event holders plan, promote and host a NDAFW event, including:
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An updated Drugged Driving Event Toolkit, which includes resources on the dangers of drugged driving, educational posters, and information on how to find a drugged driving expert for an event. Other drug-specific toolkits for event holders address topics such as opioids and other prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol, and more.
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A new publication that focuses on Opioid Facts for Teens.
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The popular National Drug & Alcohol IQ Challenge -- an interactive quiz accessible on mobile devices that tests teens’ knowledge about substance use.
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An opportunity to SHATTER THE MYTHS® about drug and alcohol use. Students around the country are encouraged to fill out and submit a pledge card photo or video answering the following question: “I want to SHATTER THE MYTHS® because…” Details may be found on the website.
To register, go to: Chat Day Registration and/or NDAFW Events Registration.
Further details may be found on the National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® website or via e-mail at drugfacts@nida.nih.gov.
For more information, contact the NIDA press office at media@nida.nih.gov or 301-443-6245.
Learn more about NIDA by following #ThisIsNIH on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. On Thursday, December 13, at 11am ET, join us on the NIH Facebook page for a live panel and Q&A with NIDA’s Director Dr. Nora Volkow about vaping.
NIDA Press Office
301-443-6245
media@nida.nih.gov