NDHHS Claims Teen Alcohol Use Trending Downward

(Bismarck, ND) — State health officials say that teen alcohol use is trending downward. Governor Kelly Armstrong declared October Substance Use Prevention Month, while the state’s Department of Health and Human Services reports less use by underage drinkers. Laura Anderson is the HHS Policy Director for the Behavioral Health Division, and says that high schoolers drinking alcohol have dropped from 35-percent to 20-percent in the last ten years. The department now wants to highlight the initiatives and possibilities prevention brings during Substance Use Prevention Month. For those interested in learning more, a toolkit and prevention information are available on the NDHHS website.