Hudson Physicians Supports The Hudson SAFE program
The team at Hudson Physicians is proud to announce our recent $500 donation to the Hudson SAFE program, a non-profit collaboration between area parents, local schools, and the community at large to promote drug-free and alcohol-free opportunities for area youth. Their annual Senior All Night Graduation Party, scheduled for June 3, is a great example of community health in action.
Being healthy is much more than treating illness; making healthy choices every day is a vital step toward prevention. With that in mind, we encourage everybody to be aware of the potential complications that come with substance abuse. Alcohol and drug consumption has physical consequences for all users, but the consequences can be particularly damaging for our teens.
Intoxication can compromise anyone’s ability to make sound choices and resist impulsive, possibly reckless behaviors. For teenagers, this risk is increased because the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, the pre-frontal cortex, is still in development in the adolescent brain. Substance abuse in teens can interfere with the natural formation of neural pathways. Furthermore, since teens do not have an adult’s capacity for reason, the intoxicating effects of drugs and alcohol can lead them to making unfortunate, even dangerous, choices.
Alcohol consumption in teens is particularly risky. Because alcohol is seen as a common part of society, teens and even some of the adults around them might not see drinking as a threat, and the availability of alcohol makes it easier to acquire than most drugs. Sadly, over 4,300 US teens die each year from alcohol-related incidents, such as automobile accidents and alcohol poisoning. Teens who drink are also prone to making bad decisions with long-term consequences, such as criminal behaviors or risky sexual activities.
Graduation is a time of celebration, a coming-of-age milestone that marks a teen’s passage into a new world. Together, we can help our local teens make this transition responsibly and safely by giving them important information about substance abuse and providing opportunities to socialize substance-free. This is why Hudson Physicians supports the Hudson SAFE program and their Senior Night. Follow the link above for details on registration for your senior, other events, and volunteer information.
Congratulations to our area Seniors, and we hope you have a great (and safe) graduation!
