PHOENIX — Fomer Governor Doug Ducey proclaimed the month of April to be Arizona Alcohol Awareness Month to raise awareness of the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States and to call upon all citizens, parents, governmental agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, hospitals, schools, and colleges in the State of Arizona to support efforts that will provide early education about alcoholism and addiction that will increase support for individuals and families coping with alcoholism. With these efforts, together, we can provide Hope, Help, and Healing for those in our community who are facing challenges with alcohol use and abuse.

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WHEREAS, Alcohol Awareness Month provides an opportunity to increase outreach and education regarding the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol; and

WHEREAS, individuals and families may experience increased stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic, along with fear and anxiety, which can be overwhelming and lead to increased use of alcohol and other drugs; and

WHEREAS, 15 percent of adults in Arizona report binge drinking and 88,000 deaths are annually attributed to alcohol use in the United States; and

WHEREAS, alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance among youth in the United States impacting individuals, families, and communities; and

WHEREAS, results from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey show that the most frequently reported substance ever used across 8th, 10th, and 12th grade youth is alcohol; and

WHEREAS, research indicates that alcohol use during the teenage years could interfere with normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of developing Alcohol Use Disorder 2; and

WHEREAS, youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience changes in brain development that may have life­long effects including, physical and sexual violence, school and social problems, increased risk of suicide and homicide, and alcohol related vehicle crashes; and

WHEREAS, 18.4 percent of high school youth in Arizona reported riding in a car in which the driver had been drinking; and

WHEREAS, excessive drinking is responsible for an average of 79 deaths among underage youth in Arizona each year; and

WHEREAS, research shows that parents are the number one reason why youth choose not to drink and a supportive family environment is associated with lower rates of alcohol use among adolescents; and

WHEREAS, statewide prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts surrounding alcohol and substance abuse can help individuals, families, and children coping with alcoholism and alcohol-related problems.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Douglas A Ducey, Governor of the State of Arizona, do hereby proclaim April 2021 as

ARIZONA ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH

and call upon all citizens, parents, governmental agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, hospitals, schools, and colleges in the State of Arizona to support efforts that will provide early education about alcoholism and addiction, and increase support for individuals and families coping with alcoholism. Through these efforts, together, we can provide Hope, Help, and Healing for those in our communities who are facing challenges with alcohol use and abuse.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused
to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arizona 

GOVERNOR

DONE at the Capitol in Phoenix on this Sixteenth day of March in
the year Two Thousand and Twenty-One and of the Independence
of the United States of America the Two Hundred and Forty-Fifth. 

ATTEST: 

SECRETARY OF STATE 

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