Benton County Commissioners Proclaim September as Alcohol And Drug Addiction Recovery Month

The proclamation is an effort to reduce drug use, support recovering substance abusers and reduce the risk of teen drug use in Benton County.

Benton County Courthouse Photo by: Tim King

(CORVALLIS) - The Benton County Board of Commissioners has proclaimed the month of September 2006 as Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Benton County and September 25th as Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children in Benton County.

According to Jay Dixon, chair of the Benton County Board of Commissioners, the county believes it’s vital to educate the community about the impact of substance use disorders on children and families.

He says surveys conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University have consistently found that the more often children and teenagers eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke tobacco, drink alcohol and use illegal drugs.

"Teens who almost always eat dinner with their families are 72 percent more likely than average teens to not use illegal drugs, alcohol and cigarettes," Dixon said.

Dixon adds that Benton County seeks to recognize the efforts of agencies, organizations and individuals who work toward preventing and treating substance abuse and those who seek out treatment services. He says the county hopes to raise community awareness about substance abuse disorders and foster a supportive environment for recovering substance abusers.

"All citizens are urged to work together to help reduce teen use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs by joining us September 25th by eating dinner as a family, and to support those in recovery by celebrating National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Benton County," Dixon said.

If you would like to share your Family Day stories, please submit them to FamilyDay@co.benton.or.us.