The PIDCES of the institutes raise awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption

Today, November 15, is the World Day Without Alcohol, which this year is commemorated under the slogan ‘Alcohol is everyone’s responsibility‘. The Information and Revitalization Program for Secondary Education Centers (PIDCES) of the Youth Department of the Martorell City Council, coordinated from the Espai Jove Punt Nord, is carrying out a dissemination campaign on the risks of consuming – no.

According to the data from the 2022-23 survey of health-related habits commissioned by the Youth Department of the Martorell City Council at the Public Health Service of the Barcelona Provincial Council, 54.3% of boys and 56 8% of 4th grade ESO girls in our institutes have tried alcohol. These are young people aged 15 and 16. 37.7% of teenagers try alcohol at the age of 14. Approximately 33% confess that they have gotten drunk at some point.

From the areas of Youth and Health Promotion of Martorell City Council, several intervention programs are developed in high schools to raise awareness of this problem, such as the talks given by the Alcoholics Anonymous group or the Program of ‘Emotional Health Education, apart from the campaign in the playgrounds this week, in which the PIDCES of the Martorell schools distribute and hang the posters promoted by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia.

Raising awareness and preventing the risks of alcohol consumption is the responsibility of all of society. It’s everyone’s business. From the administration, the municipalities, those who organize parties and events, the companies producing alcoholic beverages, the security forces, the traders, the educational centers, the health professionals, the media, the families, the group of friends, and oneself.

This campaign wants to emphasize the importance of community prevention, to raise awareness among all agents who work in sectors that have a direct impact on community preventive interventions such as: merchants, businessmen or workers in night entertainment spaces, bodies security (cops, local police) etc… And also for all citizens, who at an individual level have an impact and responsibility in the risks associated with alcohol consumption both for themselves and for third parties.