Native American/Alaska Native | General

Substance Abuse

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has found that rates of illicit drug use are higher among American Indians and Alaska Natives (9.9 percent) than other major racial/ethnic groups. Alcohol abuse is prevalent among AI/AN youth and drinkers over 26 years old, and the use of tobacco among Indian youth has reached alarming rates. New initiatives in recent years offer hope in reducing these trends through education and the integrated treatment of substance abuse with mental health concerns.

Native American/Alaska Native Resources

• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP): Substance Abuse Resource Guide – American Indians and Native Alaskans
  The site offers a bibliography of prevention materials, studies, articles, reports, organizations and Internet links to serve as a reference for community leaders and professionals in the prevention, education, and health care fields.



• National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Tobacco Information and Prevention Source – American Indians and Alaska Natives and Tobacco
  One page of information on tobacco's health effects, tobacco use prevalence and other statistics and one-liners as they relate to American Indians and Alaska Natives



• Healthy Nations Initiative
  Based at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, the project helps Native Americans develop programs in their communities to reduce the harm caused by all kinds of substance abuse, tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs. Descriptions of funded community programs are on the site as well as a Resource Center page with links to substance abuse and other relevant organizations.



• Na'Nizhoozhi Center (NCI)
  The Center, in Gallup, New Mexico, is an example of residential treatment for alcoholism based on traditional Native American treatment in conjunction with Western therapies. For residents of New Mexico but the site has fine information and some good links.

General

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
  NIDA is the foremost national research organization on drug abuse prevention and treatment.



• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Health Topic – Tobacco
  Everything you ever wanted to know about smoking and tobacco use including prevention programs, strategies on how to quit and lots of research to back it up.



• Dispelling the Myths about Tobacco: A Community Toolkit for Reducing Tobacco Use Among Women.
  Just what it says, a toolkit, completely available online. This resource is brought to the public by CDC's TIPS program at the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.



• National Center for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI)



• The Office of the Surgeon General: Tobacco Cessation Guideline
  The latest information on techniques for treating tobacco use and dependence.