Alcohol and Other Addictions

"Even if we have made clear, healthy choices for ourselves, we are still called to be a voice for reason among our peers and to explore the effects of substance dependency in our homes and in our home towns."
—Substance Abuse Handbook, 1993

Voice of Reason

Addiction Awareness Facts

Addiction affects our families and communities in many ways:

• One out of every ten adults is dependent on alcohol or other drugs.
• Drug arrests have tripled since 1980.
• Over a third of Presbyterians indicate that drinking alcoholic beverages has been a "cause of trouble" in their families.
• Alcohol abuse is the third leading cause of death in the nation. Traffic crashes are the greatest single cause of death for every age from six through 33. Almost half of these fatalities are in alcohol-related crashes (NHTSA, 1999).
• According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), alcohol use is the number one drug problem among young people; eight young people every day die in alcohol-related crashes.
• More than 1,000 people die every day from complications due to the effects of smoking.
• 31 percent of eighth graders say they have experimented with inhalants at least once in their life.
• 54 percent of teens say they have been offered drugs.
• Education, prevention, and treatment intervention are effective tools in treating substance abuse. According to the RAND Corporation, treatment is 10 times more cost-effective than interdiction in reducing the use of cocaine in the U.S.

Voice of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

General Assembly Policy
198th General Assembly (1986)

• encouraged abstention in all situations,
• indicated that heavy drinking in any situation should be discouraged, as should any drinking in high-risk or illegal situations,
• promoted and supported actions to protect the public from the effects of alcohol-related problems,
• supported public policy measures designed to make alcohol less readily available and attractive, especially for vulnerable populations,
• supported a variety of prevention and treatment options, and
• recommended that all Christians and citizens should use "responsible choice" in their alcohol consumption decisions. (Please go to Alcohol Use and Abuse: The Social and Health Effects—Reports and Recommendations by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), adopted by the 198th General Assembly in 1986, for a more complete listing of the recommendations.)

205th General Assembly (1993):

• recommended that families discuss substance abuse and its implications and clearly state family expectations on the issue,
• asked congregations to encourage conversation with youth, parents, and their leaders about substance abuse problems in their communities and work for prevention, education and social action,
• encouraged congregations to incorporate the spiritual vitality of 12-Step spirituality and disciplines into the life of the church,
• encouraged sessions, presbyteries and synods to develop and adopt substance-use policies reflecting the church's teachings,
• asked presbyteries and synods to provide pastoral care for individuals (members and employees) with substance-abuse problems and encouraged development of educational programs concerning drug and alcohol use and abuse, and
• recommended that individual Presbyterians study the church's pastoral encouragement to abstain from tobacco products. (Please go to Freedom and Substance Abuse, adopted by the 205th General Assembly in 1993, for a more complete listing of the recommendations.)

204th General Assembly (1992):

• established an annual Presbyterian Addiction Awareness Week,
• encouraged middle governing bodies and congregations to hold week-long awareness events, including celebrations of recovery, and
• requested that materials be prepared for this time of healing.

Suggestions for Observing Presbyterian Addiction Awareness Week:

Presbyterian Addiction Awareness Week may be celebrated during the first full week in November or during any week during the year.

1. Organize a worship service that addresses addiction awareness and recovery. Suggested worship resources are "Addiction Awareness Bulletin Inserts," "Celebrating the Miracle,"  and "Addiction, Grace and Healing." (Click here to see resources section).
2. Develop youth, adult and/or intergenerational classes on topics such as parenting, peer pressure, self-esteem, and substance use/abuse.
3. Encourage your Presbytery and congregation to form an Addictions Task Force to educate yourself and others about the addiction crisis. Learn more about the root causes of addiction, effective drug treatment programs, and U.S. policy that supports treatment.
4. Create an addiction resource section in your church library.

Presbyterian Network on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse

Presbyterian Network on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (PNAODA) is a network of Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association (PHEWA). In cooperation with the Office of Health Ministries, USA, PNAODA provides assistance and resources for holistic healing ministries with persons who abuse alcohol and other drugs. For more information, contact:

PHEWA
(Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association)
100 Witherspoon St., Room 3041
Louisville, KY 40202
Tel: (888) 728-7228 x5800