I hope everyone is thawing out from the blizzard earlier this week! While traveling might be difficult, being snowed-in has its benefits. Parents have a great opportunity to spend time with their kids and hopefully let them know their feelings on substance abuse. But in many instances, the best ways to reach a kid, is through other kids. Are there any resources available that would enable this important peer-to-peer interaction, even though the conditions outside are less than desirable?

Yes, there are as a matter of fact. As luck would have it, this week is the National Institute of Drug Abuse's annual National Drug Facts Week and they offer many opportunities to help teens learn about the dangers of using drugs.

National Drug Facts Week began to help teens "shatter the myths" of substance abuse. There are unique events taking place all over the country and online to help fulfill this goal. Teens can participate in national chats with experts to learn the truth about different drugs or use their creativity host their own events to help spread prevention. For a full listing of activities and more information on National Drug Facts Week, visit the NIDA website.

We at the Partnership are always stressing the importance of peer-to-peer communication as a means of substance abuse prevention. Sometimes the best way to effectively send a message to a kid, is for kids to send those important messages themselves. Our school-based programs are built on this thinking. While parental communication remains the ultimate prevention tool, NIDA's National Drug Facts Week helps empower teens to learn about substance abuse themselves and make good and healthy choices.

So next time you and your family find themselves stuck inside due to weather, it's comforting to know that the click of a button, your teen can be connected with other like-minded individuals seeking to find the truth about substance abuse.