Why
Teach Middle and High School Students about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Other
Alcohol-Related Birth Defects?
Maternal alcohol abuse results in irreversible emotional, mental and physical
damage in approximately 50,000 U.S. newborns per year. (http://www.nofas.org,
2004)
These
alcohol-related birth defects affect all races and socio-economic groups.
The annual cost estimates
for FAS and related conditions in the U.S. is estimated to be as much as $7.8
billion. (Addiction Biology, Vol.9, No.2, 2004)
FAS and other alcohol-related
birth defects are 100% preventable.
Middle and high school students need to be taught about this issue as they make
their life-style choices.
