Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

Substance Abuse Youth Summit (Alabama SAYS)

Award Year
2019-2020

Supplemental Award $50,000
Focus Area Capacity Building | Collaboration

Building on the success of the first Alabama Substance Abuse Youth Summit (Alabama SAYS) in 2019, the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (Alabama ABC) held the second annual Alabama SAYS event to continue the ongoing dialogue between prevention and public safety organizations throughout the state. On April 25, 2022, more than 300 prevention professionals from 186 different organizations came together to collaborate and forge new partnerships to tackle
the rising trends in substance use.

Alcohol is the drug of choice for youth in the state of Alabama, and youth substance use behavior often models adult behavior. While youth alcohol use is on the decline overall, youth binge
drinking has remained largely unchanged (NSDUH, 2014-2019). Heavy alcohol use among adults in the state is on the rise, particularly for adults aged 25-34 (BRFSS, 2015-2019), and alcohol use disorder in the past year for adults aged 18-25 and 26 and above is rising as well (NSDUH, 2014-2019).

With the aid of a NABCA award, the Alabama ABC spearheaded this effort to bring together government agencies, educators, prosecutors, law enforcement, children’s advocacy groups, juvenile court officials, medical professionals, and other prevention stakeholders to discuss trends, strategies, and long-term solutions related to youth substance use.

The Alabama ABC achieved its goal by working with a network of key organizations to help plan the event’s agenda. Participants heard from a national public health and medical researcher from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, addiction prevention experts, law enforcement professionals, and a board-certified anesthetist who advises and educates lawmakers about Alabama’s medicinal cannabis laws, among others. Post-conference survey responses were overwhelmingly positive, and the attendance demonstrates that Alabama SAYS is an asset to prevention stakeholders throughout the state.

“The summit provides a needed resource to Alabama prevention stakeholders to connect on substance use trends, policies, and research,” said Beverly H. Johnson, Director of Prevention Services for the Alabama Department of Mental Health. “We are grateful to the ABC for convening this event that helps our preventionists build a deeper understanding of the issues and strengthens their partnerships to address alcohol and substance use disorders in the state.”


To learn more about this summit, visit https://alabcboard.gov/government-relations/alabama-says.