CONCORD, NH – The State of New Hampshire is taking steps to remind the public about the preventable harm associated with drinking alcohol during pregnancy. While there is widespread and justified concern about fetal exposure to opioids and other drugs during pregnancy, many people are unaware that alcohol can cause lifelong harm to the developing fetus – including birth defects, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. A new poster will be unveiled on September 5 and be prominently displayed at all 79 New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets and will provide a clear message that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. The posters encourage the general public to talk to their healthcare provider, call 2-1-1 or visit 211nh.org or nofas.org for information and support on protecting the developing fetus. The posters will reach about 11 million customers who shop in New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets each year.
Representatives from the NH Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and other Drugs/Perinatal Substance Exposure Task Force, state health and NH Liquor Commission (NHLC) officials, and other supporters attended an unveiling ceremony on September 5th at the Hooksett Rest Area on Interstate-93 Northbound. Educational resources were also be made available to the public from 12:30pm to 3:00pm.
The effort to update posters to comply with state law requiring messaging for the general public in state liquor outlets on the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy has been led by the New Hampshire Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and other Drugs/Perinatal Substance Exposure Task Force, in collaboration with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NHDHHS) with technical and logistical support from the New Hampshire Center for Excellence/Community Health Institute (Center/CHI). This effort has been sponsored by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Hampshire (PDFNH) and supported by a generous grant from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.
The mission of the Perinatal Substance Exposure Task Force is to identify, clarify, and inform the Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and other Drugs about issues related to perinatal substance exposure. The task force has been meeting regularly to explore how best to support women and their babies from harms associated with substance use.
Public awareness is one key goal to support prevention and to help women to make the healthiest choices possible for themselves and their babies. The task force is also looking at other key issues to improve maternal and infant health, including reducing barriers pregnant women face when seeking prenatal care and substance use disorder treatment, as well as understanding federal and state policies that impact women and their children.
“The Governor’s Commission on Alcohol and other Drugs is pleased to support this collaborative effort to increase public awareness of the harms associated with alcohol use during pregnancy. The Commission’s Perinatal Substance Exposure Task Force has provided significant leadership on this issue in an effort to better protect women and children from the negative effects of substance use,” said Patrick Tufts, Chair of the Commission. “This prevention and awareness campaign will advance our shared efforts to provide research-based information and resources to NH citizens concerning this important topic.”
“Educating the public about responsible alcohol consumption is a key component of our mission and the task force has our full support in the effort to raise awareness about the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy,” said NHLC Chairman Joseph Mollica. “We thank those involved for providing these important resources to consumers and encourage our customers to practice safe and responsible alcohol consumption.”
September 9th is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day. The Perinatal Substance Exposure Task Force is working to spread awareness across the state that drinking any amount of alcohol at any time during pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant could cause birth defects, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. The U.S. Surgeon General advises pregnant women and women who are considering becoming pregnant to abstain from alcohol consumption to eliminate alcohol-exposed pregnancies. An estimated 40,000 babies are born each year with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual exposed to alcohol before birth.
