Prevention and Recovery

Director’s Message

Prevention and Recovery
The months of May and June bring some timely opportunities for ARMin groups to engage in health promotion as well as in recovery activities that may touch the lives of church members and the community, going beyond the weekly 12-step meetings.

May is Mental Health Awareness month and May 31 is World NO Tobacco Day around the world – an initiative sponsored by the World Health Organization to reduce the use of Tobacco and raise awareness of its harms (see #worldNoTobaccoDay). Tobacco is the number 2 cause of preventable death in the US – even though progress has been made. In addition, June 26 is International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, sponsored by the United Nations (see resources session for websites to access more information).

Faith Communities have played a key role in the reduction of the prevalence of smokers, but with e-cigarettes on the rise, young kids seem to be still increasingly at risk. The Adventist church continues to have a key role to play both in recovery, as well as in prevention. This year the WHO is urging governments to increase taxes on tobacco and the Adventist church has been a key collaborative partner in this effort. (see the Adventist News Network article discussing this partnership at http://news.adventist.org) We must continue to be engaged both in recovery as well as in advocacy and prevention.

History tells us that Ellen G. White, a pioneer of the temperance movement in the Adventist church, was strongly committed to this effort and urged Adventists to vote for policies that would reduce access or prohibit alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (such as Marijuana today). She was reported to have said, “’…and perhaps I shall shock some of you if I say, If necessary, vote on the Sabbath Day for prohibition if you cannot at any other time.’” Arthur L. White, Ellen G. White: The Lonely Years, 1876-­1891, vol.3,p.161.

Let us do our part to continue to engage in recovery and prevention efforts. Check out www.factswithHope.org for a 1 min video that can be used in your church or shared in your facebook page, twitter account or youtube to bring awareness about what faith-communities can do. Join us in this effort. You can make a difference. May God use your experience of recovery and your talents to share a message for a full life in Christ, helping others say NO to anything that is harmful to body, mind and soul and YES to habits linked to full life.

Katia Reinert, PhD, CRNP, FCN