The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University will hold its 19th CASACONFERENCE(SM) - How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope on Tuesday, November 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Conference Center, 633 Third Ave., New York City.

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The world of today's teens is filled with messages that make smoking, drinking and using drugs seem sexy and cool, and the greatest threat to these children leading healthy, fulfilling and productive lives is substance abuse and addiction. The sobering fact is that nearly every child in America will be offered drugs or alcohol before graduating high school.

This CASACONFERENCE(SM) stems from the release of CASA Founder and Chairman Joseph A. Califano, Jr.'s latest book How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid:The Straight Dope for Parents and is based on CASA's two most important findings - the child who stays away from drugs, tobacco, and abusing alcohol until age 21 is virtually certain to steer clear of these substances forever, and teens who learn about the risks of drugs from their parents are much less likely to try them. The conference will focus on the teen world, the school's role in keeping kids drug-free and will address specific, effective actions parents, schools and other caregivers can take to protect and empower their children to resist drugs and alcohol.

Delivering the keynote address will be Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Panels will be comprised of the some of the nation's most influential voices on substance abuse, psychology, adolescence and the family, like David Sheff, author of Beautiful Boy: A Journey Through His Son's Addiction and Stephen J. Pasierb, president and CEO, Partnership for a Drug-Free America. Panels will be moderated by top national journalists. The four panels are: The Teen World: The Straight Dope, How to Know When Kids Are at Risk, Don't Let School Days Become School Daze, and How to Harness the Power of Parenting.

This important and timely CASACONFERENCE(SM)( )is for parents, pastors and clergy, principals, teachers, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and community leaders, those who need to know how to help children grow up drug-free.

WHAT: CASACONFERENCE(SM) - How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope.

WHEN: 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Tuesday, November 17, 2009.

WHERE: The Zena and Michael A. Wiener Conference Center, 633 Third Ave., New York City

WHO: Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA Founder and Chairman; Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director of NIDA; Tim Johnson, M.D., ABC News' Medical Editor; Emily Senay, M.D., MPH, former Medical Correspondent for CBS News; Jackie Judd, former Special Assignment Correspondent for ABC News; and Cynthia McFadden, co-anchor of ABC News' "Nightline" and "Primetime Live."

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=44849

*The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University is neither affiliated with, nor sponsored by, the National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (also known as "CASA") or any of its member organizations, or any other organizations with the name of "CASA".

CONTACT: Lauren Duran, +1-212-841-5260, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; or Sulaiman Beg, +1-212-841-5213, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , both of CASA

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Nov. 10/

SOURCE The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University