Articles
In this section you will find various informative articles produced by and for the White Ribbon Association, many of which have featured within our quarterly magazine, the ‘White Ribbon Family Magazine’.
- Girls drinking becomes a major concern
9 March 2009
In Wales, 74% of those surveyed thought that young people drank because their friends did and because it was 'normal'.- Mother allows three-year old son to smoke
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Article by Mary Ayres, January 2009
Yes, you have read it correctly, a 3 year old child! - Solvent abuse
Article by Mary Ayres, October 2008
We have all read or heard, at some point, something about solvent abuse or VSA (volatile substance abuse), but we may not have really taken in the seriousness of it. The statistics are disturbing.- What is FASD?
20 August 2008
Every year on September 9th, International FASD Awareness Day is observed.- Do you ever feel under pressure to 'just say yes'?
Article by Rachel Ayres, July 2008
When you think of the word 'drugs' you rarely associate cigarettes in the same category. Cigarettes are a common thing and it can sometimes seem that everyone around you is smoking. The reality is, cigarettes are a drug. They contain highly dangerous and addictive chemicals, which can really harm you.- Pregnancy and alcohol
June 2008
You have good reason to be concerned as research shows that drinking even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy may affect the unborn child.- Feeding the 'Pokies'
June 2008
Pokies (or slot machines) are big business in Australia and with that comes huge problems.- One pack of twenty cigarettes a day will cost £1,930 a year!
Article medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in June 2008
Many of the diseases caused by smoking, such as heart disease and lung cancer, are seen as 'male' diseases. But the number of women dying from such preventable illnesses is on the rise. Smoking is the single largest cause of preventable cancer deaths in the UK. Each year it causes around 32,000 deaths from lung cancer and thousands from other cancers - it's thought to be a factor in one in four cancer deaths.- Rain in My Heart
13 December 2007
BBC documentary 'Rain in My Heart' was shown last year, following the story of alcoholism and its often fatal effects.- Tis the Season to be Jolly
Article by Rachel Ayres, December 2007
A young person's guide to surviving Christmas.- Smoke free zones
25 August 2007
As of July 1st 2007, all enclosed public spaces in England became smoke free zones. The Government has estimated that 600,000 people will quit smoking as a result of the ban - that’s 600,000 lives that will be saved!