Heavy drinking awareness campaign

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - There is a new campaign in Kent County to make you aware of how much alcohol you're drinking.

County health officials say heavy drinking is a health factor for many adults, even well into their 60s. They say along with the immediate risks of drinking and driving, aggression, and risky behavior, that there are long-term effects including obesity, an increased risk of cancer, and organ damage.

The Kent County Health Department is working in partnership with network180.

“This broad-based, public health campaign incorporates social media, education, environmental strategies, and community mobilization,” Denise Herbert of network180 said in a news release. “We need to raise the level of awareness of adult heavy drinking/binge drinking in Kent County, along with the associated health risks.”

When you visit www.rethinkdrinks.com, you will find information including how to determine if your alcohol consumption is a risk to your health, how much alcohol and calories are in a drink, and an online calculator to assist you in determining your blood alcohol content. The multi-year campaign will include billboards, advertisements, QR coding and social media messages to drive people to the website.

This partnership between the Kent County Health Department and network180 is supported by a grant from the Behavioral Health and Departmental Disabilities Administration/Bureau of Substances Abuse & Addiction Services. 

Lisa LaPlante, the marketing and communications manager for the Kent County Health Department, discussed more information during an interview with 24 Hour News 8's Susan Shaw on Wednesday.