The National Family Partnership (NFP), formerly known as the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, was created in 1980 by parents across America in response to the rising level of youth drug use. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The Partnership also assists in forming parent groups in all 50 States by providing education to parents about the health risks of drug use.
Nancy Reagan
Nancy Davis Reagan (; born Anne Frances Robbins; July 6, 1921 – March 6, 2016) was an American film actress and First Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989. She was the second wife of president Ronald Reagan.
Reagan was born in N ...
was founding and honorary Chair of the National Family Partnership.
The mission of the National Family Partnership is nurturing full potential. The National Family Partnership works to accomplish its mission through parent training, parent networking and sponsoring the National Red Ribbon Campaign. "
vry year about 90,000 schools across the country participate" in the Red Ribbon Campaign.
[{{Cite news, url=https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/03/the-toy-free-kindergarten/520905/, title=Germany Is Taking Away Kindergarteners' Toys to Curb Future Addiction, last=Zaske, first=Sara, work=The Atlantic, access-date=2017-03-29, language=en-US] The Red Ribbon Campaign is an opportunity to send a consistent "Anti-Drug" message to young people.
The comedian and actress, TV personality star
Carol Burnett
Carol Creighton Burnett (born April 26, 1933) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and writer. Her groundbreaking comedy variety show ''The Carol Burnett Show'', which originally aired on CBS was one of the first of its kind to be hosted ...
first referenced the NFP in an article about her daughter's drug use in a popular magazine ("
Good Housekeeping
''Good Housekeeping'' is an American women's magazine featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, and health, as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good House ...
"?), introducing thousands of parents to a nationwide effort at NFP's beginning. The first meeting in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
brought together concerned parents from nearly all states in the union, to educate themselves about the harmful effects of
marijuana
Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...
and other common drugs of use and abuse by young people, and raised awareness of the proliferation of misleading information about these drugs in the schools and health agencies. While in Washington, parents
lobbied
In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...
their
U.S. senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and power ...
and representatives for stricter legislation regarding marijuana possession in any amount and stricter penalties for
drug dealers
The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global black market dedicated to the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of prohibited drugs. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs through ...
. Many gained the confidence to overcome living in the shadows with a young drug user in the family to speaking out about the new studies on the hazards of drug use upon youth in particular. Parent groups sprung up in communities across the nation to change the public perception that marijuana use was "acceptable," by educating others about the weed's effect upon the brain and reproductive organs and its long-lingering effects.
References
National Family Partnership
;Notes
Medical and health organizations based in Florida