Easy-to-read Web site on drug abuse

BETHESDA, Md., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A new Web site on drug abuse uses plain language, videos and other features to make it easy to understand for those with lower reading levels, officials said.

Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, said the Web site provides plain-language information on neuroscience, drug abuse prevention and treatment.

"Drug abuse and addiction affects people of all reading levels, yet there are no Web sites with drug abuse information created specifically for adults with limited literacy," Volkow said in a statement. "We hope this new site will inform a large segment of our population who may not have otherwise received potentially life-saving information."

The Web site's emphasis on plain language is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's commitment to clear communication by the government that the public can understand and use, Volkow said.

The Web site goes beyond plain language by using a design and features that are easy to use, including animated videos that explain the science of addiction and how drugs affect the brain, Volkow said.

In addition, the Web site used the ReadSpeaker text-to-speech tool that provides audio versions of each page without the need to download any software. An embedded highlighting tool enables visitors to see synchronized highlighting of the text that is currently being read.

The Web site is at: www.easyread.drugabuse.gov.