As you get ready for back to school, remember that with a new year comes new chances for your child to get exposed to alcohol and drugs. As a parent, the best way to prepare yourself for potential questions and conversations is to equip yourself...
Many parents wait until their children are in high school to talk about alcohol; however, research shows that parents should be starting these conversations before age 10. Of course, these discussions are better late than never, but the key when it comes to discussing alcohol...
The legal drinking age of 21 doesn’t stop all parents from allowing underage drinking in their homes. In our prevention work, we’ve heard quite a lot of reasons of why parents choose to allow their underage kids to drink. We’ve also found that a lot...
Spring break is a time for teens to experience freedom from school and spend time with friends and family. However, extra free time and lenient rules can also increase underage drinking, specifically binge drinking, and other risky behaviors. According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy,...
The days of “Just say no” are behind us and experts say teens need scientific facts about drugs and alcohol to be better prepared to make the right decisions. To help counteract the myths teens often receive about drugs and alcohol, the National Institute on Drug...
The holidays are a time for fun and celebration, but, unfortunately, also a time of risk for young people. On an average December day, more than 11,000 young people in the United States, aged 12 to 17, will use alcohol for the first time. Some of these...
We already know that the teens who are online are already at a greater risk for alcohol use. Compared to teens who spend no time on social media sites in a typical day, teens who do are 5 times more likely to use alcohol. (Click...
Research shows that the younger a person is when they start to drink, the greater the risk of alcohol-related problems later in life. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, children who begin drinking at age 13 have a 45% chance of becoming...
Talking to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking before 10 is crucial, according to a new report by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, most parents are waiting too long to talk to their kids about alcohol. One-third of parents wait until their children are...
The consequences of youth substance abuse are serious, resulting in brain development problems, car accidents, risky sexual behavior, school dropouts and more. (You can read about the 7 consequences of underage drinking here). In addition, teens are using substances at a surprisingly early age. The average...