Help Youth Ring in the New Year Safely—and Alcohol Free
12/09/2010
The holiday season is in full swing, with alcoholic beverages in abundance at many parties, family festivities, and other social events. Many of these activities take place in the homes of family or friends, the two most often-reported places youth drink.
It’s especially important now for community-based prevention practitioners to help parents talk with youth in ways that make a real and positive impact on their underage child’s decisions about alcohol use, since there’s a strong chance that their teen or tween will be offered a drink, encouraged to take a sip of the bubbly, or tempted to engage in dangerous binge drinking on New Year’s Eve. A thoughtful and well-timed discussion about the potential harms of underage alcohol consumption could make the difference between a wonderful night to remember and one that ends in an alcohol-related tragedy.
Safe Alternatives on New Year’s Can Be Fun, Too!
Many communities are making it easier for families to experience safe—and enjoyable—alternatives onNew Year’s Eve.
Cities and towns in approximately 30 States across the country sponsor First Night festivities to celebrate New Year’s Eve in their neighborhood or community. This is a great option to suggest to parents. First Night offers low-cost, family-friendly events that do not incorporate alcohol. Many start in the afternoon and feature performing arts and other entertainment.
To lessen the risk of youth alcohol consumption on New Year’s, encourage parents to:
- Think twice about leaving their teen home alone during the holidays. Social host liability laws in 24 States and 150 cities and counties often extend to parents who fail to take sufficient measures to prevent underage drinking in their homes.
- Remember that they are a primary source of alcohol for their children. Youth report having fairly easy access to alcohol, either from their parents’ own liquor cabinet, from older friends and less responsible adults, or by purchasing it illegally. Some 90 percent of 12th grade students say that it is, or would be, fairly easy or very easy for them to get alcohol.
- Keep alcohol out of sight and/or locked away if they keep alcohol in the home. Youth, out of curiosity or as a result of peer pressure, may be tempted to sneak liquor, beer, or wine from the home.
- Check with other parents hosting parties for teens in their homes to ensure that alcohol will not be served and that there will be adult supervision. Be sure to let these parents know that you, a concerned parent, disapprove of underage drinking. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 20.6 percent of youth aged 12 to 20 who had one drink in the past 30 days reported that they got alcohol from a parent/guardian or other adult family member.
- Plan parties that are alcohol-free if young people are invited. Celebrating New Year’s Eve at home can be a great and safe option. Parents can host a family and friends party where youth concoct their own mix of nonalcoholic, fancy drinks—shakes and sodas—with chocolate and other flavors. The party can include their children’s favorite board games, physical games (e.g., Twister, charades), movies, and snacks. Don’t forget the music (let them choose) and dancing!
- Be a good role model by not using alcohol, particularly if they will be driving elsewhere at the end of the party. Children learn best by example.
- Sit down with their children to help them make positive, healthy resolutions for 2011.
Support for Healthy, Alcohol-Free Resolutions for Youth
Most young people, and many parents, may not be fully aware of the many negative consequences of alcohol use. Not only is underage drinking illegal—it’s illegal for good reason! The harmful effects of alcohol are both immediate and long term for teens, their families, and their communities:
- Youth who report drinking before age 15 are more likely than those who begin drinking later in life to have other substance abuse problems during adolescence; to engage in risky sexual behavior; and to be involved in car crashes, unintentional injuries, and physical fights after drinking, both during adolescence and in adulthood.
- For youth, alcohol consumption can lead to long-term consequences in brain development. Recent research indicates a significant relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and consequent changes in levels of impulsive behavior. Heavy alcohol use in adolescence can alter the structure and function of the young person’s brain, reducing impulse control. That, in turn, could lead to further heavy drinking.
- Another study, supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), found that 12- to 17-year-olds become intoxicated with fewer drinks than adults. Drink for drink, the average blood alcohol concentrations attained by children and adolescents are much higher than those seen among college students or adults.
Parent-Child Communication: The Vital Link to Prevention
When parents communicate with their children about the harmful effects and negative consequences of alcohol use before age 21, they can make a real difference. The holidays, especially New Year’s Eve, are a critical time for community-based prevention practitioners to encourage and enable parents to talk with their children about alcohol use. However, parents may need some support. You can provide a number of helpful resources:
- Stop Alcohol Abuse, a portal of Federal resources, features a section for parents that lists a number of resources and publications.
- A Family Guide To Keeping Youth Mentally Healthy & Drug Free is a public education Web site developed by SAMHSA to communicate to parents and other caring adults about how they can help promote their child’s mental health and reduce his or her risk for becoming involved with alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. The Talk With Your Child section offers articles and tips to encourage communication between parents and their children.
- Parents can encourage their children to learn about the dangers of underage alcohol use for themselves by playing free games, taking quizzes, and studying the facts available at Too Smart To Start, a SAMHSA site that helps youth, families, educators, and communities prevent underage alcohol use and its related problems. The teen and tween sections of the Too Smart To Start Web site also offer helpful information and advice on dealing with peer pressure in a positive manner.
- Start Talking Before They Start Drinking: A Family Guide provides facts and practical advice on how parents can talk with children about underage drinking. This brochure incorporates the latest information from the Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking and will give parents the knowledge and tools they need to take action.
- NIAAA’s the Cool Spot for 11- to 13-year-olds also offers a section on handling peer pressure. Parents can share that information with their children, as well as reality checks, quizzes, and facts about alcohol.
Ring in the New Year With Hope
The prevention community can look back on our achievements in 2010 and look ahead to the New Year with high hopes. By hosting a Town Hall Meeting (THM) to prevent underage drinking in 2010, you have heightened your community awareness of one of the most pressing issues affecting our youth. In 2011, we look forward to continuing to support your efforts and provide resources that can help you. This coming year, we will be laying the groundwork for the 2012 THMs, and your input will be critical in this process.