Go Back to School With Underage Drinking Prevention Resources
08/01/2017
It’s almost back-to-school time, and as students prepare for classes, it’s important to continue education around underage drinking prevention, as well. Almost 400,000 students ages 12–13 reported that they drank alcohol in 2015, while about 4.5 million students ages 16–17 reported drinking alcohol in the same year (Table 3.21A). September is also one of the top four months when full-time college students use alcohol for the first time. To help you prevent underage drinking, and ultimately, strengthen youth in your community, we’ve compiled a list of helpful resources so that youth of all ages can start this school year prepared to tackle underage drinking.
- "Talk. They Hear You." The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) campaign provides public service announcements, resources, talking points, and more to help parents and caregivers talk with children ages 9–15 about underage drinking.
- AlcoholFX App. This SAMHSA appprovides teachers with a useful classroom tool to help fifth and sixth graders learn about alcohol’s harmful effects on the developing brain. AlcoholFX has learning games for students, lesson plans for teachers, information for parents, and promotional materials for prevention- and education-focused organizations.
- The Cool Spot. This National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism interactive website engages teens as it gives them the facts about drinking alcohol.
- College Drinking: Prevention Perspectives. This video series and accompanying webinar discuss ways that college administrators and communities can prevent underage drinking.
And of course, Communities Talk: Town Hall Meetings to Prevent Underage Drinking has plenty of practical event-related resources to help you engage youth in the planning, hosting, and evaluation of your events.
We encourage you to incorporate these resources into your Communities Talk event, promote them on your website, use them to inform your prevention strategies, and share them with adults and youth in your organization. Did you also know we have a Quick Quiz! widget for alcohol facts you can use on your website?
It may be a busy time as you prepare for back to school, but check out the latest Success Stories to get your creative energy flowing as you plan your Communities Talk event. There are many ways to reach young people about underage drinking, peer pressure, social media, and family dynamics, and these Success Stories showcase ways to reach communities in new ways. Also, subscribe to the StopAlcoholAbuse.gov News and Alerts monthly email to get information about resources and useful prevention tools sent right to your inbox.