FOUR TIPS FOR A SAFE & HEALTHY GRAD SEASON
Graduation season is “prime time” for teen binge drinking and the associated risks, but well-prepared parents and other caring adults can do a lot to assure safe and healthy celebrating for teenagers during this time.
The Novato Blue Ribbon Coalition for Youth, along with its partner project Healthy Novato, offers four important tips to help keep youth safe during this time.
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- Adults and teens should agree beforehand on clear rules about no drinking. Make a plan for contact by phone or text on party night. Help your teen plan how to resist peer pressure to drink.
- If you or your teen is hosting a party, be there to actively supervise. Make it clear that no alcohol or drugs are allowed. Keep liquor behind locked doors and prevent guests from bringing alcohol to the party. Remember that adults are liable for underage drinking that occurs on their property whether or not they are present. This applies to hotel rooms that adults rent too.
- If your teen is planning on going to a party, call the parents to ensure that they will be home and that they will not allow drugs or alcohol. If this is not possible, don't let your teen go. If your teen is staying overnight at a friend's house after the party, verify this arrangement with the friend's parents and that they will be home.
- Make sure your teen has a way to get to and from a party. Remind your teen NEVER to ride home with a driver who has been drinking or using other drugs. Make it easy for your teen to leave a party by making it clear that he can call at any time for a ride home. Discuss why he might need to make such a call. (Make it clear to your teen that this does not give him or her permission to drink.). Be up to greet your teen when he comes home. This can be a good way to check the time and talk about the evening.
Remember - never allow youth to drink or provide them with alcohol. Not only is it against the law, but it puts youth at risk for alcohol poisoning, crashes, poor decision-making, harm to the developing brain, and other consequences. A lot can go wrong when you mix teens and alcohol.
For more information on how to get involved in efforts to reduce youth access to alcohol, contact the Novato Blue Ribbon Coalition for Youth Project Coordinator, Jasmine Freese at 415-798-5329 or jasmine@novatoblueribbon.org. Also, please visit the Coalition's website, www.novatoblueribbon.org, or the website of our partner Healthy Novato, healthynovato.org, for information on what parents and families can do to prevent youth from drinking.
