Stopping Teens' Easy Access to Alcohol
Teens report that alcohol is easy to get. Social sources, like family and friends, are the primary sources of alcohol for kids who drink. In 2008, according to the Caring Communities Youth Survey, over 80% of Tangipahoa Parish high school students reported getting alcohol from someone they know 21 years old or older. Teen drinking is not inevitable. All adults can play a role in reducing teen access to alcohol and related harm.
How can you help?
Take steps at home.
- Keep track of the alcohol in your home. Make sure teens can't access it without your knowledge.
- Let your teen know that the minimum legal drinking age is 21, and that drinking can cause serious health and safety consequences to teens and legal consequences for a person who provides the alcohol.
- Talk to your kids about how to say no to a drink.
Take steps in your community.
- Stand up, and spread the word that you don't want other people serving alcohol to your teen or condoning teen drinking. Silence can be misinterpreted. Let your friends, neighbors, and family members know that the minimum drinking age is a policy that protects teens, and that you do not want your teen to drink.
- Talk to the parents of your teen's friends. Let them know that teen drinking poses unacceptable risks and that you do not want or expect anyone to allow your teen to drink alcohol.
- Talk to adults who host teen parties. Let them know that you support the legal drinking age and that it is not okay to serve alcohol to someone else's teen
- Talk to your school board, school principals, teachers, and coaches. Let them know that it is unsafe, illegal, and irresponsible to condone teen drinking. Ask them to discourage this activity.
- Talk to management at restaurants, community centers, and other venues where teen parties are held. Let them know that adults in our community do not want teens to have access to alcohol.
- Let local law enforcement know that you support active policing of noisy teen parties. A noisy party may signal alcohol use.
