Topic 6 Ending Underage Drinking Is Everyone’s Job
- Everyone can work together to create a community where young people can grow up and feel good about themselves without drinking.
- Everyone in the community should deliver the message that underage drinking is not okay. The message should be the same whether youth hear it in school, at home, in place of worship, on the sport field, in youth programs, or in other places where young people gather.
- Families can help prevent underage drinking by staying involved in their children’s lives. It is important for families to pay attention to what’s happening with their teens.
- Young people can learn about the dangers of alcohol use. They can change how they and others think about drinking.
Photo: Internet
While many teens drink, underage alcohol use is not inevitable. It will take everyone in the community to make change happen. All of us can help change attitudes about teen drinking and help replace environments that enable underage alcohol use with environments that discourage it.
After all, changing how people think isn’t easy. Drinking is legal for adult. That’s why some people think drinking is a rite of passage for youth. Many young people think drinking is a way for them to feel more grown-up. People of all ages forget that underage drinking is illegal and dangerous.
Communities can some together to encourage a new attitude about underage drinking. A community that opposes underage drinking can help change how people think and act. But it takes time. So it’s important to keep sending the message that the community does not approve of underage drinking. Together, communities can support teen decisions NOT to drink.
- Work on underage drinking as a community health and safety problem that everyone can solve together
- Organise groups to change community think about underage alcohol use . Support the message that underage drinking it not okay.
- Work with sponsors of community events to help them send the message that underage drinking is not allowed.
- Get the word out about policies to prevent underage drinking. This includes age checks for people buying alcohol, including on the Internet.
- Teach your child about the danger of underage alcohol use. Support programs that help teens already involved with drinking.
- Help people learn about the latest research on underage alcohol use . Include information about the danger of youth alcohol use for teens and others. An informed public is key to ending underage drinking.
- Take part of programs, including volunteer work, where your children can grow, explore their options, succeed and feel good about themselves without alcohol.
- Create friendly, alcohol-free home
- Help your children realise that like “doing drugs” or smoking, underage drinking is unhealthy and can drastically impact their lives.
- Let teens involved with underage drinking know that it’s okay to ask for and get help.
- Work to change community attitudes about underage drinking.
- Focus as much community attention on underage dinking as on tobacco and drug use.
- Make it easy for young people who are involved with or at risk underage drinking to get help.