Schuyler County Coalition on Underage Drinking and Drugs (SCCUDD) and Schuyler County Public Health are partnering this summer to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking and other drug use and provide tips to prevent it.
“Alcohol and other drug misuse can lead to a lot of problems like car accidents, memory problems, and bad decision-making,” said Schuyler County Public Health Director Jill Kasprzyk. “But it can be especially dangerous for children and teens. Underage drinking and other drug use can lead to permanent brain changes, and it increases the chances that someone will develop an alcohol or other drug use disorder later in life. Just like a riptide, alcohol and other drug use may seem harmless at first, but you can get pulled into deeper, dangerous waters fast. The good news is that parents and community members can take steps to help prevent underage drinking and substance use.”
SCCUDD provided the following tips for parents/caregivers from the “Talk. They Hear You.”® campaign:
- Show you disapprove of underage drinking and other drug misuse. Send a clear and strong message that you disapprove of underage drinking and misuse of other drugs.
- Show you care about your child’s health, wellness, and success. Reinforce why you don’t want your child to drink or use other drugs—because you want your child to be happy and safe.
- Show you’re a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs. You want your child to make informed decisions about alcohol and other drugs with reliable information about their dangers. Establish yourself as a trustworthy source of information.
- Show you’re paying attention, and you’ll discourage risky behaviors. Show you’re aware of what your child is up to, as young people are more likely to drink or use other drugs if they think no one will notice. Do this in a subtle way, without prying.
- Build your child’s skills and strategies for avoiding underage drinking and drug use. Peer pressure is a powerful thing. Having a plan to avoid alcohol and drug use can help children make better choices. This plan could be texting a code word to a family member or practicing how they’ll say, “no thanks.”
If you or someone you care about is struggling with alcohol use, contact the 24/7 HOPELine by calling 1-877-8-HOPENY or texting HOPENY (467369). If you want to report an underage drinking party or other illegal activity: Call the Schuyler County Tip Line at 607-535-8224. Learn more about underage drinking at https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/underage-drinking/index.html and about the “Talk. They Hear You.”® campaign at https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you.