LEAF

Public Service Announcement

SEE IT. HEAR IT. TALK ABOUT IT. PARENTS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

No parent wants to think of their child as one of the thousands of teens who drink- or about all the things that can happen when they do. Still, by the time they're in their senior year of high school, four out of five teens have consumed alcohol and adolescents who drink are likely to be heavy drinkers or binge drinkers.

Research shows that when parents communicate their expectations that their children abstain from alcohol, teens and pre teens are far less likely to drink.

PARENTS NEED TO COMMUNICATE TO YOUTHS THAT:

• Underage drinking is against the law.

• Using alcohol is risky and unnecessary.

• Lots of smart, cool people choose not to use alcohol.

CONSEQUENCES OF UNDERAGE DRINKING INCLUDE:

Health Problems

• Young people who began drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependance than those who abstained untill age 21.

• Alcohol use among teens is associated with the three most common causes of teenage deaths: accidental deaths (such as car crashes), homicides and suicides.

• On average eight adolescents a day in the U.S. die in alcohol-related automobile crashes and nine out of 10 teenage automobile accidents involve the use of alcohol.

• Ninety-five percent of violent crimes on college campuses are alcohol-related. The majority of college rapes (ninety percent) involve alcohol use by either the victim and/or the assailant.

• More then 70,000 students between the age of 18-24 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape.

Sexual Behavior

• Higher levels of alcohol use are associated with unplanned or unprotected sexual activity among adolescents. This poses increased risk for teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease including HIV.

School-Related Problems

• Alcohol use and higher levels of use among adolescents is associated with poor grades, absenteeism and higher rates of school dropout.

NEW YORK STATE OFFICE OF ALCOHOLISM AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES

DAVID E. PATERSON, Governor
1450 Western Avenue / Albany, NY 12203-3526 / 518-473-3460 / Fax: 518-485-6014
www.oasas.state.ny.us / prevention@oasas.state.ny.us