Underage Drinking

The average age for first time use of alcohol is 13 years old.
Start talking before they start drinking.

Because so many kids start experimenting with alcohol early, it is important that parents don’t wait until their children are teenagers before they start talking to them about underage drinking.

Graduation

Keep your graduation parties safe and legal. For information on how to hold an alcohol-free graduation party, click here.

Remember, it is illegal to provide alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. For information about Virginia alcohol laws, click here.

Parent Pods

SAFE held a special event May 24 to kick off its Parent Pods initiative. Parent pods are designed to build agreement among parents around values relating to underage drinking and other substance use.  They utilize parents reaching out to parents to support each other in building healthier, safer families, neighborhoods and communities. Parents host meetings with other parents in their homes, churches or other community settings. Participants at the event signed up to host parent pods,

At the kickoff, parents learned about "Five Kernels for Raising Healthy Kids." The kernels are:

1. Set clear family rules   2. Reward good choices   3. Encourage more sleep  4. Feed their brains Omega-3's   5. Tell five more families

Click here to learn more about the 5 kernels.

 Cafe Conversations

SAFE has sponsored Café Conversations at Elizabeth Davis, Robious, Midlothian, and Matoaca middle schools. About 225 parents and their middle school children enjoyed dinner together and participated in fun, interactive activities that promoted discussion about underage drinking. Parents and children also were separated for a portion of the evening to allow candid discussions with parents about underage drinking and the kids to learn about alcohol and its effects on the brain. The events were facilitated by Dr. Linda Hancock, director of the Wellness Resource Center at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Mary Lib Morgan, prevention specialist for Chesterfield County Public Schools. SAFE will be forming parent groups from interested parents who attended the sessions. 

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The dangers of alcohol are greater for teens than for adults. Alcoholism in teens can develop in a year or two while the process may take five to 10 years to develop in an adult. The earlier a youth starts drinking, the greater the risk. Research has shown that youths who drink before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. For each year's delay in starting to drink, the likelihood of later alcohol abuse problems decreases markedly.

Heavy drinking during the adolescent years can cause damage to thinking abilities, particularly information recall, a critical function in the educational process.

Teen alcohol use also presents additional risks:

  • alcohol-related car crashes; other injuries such as from falls and drowning
  • poor judgment regarding sexual decisions, leading to increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases, unplanned pregnancy
  • increased risk of sexual assault
  • violent behavior
  • legal penalties

Listen to the Audio PSA: I Know – (teen girl)
Listen to the Audio PSA: I Know – (teen boy)

How can parents prevent underage drinking?
Read more...

SAFE’s Underage Drinking Initiatives
  • In fifth grade, child safety officers from the Chesterfield Police Department teach alcohol prevention lessons to children. SAFE provides Use, You Lose t-shirts for the children and a brochure for their parents.
  • In April, Alcohol Awareness Month, SAFE sponsors a “teach-in” with fifth-grade students at an elementary school featuring the Chesterfield County chief of police. Students wear their “Use, You Lose” T-shirts and learn about the importance of staying alcohol free.
  • SAFE sponsors Café Conversations at various middle schools to engage parents and their children in fun, interactive activities that promote conversations about underage drinking.
  • During the holidays, teens involved with SAFE record a radio ad reminding parents of the example they’re setting for their children regarding alcohol use.
  • Many high school seniors celebrate their graduation from high school with a week at the beach. SAFE hosts workshops for parents and seniors that focus on the legalities and realities of Beach Week, including the high risk of underage drinking. A lawyer, a police officer and a health provider deliver these workshops at various high schools during the winter months. Participants receive a Surviving Beach Week guide.
  • In May of each year, SAFE provides information to parents about safe and sober graduations in a communication from the school superintendent, chief of police and chairman of the SAFE board, along with information about Virginia alcohol laws and how to talk to your child about drinking in college.
Reducing Access

SAFE conducts ongoing compliance checks at alcohol retail outlets in Chesterfield County to encourage compliance with laws related to the sale of alcohol to minors. At the end of each series of checks, SAFE publishes the names of the complying and non-complying stores in community papers. Complying stores receive a letter of thanks from SAFE along with posters for their stores. Non-complying stores are encouraged to offer training to their staff to prevent future violations.
Community Standards

The behavior adults model about alcohol, as well as their attitudes toward underage drinking, have a profound effect on the behaviors of teens. SAFE has developed a common-sense list of community standards for alcohol use by adults.

To check out your own drinking patterns, visit Rethinking Drinking: Alcohol and Your Health.