Police in New Rochelle, N.Y., recently completed a training exercise to equip them to take a more effective role in the fight against underage drinking.

Shawn Cohen of lohud.com reported on the training in a Jan. 26 article:

About 85 police officers from 24 jurisdictions participated in the half-day training exercises on how to prevent underage drinking and safely disperse underage gatherings involving alcohol.

The event was sponsored by the state Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services in partnership with several groups including New Rochelle FOCUS (Families Organized to Curb the Use of Substances). ...

"House parties are chaotic and, when police departments respond to them, they're placed in chaotic situations," [said Bruce Kelly, coalition coordinator for FOCUS and a former investigator and prosecutor in the Westchester District Attorney's Office]. This training gives them effective ways to deal with the chaos and also make sure kids and parties are dispersed safely."

Labels: laws, underage drinking, parties

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A concerned parent wrote a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer about a string of graduation parties he attended at which the graduates and their friends were given easy access to alcoholic beverages. The parties, he wrote, confirmed for him the findings of a recent study by the U.S. government which noted that many young people get alcohol from parents and other adults.

"'In far too many instances parents directly enable their children's underage drinking - in essence encouraging them to risk their health and well-being,' Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson said in a statement. 'Proper parental guidance alone may not be the complete solution to this devastating public health problem - but it is a critical part.'"

Some parents who approve of drinking at home may think they're protecting their kids from drinking and driving, but what they're really doing is encouraging drinking outside the home as well. A teenager who thinks his parents approve of his drinking is far more likely to partake at parties and other gatherings where parents aren't present.

Labels: parental_involvement, parties

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'Tis the season for prom, graduations, and all the parties that go with them. The Alcohol and Drug Council of North Carolina has released information aimed at helping parents keep their kids safe this prom and graduation season.

"Before the celebrations begin, take a few minutes to talk with your graduate about the dangers of alcohol poisoning. What is it? Alcohol depresses nerves that control involuntary actions such as breathing and the gag reflex, which prevents choking. Someone who drinks a fatal dose of alcohol will eventually stop breathing. Even if someone survives an alcohol overdose, he or she can suffer irreversible brain damage."

The council also reminded parents that hosting a party with alcohol for underage teens is illegal and could result in criminal prosecution. Source: Mountain News

Labels: schools, parental_involvement, parties

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On April 5, a group of young people will be setting the stage for a "party gone wrong." The simulated teen party will give adults an idea of what can happen when things get out of control.

"Youth leadership teams from Dayton, Silver City, Fernley, Silver Springs and Yerington have created dramatic skits involving worrisome situations for each room in a model home staged to look like a wild, unsupervised youth party. Adults will be led through a 20-minute tour of the staged party with a guide who will explain what they're witnessing."

When the tour is over, parents will have a chance to "debrief" with police officers, young people, and some adults who have recovered from addictions. The hope is that this simulated party will help parents get a better understanding of the things that can go wrong at teen parties, and how those things can be prevented. Read more at News.RGJ.com.

Parents also need to learn what they're liable for if their teen throws a party at their house. Read Hosting Teen Parties: What's Your Liability? to learn more.

Labels: prevention, parental_involvement, parties

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Talk about teen substance abuse typically centers on extreme behavior - getting drunk at parties, habitual drug use, and so on. But even occasional use can create a dangerous habit.

"Most teenagers will tell you gulping down an occasional glass of beer along with a cigarette at a bar is fun, not substance abuse. That's where they are wrong. One glass of beer may not be addictive, but can lead to a chain of behavior that can leave you a physical and mental wreck. It can become a habit."

The habit becomes an even greater risk when parents aren't actively involved in their kids' lives. Read more at HindustanTimes.com.

NorthStar Center teaches teens and young adults how to have safe, sober fun. Learn more about their adolescent substance abuse treatment program at www.northstarcenter.com.

Labels: parental_involvement, parties, behaviors

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Santa Barbara may become the fourth city in California to pass what's being called the Social Host Ordinance (SHO). This ordinance would hold parents or guardians accountable when underage drinking takes place at a party.

"First, a minimum of two people is considered a party. Second, a $1,000 fine will be charged to the host when minors are caught with alcohol. If the host is a minor, parents or guardians are held liable... Adults will be charged regardless of their knowledge of the event or of any intention of underage alcoholic possession or consumption."

The ordinance is still in a draft stage in Santa Barbara, but several organizations are already in support.

Want to learn more about parental liability? Read about Parental Liability for Underage Drivers at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: parents, parties, liability

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The holiday season is the toughest time for recovering alcoholics, especially those who are at the beginning of sobriety. The period between November 22 and January 1 is a time of parties where there is increased social pressure to drink and socialize.

It is particularly hard for alcoholic teens to resist invitations to drink, especially if they are just coming out of residential treatment programs or home on winter breaks from therapeutic boarding schools, according to counselors who work in these programs. They advise parents not to have any alcohol in their homes and to host only alcohol-free parties during the holiday season.

Alcoholics Anonymous has many tips on how to get through the season without relapsing into self-destructive behaviors. AA advises newly sober members to plan for the holidays by avoiding places where alcohol is served and by attending AA gatherings. AA holds extra meetings (usually at least three daily) and alcohol-free parties for members during the holiday season.

AA advises members to have contingency plans if they arrive at a party and find out that people are drinking. They should not stay at the party, but instead they can phone their AA sponsors, who are usually willing to come to the scene and help. Another idea is to arrange to meet a friend or parent somewhere if they have to leave a party.

Most alcoholics cannot take even one glass of champagne or beer "to be social" because it can trigger a binge. AA members say that that even eating alcohol-laden foods like rum balls and fruitcake can make them want to drink again.

Is your older teen or young adult currently in rehab or the beginning stages of recovery? A sober living environment, like the one at NorthStar Center in Bend, Oregon, can help by offering a safe, structured environment that's conducive to recovery.

Labels: recovery, parties, holidays

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Highland Park, Illinois, is in the process of revising its social-hosting ordinance, which aims to hold parents accountable when minors engage in drinking or drug use in their homes. Under the current ordinance, parents are only liable if they permit use or possession of alcohol or drugs on their property.

The change would mandate that adults take "reasonable steps" to prevent alcohol or drug consumption by minors.

Lake Forest’s ordinance, which is being rewritten and awaiting a vote in Highland Park, goes on to define "reasonable steps" as actions by parents to control access to alcohol, the quantity of alcohol at a gathering, verifying the age of attendees by inspecting drivers licenses, supervising the activities of minors and calling police for assistance in the event people under 21 are found in possession of alcohol. [Source: Highland Park News]

Though there was general support for the proposed change, some council members voiced concern. In particular, one council member wondered if such a strict ordinance would “scare” parents and they would no longer be willing to let kids hang out in their homes – forcing kids to hang out in places where they may not be supervised at all.

 

Labels: parental_involvement, parties

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