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At Home |
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Make rules about alcohol use – no one under the legal age is allowed to drink alcoholic beverages (wine cooler, beer, wine, etc.) with NO exceptions! Establish rules and consequences that you and your child(ren) agree on. |
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Keep any alcohol you have at home out of reach or locked up and away from children. |
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Set a good example as an adult or parent – don’t drink to the point of intoxication, don’t drink and drive, “practice what you preach.” |
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Know your child’s friends and their parents. Talk to them about the rules in their house and make sure you all agree. |
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Know where your children are going and make sure there is appropriate supervision. |
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Talk with your children about alcohol and LISTEN to them. They know where and when underage drinking happens and how easy it is to obtain alcohol. |
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Support your child. If they break a rule and choose to drink, let them know they can call you and you will help them be safe. Save lectures and punishments for later when everyone has had a chance to calm down. |
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TRUST your child to follow the rules you have established together. |
At School |
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Make the choice to not drink! You are not alone. Find support from others who have also made the same choice |
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Be straight with your friends and peers that you do not drink. Even though they might not show it, they will respect you for making that decision and sticking to it no matter what. |
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Know you CAN have a good time with your friends without drinking. Offer to help them make the right choice by doing things together that don’t involve alcohol. |
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Support your friends. If they choose to drink and do get into let them know you are still willing to be friends if they want support and help |
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Join or form a SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving) group or other group so that your peers can find support and plan fun activities for students who don’t drink, and can offer same support and fun to students who do. |
In Your Neighborhood |
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Talk with your neighbors and let them know your house is a “safe house” – no underage drinking allowed. |
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Form a “neighborhood alliance.” Know which parents allow underage drinking in the house and which parents don’t. Don’t exclude these neighbors, but let them know that you don’t support underage drinking and will not allow your child to stay at their house as long as they allow underage drinking. |
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As an adult, let the other students in the neighborhood know that you are willing to help them should they have a problem with alcohol. |
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As a student, let your friends and peers know they can rely on you should they drink and need help, but that you don’t support their choice to drink. |
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Show your peers you can have fun without drinking-have parties at your house, plan group events, etc. |
In Your Community |
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Do a "community scan" - how many alcohol billboards, outlets, advertisements, etc. do you see? How close are they to schools, churches, parks, and other community places? How many billboards and outlets do families and children see every day? Take this information to your village mayor, school board, legislators and others. |
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Attend local ATC (Alcohol and Tobacco Commission) meetings. They are held at least once a month. You can protest alcohol licenses and places that are a "nuisance." It only takes a few hundred signatures or a few people to testify to make a difference! To find out more call the Department of Revenue & Taxation - Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement Branch at 475-1802/5. |
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Meet with your senators and/or mayor to talk about your concerns. They need to know where minors are able to get alcohol in the community. Here are some things you can consider doing:
- Use LOCAL regulations and land use powers to control the number of outlets and advertising.
- Use PROMOTION regulations to reduce exposure to alcohol - ban billboards and ads, restrict or ban outdoor advertising, ban alcohol sponsorship or advertising at family events.
- Use PRODUCT regulations to reduce access to alcohol.
- Use PRICE regulations to reduce alcohol consumption.
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