Parents and Teens Together
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| Home of the JP Fun Run |
| According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), prevention efforts are beginning to pay off in declining rates of teen smoking and street drug use. However, in the absence of comparable efforts to combat underage drinking, alcohol use and binge drinking among teens continue at alarmingly high rates. DHHS data for 2003 show that about 10.9 million persons aged 12 to 20 reported drinking alcohol in the past month (about 30 percent of this age group). Nearly 7.2 million (19.2 percent) were binge drinkers, and 2.3 million (6.1 percent) were heavy drinkers. |
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| SIX WAYS TO SAY NO TO A DRINK At some point, your child will be offered alcohol. To resist such pressure, teens say they prefer quick “one-liners” that allow them to dodge a drink without making a big scene. It will probably work best for your teen to take the lead in thinking up comebacks to drink offers so that he or she will feel comfortable saying them. But to get the brainstorming started, here are some simple pressure-busters— from the mildest to the most assertive. 1. No thanks. 2. I don’t feel like it—do you have any soda? 3. Alcohol’s NOT my thing. 4. Are you talking to me? FORGET it. 5. Why do you keep pressuring me when I’ve said NO? 6. Back off! |
| Teenage Drinking And Smoking - Siblings Are Powerful Role Models Brothers and sisters are more powerful role models than friends or parents when it comes to teenage drinking and smoking, research has shown. On average, 13 percent of younger siblings reported smoking and 36 percent reported drinking, but rates increased when older siblings also reported substance use. About 10 percent of younger siblings with non-smoking older siblings used tobacco, compared to 40 percent of those whose older siblings smoked. Likewise, younger sibling alcohol use increased from 25 to 53 percent when older siblings reported drinking. |
| Advertising Influence on Youth Teens surveyed said [cigarette and beer] ads had greater influence on their desire to smoke or drink in general than on their desire to buy a particular brand. Source: USA Today, January 31-February 2, 1997, "Ads for adults vices big hit with teens" Budweiser was identified as the favorite brand among 800 youth 6-17 years of age. Other brands that made it into the top ten include Pepsi, Nissan, Nike, American Dairy Association, Coke, Barbie, Snickers, McDonald's, and Hostess. Source: Campbell Mithus Esly new release, 'National Study Reveals Kids Favorite TV Ads", Yahoo PR Newswire, March 24, 1998 Children who report greater awareness of television beer advertising have more favorable beliefs about drinking, greater knowledge of beer brands and slogans, and increased intention to drink as an adult. Source: Joel W. Grube, PhD, and Lawrence Wallack, DrPH, "Television Beer Advertising and Drinking Knowledge, Beliefs, and Intentions among Advertising and Drinking Knowledge, Beliefs, and Intentions among Schoolchildren, AJPH, February 1994, Vol. 84, Mo. 2, 254-259. |
