TALK WITH YOUR CHILD ABOUT ALCOHOL

The Chance That Children Will Use Alcohol Increases as They Get Older. 

About 10 percent of 12-year-olds say they have tried alcohol, but by age 15, that number jumps to 50 percent. The sooner you talk to your children about alcohol, the greater chance you have of influencing their decisions about drinking.[1]

Parents Play a Critical Role in Children’s Decisions to Experiment with Alcohol. 

Studies have shown that parents have a significant influence on young people’s decisions about alcohol consumption,[2]  especially when parents create supportive and nurturing environments in which their children can make their own decisions.[3] In fact, around 80 percent of children feel that parents should have a say in whether they drink alcohol.[4],[5]

The Conversation Is Often More Effective Before Children Start Drinking. 

If you talk to your kids directly and honestly, they are more likely to respect your rules and advice about alcohol use.

Some Children May Try Alcohol as Early as 9 Years Old. 

Most 6-year-olds know that alcohol is only for adults. Between the ages of 9 and 13, children start to view alcohol more positively. Many children begin to think underage drinking is OK. Some even start to experiment. It is never too early to talk to your children about alcohol.[6]

If You Do Not Talk About It, You Are Still Saying Something. 

What you say to your children about alcohol is up to you. But remember parents who do not discourage underage drinking may have an indirect influence on their children’s alcohol use.[7]

It is important to:[8]

• Talk early and often, in developmentally appropriate ways, with children and teens about your concerns—and theirs—regarding alcohol. Adolescents who know their parents’ opinions about youth drinking are more likely to fall in line with their expectations.

• Establish policies early on, and be consistent in setting expectations and enforcing rules. Adolescents do feel that parents should have a say in decisions about drinking, and they maintain this deference to parental authority as long as they perceive the message to be legitimate; consistency is central to legitimacy.

• Work with other parents to monitor where kids are gathering and what they are doing. Being involved in the lives of adolescents is key to keeping them safe.

• Work in and with the community to promote dialogue about underage drinking and the creation and implementation of action steps to address it.

• Be aware of your State’s laws about providing alcohol to your own children.

• Never provide alcohol to someone else’s child.

To help parents in preventing and reducing adolescent alcohol and drug use, The Partnership at Drugfree.org provides information and tools through its website, its community education programs, and its public service messages.  Other web resources: www.theantidrug.com, www.timetotalk.org- Great Parent Talk Kit, www.drugfreeactionalliance.org, www.drugfree.org.  Parents, family, and friends of kids please make sure to check out these sites or contact the SAFE Coalition for more information on issues that kids are facing today.  Van Buren County SAFE Coalition: 319-293-3334 ext. 1017, info@vbsafecoalition.com or check us out online at www.vbsafecoalition.com and on Facebook – Van Buren County SAFE Coalition. 

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References

[1] the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide to Action for Educators. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 2007.

[2] Nash, S.G., McQueen, A., and Bray, J.H. (2005). Pathways to adolescent alcohol use: Family environment, peer influence, and parental expectations. Journal of Adolescent Health, 37(1), 19–28.

[3] Barnes, G.M., Reifman, A.S., Farrell, M.P., and Dintcheff, B.A. (2000). The effects of parenting on the development of adolescent alcohol misuse: A six-wave latent growth model. Journal of Marriage and Family, 62(1), 175–186.

[4] Jackson, C. (2002). Perceived legitimacy of parental authority and tobacco and alcohol use during early adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health 31(5), 425–432.

[5] Nash, S.G., McQueen, A., and Bray, J.H. (2005). Pathways to adolescent alcohol use: Family environment, peer influence, and parental expectations. Journal of Adolescent Health, 37(1), 19–28.

[6] the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: A Guide to Action for Educators. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 2007.

[7] Sieving, R.E., Maruyama, G., Williams, C.L., and Perry, C.L. (2000). Pathways to adolescent alcohol use: Potential mechanisms of parent influence. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 10(4), 489–514.

[8] the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007

Do YOU want to make a difference in Van Buren County?

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition is continually looking for community members who are interested in making Van Buren County a SAFE place to live.

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition came together originally in 1993, after the floods, as a way to get community members together to work on a specific issue.  This group was organized to assist with flood efforts and clean-up after the flood.  The group met sporadically over the next few years.  It was not until December of 2002 that the group became organized.  There were 11 members at the first organized meeting and the group has now grown to over 60 members. 

The coalition is currently working on strategies to address tobacco prevention, underage drinking, underage binge drinking, suicide prevention, and adult deaths caused by overconsumption of alcohol in Van Buren County with Community Partnership Funds, Community Grants, and the Iowa Partnership for Success Funds. This work requires input from all areas of the community. If you are a parent, business owner, concerned citizen, faith-based representative, young adult, youth worker, youth, or anyone else who wants to make a difference, the coalition needs you. Your input is valuable and we want to hear from you.

If you are interested in finding out more about the coalition or think that you would like to get involved the coalition would love to have you join! Coalition meetings are held on the 3^rd Tuesday of the month at 4:30 pm with light refreshments at 4:15 pm at the VBC Community Services Center Conference Room in Keosauqua. There is a conference line if you cannot be there in person but would like to call in and participate in the meeting. 

Next Meeting:

March 17, 2020

4:30 pm

VBC Community Services Center Conference Room

(Hospital Emergency Room Driveway on the Left)

If you are interested in joining but not able to attend or call into the meeting, please contact us at 319-293-3334 ext. 1017 or via email at safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org and you can be added to our member list.

Check us out on the web for more information: http://www.van-buren.k12.ia.us/vnews/display.v/SEC/RESOURCES%7CSAFE%20COALITION or on the blog at - http://vbsafecoalition.blogspot.com/ or on Facebook at Van Buren County SAFE Coalition.

  

VAN BUREN COUNTY SAFE COALITION ATTENDED CADCA’S NATIONAL LEADERSHIP FORUM TO LEARN NEW SKILLS TO INCREASE SUBSTANCE MISUSE PREVENTION EFFORTS IN VAN BUREN COUNTY

A representative from Van Buren County headed to the Washington, D.C., area to join more than 3,000 substance misuse prevention specialists and advocates from throughout the country for CADCA’s (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America's) 30th Annual National Leadership Forum.

“I was so excited to be able to spend several days with other similar organizations from across the country, learning and honing my prevention skills so my community can be a better place, one that doesn’t suffer from the harms of substance misuse,” said Kris Rankin SAFE Coalition & IPFS Coordinator. “I came back re-energized with new strategies under my belt to tackle substance use in Van Buren County.”

CADCA’s Forum covered a wide range of topics – everything from how to prevent prescription misuse to addressing electronic cigarettes use, trending marijuana issues and how to develop policies to reduce underage drinking.

Our coalition has recently impacted the community by working to address underage drinking and underage binge drinking by working with local privately owned facilities that host community events and city councils to develop best practices alcohol restrictions for their facilities and public places.  The coalition also worked with the Van Buren County Community School District to implement the Botvin Life Skills Curriculum with the 7^th & 8^th grade students during their Explore Rotation.  The coalition has also continued to work with the 7-12^th grade students at the Van Buren County Junior/Senior High School through the Youth Leadership Council.  The Youth Leadership Council learns about substance misuse and then does activities for their peers to promote a substance abuse free lifestyle. 

Our coalition representative heard from several leaders including Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).  The SAFE Coalition also met with U.S. Representatives and Senators at the Forum’s Capitol Hill Day event on Wednesday, Feb. 5. During those meetings, they shared local data with each of them to show what has been happening around substance misuse in Van Buren County. 

CADCA’s National Leadership Forum, the nation’s largest training event for community prevention leaders, treatment professionals and researchers took place at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center Feb. 3-6, 2020. Visit the CADCA Forum website for details about training sessions, speakers and special events.

The Van Buren County SAFE Coalition seeks to stimulate community involvement to promote responsible behaviors, among youth and adults leading to SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environments) and healthy communities.  For information about the coalition please contact the SAFE Coalition by phone at 319-293-3334 ext. 1017 or by email at safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org.

About CADCA The mission of CADCA (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) is to strengthen the capacity of community coalitions to create and maintain safe, healthy and drug-free communities globally. This is accomplished by providing technical assistance and training, public policy advocacy, media strategies and marketing programs, training and special events.

Participate in Through with Chew Week

Through With Chew (TWC) Week is February 16-22, 2020. The Van Buren County Youth Leadership Council (YLC) would like to encourage our community members to love themselves and quit using chewing tobacco and snuff! The Great American Spit Out occurs February 20, 2020.

During this week the Middle School YLC members will have posters with information to encourage their peers to not use Chewing Tobacco displayed in the Middle/High School.  The High School YLC members have designed a bulletin board to help their peers understand the dangers of Chewing Tobacco. 

The dangers of smokeless tobacco include the following:

·         Chew contains at least 28 chemicals that have been found to cause cancer in the mouth, esophagus, and pancreas.

·         Treating oral cancers can involve removal of tissue and bone including the tongue and jaw.

·         Smokeless tobacco can also cause gum disease, heart disease, and precancerous mouth sores.

·         On average, chew products deliver a higher dose of nicotine than cigarettes making the product more habit forming.

For more information on Through with Chew week, the Great American Spit Out, or YLC please contact the SAFE Coalition office at safe.coalition@van-burencsd.org or 319-293-3334 ext. 1017.