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Did you know that in the Shenendehowa school district…
Past 30 day alcohol use by 12th graders is significantly above national rates (64% vs. 43%)
Where do youth get alcohol? 60% got alcohol from friends 20% got alcohol from their own home
----->10% with parents’ permission Where do youth drink alcohol? 80% drank at someone’s home
Binge drinking rates among 11-12th graders exceed the state by over 14 percentage points (43% vs. 28%)
Many adults dismiss underage drinking as a “rite of passage” or “kids will be kids.” However, teens experience a wide range of problems when they are involved with alcohol and binge drinking. Violence, including sexual assaults and fights, accidents, alcohol poisoning, increased likelihood of alcohol addiction associated with significant changes in brain chemistry and lowered school performance are a few of the issues directly connected to teen alcohol use.
In addition, youth who drink before they turn age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol addiction than those who start drinking at 21, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The Shenendehowa Community Coalition has initiatives to address binge drinking and the social availability of alcohol. This includes partnering with law enforcement and local media outlets to promote the NYS Police underage drinking part tips line and encourage media coverage of party patrol outcomes. For more information, contact Robin Lyle, The Prevention Council, 36 Phila St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, 581-1230 or visit the website, www.preventioncouncil.org.
