Dover Coalition for Youth: We all play a part in preventing underage drinking

posted on: 4/9/2018

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and also happens to be when Dover High School is celebrating their prom. The Dover Coalition for Youth would like to use this as a reminder that everyone in our community plays a part in preventing underage drinking.

Last week the Dover Police Department and the NH Liquor Commission conducted compliance checks with off-premise liquor licenses (stores where you purchase alcohol and consume it off site) to ensure they are not selling to minors. Twenty-two of the 27 stores checked refused to sell to minors. We want to thank those businesses for sending a strong message to Dover’s youth by refusing to sell to minors.

In addition to local businesses, parents and other adults also play an important part in ensuring that youth do not have access to alcohol. In a recent Dover survey teens were asked, “What was the source of alcohol for the first few times you drank?” The number one answer was, “Taking it from their home or the home of a friend.”

Youth have limited sources for alcohol when they first become curious about drinking. Parents and other adults can take some simple steps to help prevent underage drinking. For example, parents should set a clear family rule that drinking while underage is not allowed. Among teens who reported that they “would be in trouble” if caught drinking, there is a much lower rate of drinking.

Adults should also monitor their liquor cabinet and fridge so that they can identify when any amount of alcohol is missing. Some adults may even choose to lock up their alcohol to eliminate any unauthorized access. Others may decide to limit alcohol stored in the home, or remove it completely while their kids are young.

Even when adults are not providing the alcohol it is important that we are aware of what is going on in our homes. NH law prohibits adults from providing a location for youth to consume alcohol, even if you don’t provide the alcohol yourself.

Research tells us that teenagers who say they've learned a lot about the risks of alcohol from their parents are much less likely to drink than those who say they've learned nothing. Talk about the consequences of underage drinking, including the fact that a teen’s brain is not fully developed; meaning that alcohol has a greater effect and causes more harm.

Experts in the prevention field are unanimous in cautioning us that the younger a child starts drinking the greater the danger of immediate and future alcohol-related problems. If you are interested in getting connected and making an impact on alcohol and drug prevention, check out www.DoverCoalition.org or contact the Dover Coalition for Youth at 603-516-3279 or by email at v.hebert@dover.nh.gov.