UNDERAGE SUBSTANCE USE
IS NOT A MINOR ISSUE
Be the change you wish to see in our community.
In light of the recent incidences of overdose among Connecticut students, New Britain is making every effort to protect our kids from negative outcomes. Our City has many resources available for Narcan access and training, and with the help of New Britain EMS, trainings will be coming to New Britain schools so that they will all be equipped with Narcan. Training will begin with administrators and eventually expand to teachers and the health curriculum.
One of the best things we can do for our New Britain youth is talk to them often and directly to prevent an overdose before it happens. This online Prevention Portal has many useful resources to help you discuss the topic of substance use with your kids, younger siblings, students, or friends.
I am a...
Did You Know?
1. RETAILERS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN REDUCING TEEN ACCESS
2. RESPONSIBLE RETAIL PRACTICES ARE KEY TO PREVENTING ILLEGAL ALCOHOL SALES
3. IF YOU SELL LIQUOR TO A MINOR, YOU OPEN YOURSELF UP TO CRIMINAL CHARGES
#BeeResponsible
Alcohol retailers play an essential role in reducing teen access to alcohol. Not only can you take steps to make sure that teens can’t buy alcohol from your store, you can serve as a source of information to reduce the possibility that alcohol legally sold to an adult will end up in a teenager’s hands. Here are some tools on how you can Bee Responsible as a liquor retailer.
- Be a proud supporter of the New Britain Local Prevention Council and display a liquor merchant counter mat that reminds customers to comply with the law and not provide alcohol to youth. Contact twiley@newbritainct.gov for more information.
- Create and maintain sales and service policies that every staffer follows
- Train staff and management on the alcohol sales policy
- Monitor staff conduct
- Use security practices to reduce underage theft
- Don't market to youth
For more information visit:
Alcohol Retailers Can Help Reduce Teen Drinking | FTC Consumer Information
Consequences
CRIMINAL CHARGES
ALCOHOL-RELATED INJURIES
YOUR EMPLOYER'S LIABILITY
Show Your Support
Fill out the form below to become a proud supporter of the New Britain Local Prevention Council and receive a FREE welcome kit that includes a counter mat and window sticker to remind customers to comply with the law and not provide alcohol to youth.
Resource Links
The Federal Trade Commission and The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility launched We Don’t Serve Teens as a public awareness campaign. It's designed to prevent underage drinking by informing adults that providing underage drinkers with alcohol is unsafe, illegal, and irresponsible. The campaign encourages parents to start and continue a dialogue with their teen about the dangers of underage drinking by reminding parents that turning a blind eye is as irresponsible as putting a drink in their hands.
Alcohol retailers can help reduce teen drinking | FTC Consumer Information
Did You Know?
1. PARENTS ARE THE NUMBER ONE INFLUENCE ON DECISIONS MADE BY YOUTH
2. ALCOHOL USE CAN LEAD TO PHYSICAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL TROUBLE FOR YOUTH
3. ALCOHOL IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED SUBSTANCE AMONG AMERICAN TEENAGERS
How to Talk to Youth
Talk Early and Often with Your Child. Establish and maintain an open line of communication. Create a habit of talking one-on-one with your child every day. This will make it easier for you to have conversations about serious subjects when necessary.
Get Involved. Talking with your child about his or her activities opens up an opportunity for you to share your interests and values. Young people are much less likely to have mental health and substance abuse problems when they have positive activities to do and when caring adults are involved in their lives.
Be a Role Model. Think about what you say and how you act in front of your child. Your own actions are the most powerful indicator to your children of what is appropriate and acceptable in your family. Do not take part in illegal, unhealthy, or dangerous practices related to alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, as this may lead your child to believe that these practices are OK no matter what you say.
Teach Kids to Choose Friends Wisely. Teach your child how to form positive relationships, and help them to understand what qualities to look for in a friend.
Monitor Your Child's Activities. Know where your children are and get acquainted with their friends. Limit the amount of time your children spend without an adult present. Unsupervised children have more opportunities to experiment with risky behaviors, including the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs, and they may start substance abuse at earlier ages.
Set Rules. Make clear, sensible rules for your child and enforce them with consistency and appropriate consequences. Following these rules can help protect your child's physical safety and mental well-being, which can lower his or her risk for substance abuse problems.
For more information visit: www.ctclearinghouse.org
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Prevention
Be Aware of Factors That May Increase the Risk of a Child's Alcohol Use, Including:
- Significant social transitions, such as graduating to middle or high school, or getting a driver's license.
- A history of social and emotional problems.
- Depression and other serious emotional problems.
- A family history of alcoholism.
- Contact with peers involved in troubling activities.
Be a Positive Adult Role Model
- Stay away from alcohol in high-risk situations. For example, do not operate a vehicle after drinking alcohol.
- Get help if you think you have an alcohol-related problem.
- Do not give alcohol to your children. Make clear that any alcohol in your home is off limits to them and to their friends.
Support Your Children and Give Them Space to Grow.
- Be involved in your children's lives.
- Encourage your children's growing independence while setting appropriate limits.
- Make it easy for your children to share information with you about their lives.
- Know where your children are, what they are doing, who they are with, and who their friends are.
- Make an effort to get to know the parents of your children's friends, and share your rules prohibiting alcohol use.
- Find more ways for your children to be involved in family life.
- Set clear rules, including rules about alcohol use. Enforce the rules you set.
- Help your children find ways to have fun without alcohol.
- Do not let your children attend parties at which alcohol is served. Do not allow alcohol at parties in your own home.
- Help your children avoid dangerous situations involving alcohol.
- Help your children get professional help if you are worried about their involvement with alcohol.
- Create a pledge between yourself and your children that promises they will not drink alcohol.
Resources
Keeping Our Kids Safe PSA-60 Seconds
Reminiscing PSA- 60 Seconds
Discussion Starter Video
The Consequences
Rates of underage drinking and substance use in the United States are high. Underage drinking and other drug use can have severe consequences for children under 21, including the following:
- Injury or death from accidents.
- Poor school performance.
- Poor judgment and decision-making.
- Delayed or abnormal brain development.
For more information visit https://www.samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you/about
Did You Know?
1. TEENS WHO DRINK USUALLY GET ALCOHOL FROM “SOCIAL SOURCES” — AT PARTIES, FROM OLDER FRIENDS AND FAMILY, OR BY TAKING IT FROM A CABINET OR REFRIGERATOR WITHOUT PERMISSION.
2. TEEN DRINKING IS LINKED TO INJURY AND RISKY BEHAVIOR
3. WE CAN REDUCE TEEN DRINKING BY STOPPING TEENS’ EASY ACCESS TO ALCOHOL
Why Your Actions Matter
Adult influencers and mentors have a significant influence on kid's decisions to experiment with alcohol and other drugs. Although it may not seem like it, when adults talk about underage drinking and substance use, youth do hear them.
Your Impact
Please don't provide alcohol to teens. It's unsafe. It's illegal. It's irresponsible.
Substitution
Mocktails are a safe and fun alternative that can be served for any occasion including celebrations and holidays.
Ways to Say No
Peer pressure and the desire to fit in are some of the biggest reasons why kids and teens choose to drink alcohol, even if they don't really want to. The easiest way to avoid these pressures is just to avoid situations where you think or know there will be alcohol, but that's not always possible. Remember, you can say no to alcohol without looking uncool! Depending on the situation, you can just be honest that you're not interested, change the subject, make a simple excuse, or leave politely if you need to - the most important thing is to stay true to yourself, have a clear, practiced plan for how to say "no" if it comes up, and be nice but firm. Here are some easy, low-key ways to say no to underage drinking in social situations where you might feel pressured to drink.
1. NO THANKS, I'M NOT INTO IT.
2. NO THANKS, THAT STUFF MAKES ME SICK / I'M GLUTEN FREE / I'M ALLERGIC TO ALCOHOL.
3. I'M GOOD - I ALREADY HAVE A DRINK.
4. NAH I'M GOOD, ALTHOUGH I COULD REALLY GO FOR SOME FOOD! WANT TO ORDER SOMETHING?
5. I CAN'T, I’D BE SUSPENDED FROM THE TEAM / GET IN TROUBLE WITH MY COACH.
6. I CAN'T, I HAVE A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT LATER TODAY / EARLY IN THE MORNING.
7. I CAN’T STAY, I HAVE TO LEAVE IN A FEW MINUTES.
8. OH, MY PARENTS WOULD KILL ME IF THEY FOUND OUT, NO THANKS.
9. NO THANKS, TOO MANY EMPTY CALORIES!
10. I'M GOOD, I HAVE TO DRIVE.
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