Parent's Corner:  Underage Drinking and Binge Drinking

Many college campuses are now asking students (and sometimes their parents) to complete an Alcohol E.D.U. course
prior to starting college. The programs attempt to educate students about the realities of alcohol use, abuse, and
poisoning. It also encourages ongoing communication about the risks students face with their own decision to drink or
as a friend to roommates or college friends who’ve drank too much.

The University Health Services in Rochester, N.Y. publishes this website to help readers “Understand Blood Alcohol
Content (BAC). It outlines many physiological effects on the body based on gender, weight, and types of alcohol
consumed. Note to parents, this information is similar to some you might find in an Alcohol E.D.U. course.

It’s important to talk to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking – when you talk to them they really do
listen! Be confident in having your conversation knowing that teens themselves identify you, their parents, as the
leading influence on whether drink alcohol or not. Make sure they know that underage drinking is not only
unacceptable but also against the law. Start the conversation when they are young so that your kids say “NO” to
underage drinking.

Key points to mention and cover in your discussions can be found on The Century Council’s website:
http://www.centurycouncil.org/underage-drinking/parents.

The following resources are available to help guide these important conversations with your child:
Above the Influence – This site is designed for and targeting teens. Parents can use it as talking points when discussing
issues around peer pressure.

The site states: “Above the Influence. It’s a state of mind. It’s about being yourself and not letting negative influence
get to you. Pressure to drink, do drugs or do anything that goes against who you are in order to fit in—that’s negative
influence. And if you’re one of the teens who want to stay above it, you’ve come to the right spot.”

www.abovetheinfluence.com (Stay above the influence – it’s about your state of mind)

Parent's Corner:  Marijuana, Prescription Abuse, and other Drug Facts.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center – This academic site provides resources for educators and
parents about alcohol, drug abuse and violence prevention. This specific site talks about marijuana abuse and has links
to a variety of drugs, including prescription drug abuse.

http://www.higheredcenter.org/high-risk/drugs/marijuana

The American Council for Drug Education publishes two page pdfs that provide basic facts about a variety of drugs
including, alcohol, LSD, ecstasy, heroin, inhalants, marijuana, tobacco, ocycontin, and tobacco.

http://www.acde.org/common/Contents.htm

Parent's Corner:  Perscription Abuse

Many reports show abusing prescription drugs is the fastest rising issue amongst adults and adolescents. Medicine
cabinets are often filled with older prescriptions of Oxycontin, Vicodin, Adderall, Concerta, Cough syrup (over the
counter) or products with codeine. Often times, grandparents or other relatives leave these potent prescriptions in their
bathroom, making for easy access. Check out what is in easily available in your own house, along with that of older
relatives, and dispose of them properly.  “Commonly Abuse Prescription Drugs Chart” listing examples of
prescription drugs along with how it is commonly abused.

MedlinePlus is published as a service for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and also overviews commonly abused
prescription drugs in several different languages and formats.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prescriptiondrugabuse.html

Macon County Perscription Drug Drop Off Site Information

Information acquired from http://www.district196.org/rhs/counseling/ChemicalHealth.pdf