Let's start talking, before they start drinking'

1
Welcome to the Smart and Sober Town Hall
Meeting
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
2
What Are We Looking At As A Nation?

• Too Many Teens Today
• Dont have positive, ongoing relationships
• Dont have opportunities to play meaningful roles
  in
• their communities and develop leadership skills
• Arent involved in youth programs

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
3
Ohio Statistics
During State Fiscal Year 2002, the Ohio
Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services
(ODADAS) reported that 14,833 adolescents
received addiction services in Ohios certified
treatment programs. Source ODADAS (2002)
www.odadas.state.oh.us
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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
4
Ohio Statistics
Underage drinking cost Ohio 3.1 billion in
2001. (Pacific Institute For Research And
Evaluation, 2004)
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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
5
Ohio Statistics
26 of alcohol in Ohio is consumed by underage
drinkers. This is the second highest in the
nation. (Pacific Institute For Research And
Evaluation, 2004)
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
6
Ohio Statistics
27 of 11 billion in alcohol involved crime cost
in Ohio is under 21. (Pacific Institute For
Research And Evaluation, 2004)
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
7
What Kids Need to Succeed
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
8
Asset Development Origin

• The Search Institute
• A nonprofit, independent research organization
• Studied factors that influence why some young
  people have successes in life and why others have
  a harder time
• Surveyed more than 350,000 6th-12th graders in
  more than 600 communities between 1990 and 1995.
• Identified 40 concrete, positive experiences and
  qualities that have a positive influence on young
  peoples lives and choices

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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
9
The 40 Developmental Assets
External Assets Support Empowerment Boundaries
and Expectations Constructive Use of Time
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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
10
The 40 Developmental Assets
Internal Assets Commitment To Learning Positive
Values Social Competencies Positive Identity
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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
11
Principles of Asset Building

• All children and youth need assets
• Relationships are key
• Everyone can build assets
• Building assets is an ongoing process
• Asset building requires consistent messages
• Duplication and repetition are good and important
• Asset building is a lifestyle enhancement, not a
  program

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
12
The Asset Building Difference

• Moving From
• Viewing young people as problems
• Treating youth as objects of programs
• Reacting to problems
• Despair

• To
• Seeing youth as resources
• Respecting youth as actors in their own
  development
• Being proactive about building strengths
• Hope

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
13
How Alcohol Effects Adolescent Development
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drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
14
Adolescent Development Statistics

• The average age of a childs first drink is now
  12, and nearly 20 percent of 12 to 20 year-olds
  are considered binge drinkers.
• Adolescent drinkers scored worse than non-users
  on vocabulary, general information, memory,
  memory retrieval and at least three other tests.1

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
15
Adolescent Development Statistics

• Adolescent drinkers perform worse in school, are
  more likely to fall behind and have an increased
  risk of social problems, depression, suicidal
  thoughts and violence.
• Alcohol affects the sleep cycle, resulting in
  impaired learning and memory as well as disrupted
  release of hormones necessary for growth and
  maturation.1

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
16
This image shows how alcohol may harm teen mental
function. Compared with a young non-drinker, a
15-year-old with an alcohol problem showed poor
brain activity during a memory task. This finding
is noted by the lack of pink and red coloring.2
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
17
Adolescent Development Statistics

• Adolescents and young adults who drink heavily
  could place themselves at risk for
  alcohol-related impairment of brain development
  and brain function.3

• Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in
  memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount
  of alcohol increases, so does the degree of
  impairment.3

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
18
What You Need To Know

• Family Influence
• Research studies indicate that children are less
  likely to drink when their parents are involved
  in their lives and when they and their parents
  report feeling close to each other. 4
• You can influence your childrens behavior by
  observing the rules of a moderate drinker or by
  not drinking. 5
• Children need information to make good decisions.
  Dont wait until a problem arises to talk to
  them about drinking alcohol. 6

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
19
What You Need To Know

• If you drink
• Explain your rules for drinking responsibly and
  in moderation.
• Tell your children that some people should not
  drink alcoholic beverages at all. These include
  7
• Children and adolescents
• Individuals of any age who cannot restrict their
  drinking to moderate levels
• Women who are trying to conceive or who are
  pregnant.

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
20
Take Action

• Play Reporter Ask your child the following
  questions. Be clear on your beliefs and validate
  his/her feelings. Allow conversation to take
  place in a positive manner. 8
• Who are some of your role modes? What do you
  admire about these people?
• What are your future goals?
• How would drinking alcohol get in the way of your
  future goals?
• What would you do if you were offered alcohol at
  a party?
• What would you do if the person responsible for
  driving you has been drinking alcohol?

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
21
Take Action

• Talk early and often with your child
• Get involved
• Be a role model
• Teach kids to choose friends wisely
• Monitor your childs activities
• Set rules

Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
22
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world indeed
it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret
Mead
Let's start talking, before they start
drinking. www.smartandsober.org/townhall
23
Cited Sources

• American Medical Association. Http//www.ama.org
  AMA report on alcohols adverse effects on the
  brains of children, adolescents and college
  students. 20 Oct 2004.
• Society For Neuroscience. Http//www.web.sfn.org
  Brain Briefings Young Brains on Alcohol Oct.
  2002
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
  Alcoholism. Http//www.niaaa.nih.gov.
  Alcohols Damaging Effects on the Brain. 2004
• Hawkins JD, Graham JW, Maguin E, et al. 1997.
  Exploring the effect of age of alcohol use
  initiation and psychological risk factors on
  subsequent alcohol misuse. Journal of Studies on
  Alcohol 58(3)280-290.
• Ibid.
• McCue M. Sharma A, Benson P. 1996. Parent and
  sibling influences on adolescent alcohol use and
  misuse Evidence from a U.S. adoption cohort.
  Journal of Studies on Alcohol 57(1)8-18.
• USDA, www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dga/dga95/alcohol.html
  .
• Start Talking, Before They Start Drinking A
  Family Guide. Ad Council. U.S. Department of
  Health and Human Services. 2005.