All Maine teens are at risk for alcohol use. Recent studies show that while only 4% of Maine parents of teens in grades seven through 12 believe their child had alcohol in the past 30 days, 28% of teens admit they drank alcohol in the past 30 days.
Most teens believe their parents won't find out if they drink. Maine teens who don't think they'll be caught by their parents are nearly 5 times as likely to use alcohol as those who think they will get caught.
There are simple things you can do to reduce your teen's risk.
- Limit access to alcohol: if you have alcohol in your home, keep track of it - know what and how much you have, and keep it where it is inaccessible to teens.
- Network: get to know your teen's friends -- and their parents.
- Reinforce the rules and consequences of underage drinking before your teen goes out. Explain the rules are a protective measure, not simply a restriction of freedom. Enforce your rules consistently.
- Check in often. Before your teen goes to a party or out with friends, ask if adults will be present and if alcohol will be present.
- Wait up or get up at curfew time to greet your teen and talk about their night after they've been out.
- Parent Data Source: 2008 Parent Marketing Survey of 1,200 parents of Maine youth in grades 7-12. Survey conducted by Pan Atlantic/SMS Group for the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, www.maineparents.net/Media/data_survey.htm
- Youth Data Source: 2008 Maine Youth Drug and Alcohol Use Survey, (only gr. 7-12 data used) Survey conducted by Pan Atlantic/SMS Group for the Maine Office of Substance Abuse, www.maineparents.net/Media/data_survey.htm
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