As Prom Season Approaches, Anti-Drinking, Drugs Campaign Launches
Monday, May 10, 2010
As prom and graduation season approach, health advocates and law enforcement officials are gearing up with an anti-drinking and drug use campaign.
The state has launched a new Web site, www.substancefreekids.ri.gov, aimed at educating teens and children about the dangers of underage drinking and drug use and arming them with tips on how to resist peer pressure and make the right decisions. One interactive feature shows how drugs and alcohol affect parts of the brain.
The site also has resources for parents about how to talk to their children about alcohol and drugs and how to recognize the signs of substance abuse.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“We live in a fast-paced society that exposes our children to unhealthy messages and distractions, a fact that puts them at high risk for underage drinking and substance abuse. Parents have to be more vigilant and informed than ever to protect their children,” said First Lady Suzanne Carcieri, a mother of four and grandmother to fourteen.
“Information is a powerful prevention tool, and I want our families, schools, youth, and community to know that there are user-friendly resources on a State website that can help keep our children safe,” Carcieri added.
Along with the site, the state is running an anti-underage drinking billboard depicting a teenage girl in a police cruiser with the message, “Don’t Be A Party to Underage Drinking.” The billboard can be seen from Interstate 95 northbound near Route 10 and Interstate 295 southbound, near the Warwick Mall.
“With the prom and graduation season upon us, we hope that our billboards will serve to remind our young people of the consequences of underage drinking,” said State Police Superintendent Brendan P. Doherty. “We want their celebrations to become life-long memories and not reminders of a tragedy that could have been prevented.”
Although underage drinking and drug use rates in Rhode Island have gone down over the last decade, the state remains among the top ten for binge drinking among teens and young adults ages 12 to 25, according to the governor’s office. Nationwide, more than 23 percent in that group binge drink, according to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
