Alcohol Prevention

Alcohol Prevention and Youth

On this page you will find information and resources to help you keep your children safe and alcohol free.

Six Quick Tips

Here are six quick tips to help parents keep their children safe, healthy and alcohol free…

  • Don’t think “it’s not MY child” because every child is at risk
  • Remember that YOU are the biggest influence in your children’s life; the more you connect with your children the less likely they’ll be to give in to peer pressure
  • Don’t be fooled that youth alcohol use is a rite of passage. It can damage an adolescent’s developing brain
  • Establish specific rules and consequences. Tell your children they are not allowed to drink, that underage drinking will not be tolerated and enforce it.
  • Be involved and monitor your child’s activities. Don’t allow youth drinking at home. Teens who are allowed to drink alcohol in their home consume twice as much as those with a no-tolerance policy
  • Be a positive role model. Drink responsibly and let your teen see you decline alcohol from time to time as well.
Source: Because Oregon

Fairfield CARES Community Alcohol Awareness Postcards

Fairfield CARES Community Coalition introduced a new postcard campaign to educate families with children in grades 6-12 about alcohol use. Use these digital versions as a conversation starter with your child.

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Talk, They Hear You

Talk. They Hear You is a campaign from SAMHSA that aims to reduce underage drinking and substance use among youths under the age of 21 by providing parents and caregivers with information and resources they need to address alcohol and other drug use with their children early.

Download the "Talk. They Hear You" App to practice talking to your kids about the dangers of alcohol.



Talking Tips For Any Age

The Fairfield CARES Brochure 'Talking Tips For Any Age' shares valuable guidance on talking with your kids in an age appropriate way about tough topics.

Impact of Alcohol on the Developing Brain

Impact of Alcohol on the Developing Brain indicates:

Alcohol causes teens to make bad decisions.
The prefrontal cortex, involved in planning and decision-making, does not completely mature until after the teen years. Alcohol can harm a teen’s ability to reason and weigh options.

Alcohol causes teens to take greater risks.
Connections between the prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum, a part of the brain’s reward system, are important in regulating impulsive behavior and are still maturing during adolescence. Alcohol can affect those connections, making teens more likely to do impulsive things they may regret.

Alcohol causes teens to forget and lose memory.
The hippocampus, or the area in the brain that stores memory, is still maturing during adolescence. Research shows that even small amounts of alcohol can make teens less likely to recall something they learned earlier or remember what they did while drinking.

Source: The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) - the world’s largest general scientific society, and publisher of the journal, Science.

Alcohol Related State Laws

  • Individuals who knowingly permit minors to possess or consume alcohol may be fined, imprisoned or both.
  • Anyone under 21 is prohibited from possessing alcohol on public OR private property unless accompanied by their OWN parent or guardian.
  • Minors may be fined for violating the law.

Helpful Links