As a young person, you have more power than you think when it comes to saying “no.” Developing your personal power to refuse to drink alcohol takes planning ahead to stay in control. The Kansas Prevention Collaborative would like to help you by sharing facts to know, drills to help train your refusal skills and encouragement to flex your authority to say “no.”
Every superhero has supporting people. In this toolkit you will find information for supporting adults and communities to assist your young people in their quest to stay alcohol free.
Where to start?
KNOW:
Get the facts
TRAIN:
Practice what you want to say and/or do if you are ever offered an alcoholic beverage.
FLEX:
Use your personal power and say “no.”
“Research indicates that alcohol use during the teenage years could interfere with normal adolescent brain development and increase the risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). In addition, underage drinking contributes to a range of acute consequences, including injuries, sexual assaults, and even deaths—including those from car crashes.” – Partners in Prevention
What can you do?
Check out more parent/guardian support resources at: responsibility.org
“In 2019, among 12- to 14-year-olds who reported that they drank alcohol in the past month, 96.5 percent reported that they got it for free the last time they drank.” – SAMHSA. 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Check out what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares that communities can do to create social and physical environments that discourage excessive alcohol consumption thereby, reducing alcohol – related fatalities, costs, and other harms.
“Established in 1987, alcohol awareness month allows communities to focus on spreading awareness and reducing the stigma associated with alcohol addiction. Observance of this awareness campaign also highlights the need for education on the dangers of unsafe alcohol consumptions.”
~ Partners in Prevention
Additional Resources: