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Holidays and More Holidays
The winter holiday season is almost here. It’s time for communities to heed this recommendation from The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking:
Work with sponsors of community or ethnic holiday events to ensure that
such events do not promote a culture in which underage drinking is acceptable.
Here are some of the ways communities can help promote healthy celebrations and festivities:
- Help youth develop critical skills to deconstruct holiday-themed marketing and other media messages linking alcohol and good times.
- Sponsor events like a First Night alcohol-free and family-friendly community celebration.
- Develop and promote a list of venues and events conducive to alcohol-free programming, such as movie nights, a local zoo, and museums.
- Establish alcohol-free areas at public events such as parades and street festivals.
- Prohibit underage youth from any area where alcohol is served. Keep people from leaving the specified area with alcoholic beverages.
- Sponsor special activities for underage youth.
- Establish and enforce procedures for selling, possessing, and consuming alcohol at the event.
- Prohibit participants from bringing their own alcohol to the event.
- Ensure that nonalcoholic drinks are available.
Promote Healthy Homecomings and Celebrations
Every fall, towns, high schools, and colleges come together to welcome back former residents and alumni. Homecoming activities range from football games and tailgate parties to parades, dances, and rallies. In the coming months, many adolescents will participate in these and other celebrations where alcohol is often easily accessible.
Schools and communities can incorporate underage drinking prevention when planning and conducting traditional events and celebrations. They can:
- Publicize and enforce policies against alcohol use on school and community property and at all events.
- Sponsor and promote alcohol-free activities.
- Make sure nonalcoholic beverages are available at all events.
Find more ideas in Menu: Strategies and Materials for Your Community (PDF 993KB) and The Surgeon General’s Call to Action To Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking: What It Means to You—A Guide to Action for Communities (PDF 974KB).
New E-Cards for Youth!
SAMHSA’s Too Smart To Start prevention education initiative has unveiled two new e-cards designed especially for tweens and teens to personalize and e-mail to their friends or siblings. These cards can be used to encourage youth not to give in to peer pressure or to help teens and tweens support each other in their decision to stay away from alcohol. Coming soon are e-cards for parents and other adults. Spanish versions will also be posted.
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