Last Updated on January 10, 2016 by Morris Green

“There are two kinds of underage drinkers. Those who grow up too quickly. And those who never get to grow up at all.” – Talk It Out NC

This quote comes from the opening slides of a powerful video entitled, Four Stories, One Problem. We encourage you to take just seven minutes to watch:

The Underage Drinking Campaign

North Carolina’s fight against underage drinking took on the form of a focused campaign in early 2015 called the Underage Drinking Pilot Program. The program’s primary goal is to bring more parents into the conversation of underage drinking.

According to a report by WLOS News 13, 57 percent of our youth feel underage drinking is a very serious problem and they want to discuss it with their parents. However, their parents, often feeling underequipped or uncomfortable, avoid or shut down the conversation.

Talk It Out NC is dedicated to starting the conversation, and their video vividly illustrates the need for parents to take an active role.

The video follows the stories of four North Carolina residents:

1. Peggy (mother): In 2001, Josh (Peggy’s son) drove while intoxicated and crashed his vehicle into an abutment. He was just 18 years old. After a five-month coma, Josh awoke to a long road to recovery and permanent brain damage.
2. Steve (father): Steve endured the scenario no parents ever wants to face; he lost his son to an alcohol-related car crash. The driver of the vehicle his son was riding in was underage and had been drinking. The result was an accident in which the car slammed into a tree, killing his son instantly.
3. Autumn (teen): In 2013, 17 year old Autumn was involved in an alcohol-related car crash. She was critically injured and three of her friends were killed.
4. Nancy (mother): Nancy’s daughter attended a party where the hosts were serving alcohol to underage youth. She was killed in an accident after the party.

Why Conversation Matters

The common thread you’ll glean from the video is that all of those interviewed agree that talking more about underage drinking could have made a difference. It’s this thread that the Underage Drinking Pilot Program is built around, and it’s one more parents need to be aware of.

According to Talk It Out NC’s research, 60 percent of parents think friends and peers have the greatest influence on whether their child drinks alcohol. However, 76 percent (3 out of 4) students feel that if their parents would talk more with them it would help stop underage drinking. Parental disapproval is the number one reason behind many teens choosing not to consume alcohol.

Underage drinking is a problem we can solve, if we take the initiative and talk to our children. The conversation starts small, and it starts with us.

How can you start?

First, you can read up on 5 Things Parents Need to Know before Talking about Underage Drinking. Then, you can review 5 Ways to Talk to Your Teen about Drugs.

Don’t forget to follow us to gain access to even more resources for starting and continuing the conversation about underage drinking.