Empowering Youth to Be Their Own Best Advocates
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Welcome to “Your Moment,” a campaign that provides tools, resources and support to families, schools and coalition leaders so they can talk to the young people in their lives about underage alcohol use. The goal is to empower teens to advocate for their own well-being and make informed decisions without preaching or using scare tactics.
Join us as we make a difference in our communities, encouraging healthy choices and starting important conversations.
The average age of first alcohol use in Northeast Missouri is just 12 years old, with around 34% of students surveyed saying they thought alcohol was easy to obtain (Source).
The average age of first alcohol use in Northeast Missouri is just 12 years old, with around 34% of students surveyed saying they thought alcohol was easy to obtain (Source).
In Missouri, 63.7% of youth who reported drinking in the last 30 days only drank on one or two days; however, 33.1% of youth reported having five or more drinks (Source).
In Missouri, 63.7% of youth who reported drinking in the last 30 days only drank on one or two days; however, 33.1% of youth reported having five or more drinks (Source).
Perceptions vs. Reality
What you think is true about underage drinking may not be the case.
PERCEPTION:
Underage drinking is the norm for teens in the United States.
REALITY:
67% of American teens report they have never consumed alcohol in their lifetime (Source).
PERCEPTION:
Alcohol can help teens have fun and relax to cope with anxiety.
REALITY:
While teens report using alcohol to cope with certain mental illnesses, alcohol use can actually make pre-existing conditions like depression and anxiety worse, especially when use is excessive (Source).
PERCEPTION:
Alcohol won’t impact teens’ brain development.
REALITY:
Alcohol misuse during adolescence has been linked to changes in the way the brain develops and can weaken the connections between brain regions (Source). The earlier people start drinking alcohol, the more likely they are to experience a negative impact on their cognitive functions, memory and school performance over time (Source).
PERCEPTION:
Underage drinking won’t cause problems in the future.
REALITY:
In some people, a history of adolescent alcohol use could increase the likelihood of developing alcohol use disorder (SUD) and is associated with mental health disorders (Source).
How to Talk About
Underage Drinking
Whether you’re a parent, guardian, educator or mentor in a teen’s life and wondering how to talk to them about alcohol use, or a teen wanting to talk to a friend you may be worried about, we have resources to guide those conversations, backed with empathy and information.
Tools for Coalitions
We work with a number of coalitions across Missouri to help promote healthy decisions and self-advocacy among youth in our communities. This means providing resources to help spread the message that underage drinking isn’t the answer. We’ve developed a free toolkit for coalitions that includes social posts, handouts and more to guide the conversation.
Get in Touch
Do you want to learn more about underage drinking, or have specific questions about how to talk to the youth in your life? Send us a message, and we’ll be in touch.
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