Protect Your Brain

Apr 27, 2023 | News

Protect Your Brain!
It’s Still Growing!

Image of Yellow glossy brain with text - Protect Your Brain - Not missing the moment

Did You Know Your Brain is Growing Through Your Mid-twenties? Drinking Before it’s Fully Developed can do Permanent Damage.

Alcohol always has short-term effects on the brain, like impairing judgment and coordination, but it can also have longterm consequences.

Some studies show that heavy drinking as a teen can reduce the size of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, two critical parts of the brain. These changes can harm learning and memory even years down the road.

Your brain is one of your most important organs. It’s behind ever y thought, feeling and action.

WITH ALL THE WAYS YOUR BRAIN HELPS YOU OUT, THE LEAST YOU CAN DO IS PROTECT IT FROM ALCOHOL. DON’T DRINK WHILE UNDERAGE.

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.

The Alcohol & Mental Health Connection

Apr 27, 2023 | News

The Alcohol & Mental Health Connection in Teens

Father and son in car, son with headphones on ignoring dad

Underage Alcohol Use is Tied to More Than Academic and Social Problems for Youth.

Teens may turn to alcohol to help them manage difficult feelings or high stress levels. However, adolescent brains are still developing, and drinking alcohol underage can quickly have problematic results.

Simply put, alcohol use is riskier for teens. When adults drink, they tend to become more subdued and slower, but it’s quite the opposite in adolescents. Teens can become energetic and then engage in more risky behavior. Behaviors that come as a result of poor-decision making, that they may not have otherwise engaged in without alcohol.

Teens with depression, anxiety, or ADHD are at particular risk. Youth struggling with depression can see an increase in suicidal thoughts and youth living with ADHD can increase impulsive behaviors because of drinking alcohol.

Take time to talk with your children about not drinking alcohol underage and the consequences in your home if they are caught. Their mental health depends on it.

Keep Showing Up, They’re Still Growing Up.

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.

Join Us for National Take Down Tobacco Day on March 31st

Mar 30, 2023 | News

Join Us for National Take Down Tobacco Day on March 31st

Get Involved in National Take Down Tobacco Day with Teens and Advocates Across the Nation

During Take Down Tobacco Day young people rally across the U.S. with advocates to call out Tobacco Companies for target marketing to kids with flavored tobacco products like e-cigarettes and menthol cigarettes, and to urge elected officials to take action to protect kids.

The annual tobacco industry marketing expenditures nationwide is $9.1 billion
The estimated portion spent for Illinois marketing each year is $220.7 million.

Published research studies have found that kids are twice as sensitive to tobacco advertising as adults and are more likely to be influenced to smoke by cigarette marketing than by peer pressure. One-third of underage experimentation with smoking is attributable to tobacco company advertising.

Learn how you can stand up and speak out against the tobacco industry with the following resources:

The Toll of Tobacco in Illinois
https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/problem/toll-us/illinois

Get Involved or Donate at:
https://www.takedowntobacco.org/get-involved

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.

Choosing To Drink Alcohol Now Can Lead To Injuries And Problems With The Law

Mar 30, 2023 | News

Choosing To Drink Alcohol Now Can Lead To Injuries And Problems With The Law

Multi colored background with Red, yellow and green with text: Underage Drinking Puts Your Plans At Risk!

Think About It- Is Drinking Really Worth Those Risks? Don’t Put Yourself In A Regrettable And Avoidable Situation.

THAT’S NOT COOL!

Instead, download an info card and write down some of the goals and plans you’ve made this year to remind yourself what’s on the line if you drink underage.

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.

Set The Rules on NOT Drinking Underage

Mar 30, 2023 | News

Set The Rules on NOT Drinking Underage

Mom hugging daughter with text: Keep Showing Up, They're Still Growing Up

You set limits when they were younger. Now it’s time to set the rules on NOT drinking underage.

Children can disagree with your household rules but that doesn’t mean the rule has to change. They’re allowed to be upset about it and you’re allowed to take a stand against underage drinking.

Make sure your teen knows the harmful effects of drinking alcohol underage.

Get to know thier friends’ parents and their views on underage drinking. Advocate for keeping teens alcohol-free.
Once you have rules in place there should be consequences if broken.

We all know parenting doesn’t get easier over time – it just changes. Keeping your household rules relevant and age-appropriate for your child is important. Don’t let your silence on a topic be thought of as approval.

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.

What Happens When Drugs are Combined?

Mar 17, 2023 | News

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week 2023

What Happens When Drugs are Combined?

“So, we know that both drugs that people use illegally, and the medications are made of chemicals and these chemicals impact your body in different ways. So, when people combine substances it can have unexpected effects and effects that are different than if you took one of those chemicals alone”.
“So, all drugs have risks, but I would say that mixing and matching is one of the worst things one can do as it can produce unintended, even fatal effects”.

Talking to Your Kids

Starting the Discussion About Drug and Alcohol Use with Your Kids

Parents face a tough dilemma about substance use: we may want our children to abstain from alcohol and drug use but what do we do if they are not? Besides the effects of substance use on the developing brain, teens using substances may face very serious consequences.

Learn More.