Barrington sticker campaign tackles underage drinking
BStrong Together and Broncos Committed students at Barrington High School, with support from the Barrington Police Department and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, will be working together to educate the adults in the community about the dangers of providing alcohol to minors.
The Sticker Shock campaign will remind adults about the negative consequences of providing minors with alcohol at the point of purchase in places where alcohol is sold. Stickers and bottle tags with reminders will be placed on random alcohol packaging in Barrington area stores starting May 12.
The campaign coincides with the annual Honk for Sobriety event, coordinated by Broncos Committed, and held before school May 13, as well as Barrington's prom May 15.
According to the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey, adults contribute much to teens' attitudes toward alcohol, as well as their access to it. 63% of Illinois high school seniors reported it would be easy for them to get alcohol, with 44% reporting getting their alcohol most frequently from their parents, and 30% reporting that they obtained their alcohol most frequently from an adult other than their parent with that adult's permission.
Teens who decided not to drink cited parental disapproval as the main reason.
Some parents may think providing alcohol to teens is harmless, or may even be helpful in teaching them how to handle alcohol before they turn 21 years old.
However, many studies have shown that is not the case. The Center for Disease Control has reported that 90% of underage drinking may be categorized as "binge drinking." Early alcohol use is also correlated with higher rates of alcoholism, depression and mental health issues later in life.
Nationally, 73% of teen auto fatalities are alcohol related (NHSTA, 2017). According to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, alcohol kills more teens than all other drugs combined.
With proms, graduations and celebrations with nicer weather coming soon, adults need to help kids be safe. Parents are encouraged to talk about the risks of underage drinking with their children and teens often, model responsible drinking, and not provide alcohol to minors.
BStrong Together is a 501c3 community coalition organization that brings together students, parents, educators and community members to enhance the health and well-being of Barrington area children and youth.
It partners with local organizations to offer programming and resources that support mental wellness, suicide prevention, healthy life choices, substance abuse awareness, strong social connections, and positive parenting.
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