Underage Drinking and Drug Prevention During Prom and Graduation Season!

Prom and graduation are meant to be enjoyable and memorable experiences. However, there are also many pressures associated with prom and other celebratory events. Students are expected to dance and attend post-prom activities (often not chaperoned) with peers that they do not know very well.

To deal with this stress or to feel the need to meet peer pressures, many teens turn to alcohol and/or other drugs. Use of these substances can result in your child doing things that they normally would not do, including making questionable choices about sexual behavior, as well as other behaviors that put their health and safety at risk.

Prior to prom night or a graduation party, parents are encouraged to:

·         Discuss the dangers of alcohol and other drug use (marijuana and prescription drugs) with their child.

·         Make sure you know who is driving to/from both the prom/graduation and after-prom/graduation event.  

·         Make sure you know what your child’s plans are for both the prom and after-prom/graduation.

·         Offer your child the unconditional option of calling or texting you at anytime.

·         Tell your child what to do in case of a medical emergency (ex: alcohol poisoning).

·         Tell your child to never get in a car with a driver who has consumed alcohol and/or other drugs.

If your child comes home intoxicated after prom or graduation party, parents are encouraged to:

·         Immediately attend to the health of your child.

·         Find out what they consumed and how much of it they took.

·         Don’t let your child fall asleep. It is possible that they could vomit while sleeping and choke.

·         Call 911 if need be … it is better to be safe than sorry!

Every town in Putnam County has passed legislation entitled Social Host Liability Law. These local laws make it a misdemeanor to “host, suffer, permit, organize, or allow a party, gathering or event at his or her place of residence…where three or more minors are present and alcoholic beverages are being consumed by any minor.” In other words, it is illegal for anyone to host a party at their home and allow underage drinking to occur. This misdeamenor crime is punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $3000 fine.

Members of the Putnam County CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children. Please call the National Council on Alcoholism & Other Drug Dependencies of Putnam at 845-225-4646, Ext. 13 for information and/or referral. Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/PutnamCTCNY.