Prevention and Safety During Prom Season!

Prom is 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. As part of its community outreach effort, the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition is doing its pre prom outreach to partnering school districts in Brewster, Carmel and Mahopac. The presentations are attended by parents of students who will be going to prom this year. Coalition members from the Putnam County Social Services, Putnam Family and Community Services, Arms Acres, and Putnam County Courts volunteer to provide the presentations.

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 a teen 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 with their teen.

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

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

·         Offer their teen the unconditional option of calling or texting you at anytime.

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

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

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

·         Immediately attend to the health of their teen.

·         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!

Also discussed at the presentations by Judge James Reitz is the Putnam County Social Host Liability Law. 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.