Spring break is around the corner and teens are looking forward to a well deserved break from school. Spring break can be a time to unwind, to forget about midterms and essays, and just have fun. Whether your kids are traveling or staying at home, however, Spring break can be a dangerous time for experimentation or excessive partying.

“Students who went on a spring break trip were nearly four times as likely as other students to engage in binge drinking,” according to the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR). High School students often try to mimic older college students, by drinking excessively, trying drugs, or engaging in risky sexual behaviors. The consequences of excessive and underage drinking can have far reaching consequences.

Underage drinking can interfere with school attendance, disrupt concentration and hurt academic performance. Young people who start drinking alcohol before age 15 are 5 times more likely to develop alcohol abuse or dependence than people who first used alcohol at age 21 or older. Adolescents who drink alcohol are also at higher risk of violent behavior and unplanned and unprotected sex.

Parents, you have a strong influence on your child’s drinking—when you talk to your youngster early and often. Young people who believe their parents disapprove of substance use and stay in touch with day-to-day activities are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.

For further information on the dangers of alcohol and other drugs, contact Talbot Partnership at 410-819-8067. Please also visit our website at www.talbotpartnership.org or find us on Facebook.