According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, underage drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States.
Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, and drinking by young people causes multiple health and safety risks.
The 2018 Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) shows that statewide, 33.73% of Wyoming high school students reported that they consumed alcohol within the past 30 days.
In Sweetwater County, 33.53% of high school students reported that they consumed alcohol within the past 30 days. Of the 33.53%, 22.29% obtained the alcohol from another person over the age of 21, and 15.25% obtained the alcohol from their parents.
A few more stats:
According to the 2018 Wyoming Youth and Alcohol Report, 25 underage arrests in Rock Springs alone included alcohol. Underage drinking is illegal and can cause serious harm to teens as the brain is still developing, not to mention the increased risk of teens driving impaired.
The Alcohol and Crime report from the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police (WASCOP) states that there were 15 underage DUI arrests in Sweetwater County in 2018.
Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking® is a campaign focused on educating parents and individuals over the age of 21 about the health and safety risks associated with serving alcohol at teen house parties and increases awareness of and compliance with state underage drinking laws .
Have a conversation with your teen today about the dangers of underage drinking!
If you have further questions about Sweetwater County Prevention, please contact Megan Weston mweston@swcounseling.org or Dani Deters ddeters@swcounseling.org
