Links This Week
Alcopops Only Look Innocent, Hook Kids
The alcohol industry has found ways to make its products attractive to kids, and parents may not realize what it is their children are drinking. So-called ”alcopops” taste like fruit juice but can contain as much booze, or more, than some beers. Girls, in particular, love the sweet malt punch. Other beverages are packaged to look like popular energy drinks, but contain liquor. ”One of the big trends we are seeing is with alcopops. We’ve had clients who don’t even realize they are alcohol,” said Tiffanie Ferguson, an adolescent program coordinator at Akron’s Community Health Center. Read more…
Coalition Works to Curb Teen Drinking
…Parent results were similar across the board. They overwhelmingly felt the most significant influence on their child’s choices were their peers. Conversely, students in Weston and Wilton stated their parents had the most influence on them when it came to making decisions about alcohol or drugs. Read more…
Parent Notification Policies for Underage Drinking Evolve
For years, Virginia Tech had a complicated system for deciding when to let parents know about their underage children’s alcohol-related transgressions. Visits to the hospital or police station warranted immediate notification, but Mom and Dad didn’t have to know about less-serious offenses, such as sneaking a six-pack into the dorm, unless it happened more than once. But this semester, Virginia Tech joined a growing list of colleges that notify parents every time a student younger than 21 is caught drinking, drunk or in possession of alcohol. George Washington University also tightened its notification policy last year after a student died of alcohol poisoning. Read more…
