December OSAP Newsletter

December 2018

Welcome to the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Most of us will be getting together to enjoy time with family and friends, attending holiday parties, and hosting family dinners. If alcohol is on the menu, it’s best to plan ahead. You want your guests to have a good time, but you also want them to get home safe and protect others on the road. Remember, in Michigan, it is against the law to supply alcohol to minors. The social host law addresses anyone, regardless of age, who provides a place or setting where underage drinking occurs. It doesn't matter who provides the alcohol. There are stiff penalties associated with this, up to and including both fines and imprisonment. Here are some tips for serving responsibly this holiday.

https://wesavelives.org/how-to-be-a-responsible-host/

Did you know that alcohol is the most commonly abused drug by teens??

Let’s keep this in mind as we plan our holiday festivities. Make the focus be on something other than alcohol. Make the non-alcoholic drinks as appealing as the alcoholic ones. Bring out the games, the puzzles, Christmas carols: anything that helps to make those sometimes awkward social moments easier. Let’s show our kids that alcohol doesn’t have to be part of the party. Mocktails are a great way to deter teens from underage drinking. They are also a great alternative to deter adults from over indulging in alcohol. Click here for some great recipes to help liven up any holiday gathering.

#Justtalktome

2018 has been quite a year--we've seen the use of e cigarettes by youth skyrocket, our state legalized recreational marijuana, and the opioid epidemic continued to be a huge public health crisis affecting all of us. In the midst of this, the TalkSooner initiative took some time to ask our youth how we, as parents/adults/community members, could best support them. Their answer was simple: Just talk to me. A PSA campaign emerged from their straightforward advice. With all the hustle and bustle of our busy holiday season, try to take a moment with your family and heed their advice.

For more tips on how to talk to your youth about hard topics like drugs and alcohol, visit http://talksooner.org/

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Underage alcohol use

In 2017, our Ottawa County youth assessment survey reported that 17% of Ottawa County youth had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. While this certainly shows that the vast majority of our youth are NOT drinking, it also highlights the fact that alcohol use still occurs far too frequently in our youth. Arm yourself with the facts about the risks of underage alcohol use--AND TALK TO YOUR KIDS TODAY.

Ottawa Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition

Contact Stephanie Williams at [email protected]

https://arborcircle.org/services/advocacy-and-prevention/

Talk Early. Talk Often. Learn How. www.talksooner.org