GUEST FORUM: Parents key to a safe prom

Many teens are making plans for prom, senior week and graduation.

This is a high-risk time for drinking. As parents and guardians, being informed and prepared can keep our children safe.

While most students will make healthy choices, some may feel pressured to make alcohol part of their celebrations. Some teens think of prom and graduation night as “coming of age” events that should be celebrated with the use of alcohol.

According to the 2008 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey, about two out of three seniors choose not to drink alcohol. They should be encouraged to continue making healthy choices.

Talk to your teen about what to do if they find themselves in a situation where alcohol is present. Let your teen know they can call you any time for a ride home, no questions asked. Remind them to never, under any circumstances, drink and drive, or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Their safety depends on this.

Make sure your teen has a safe, fun and memorable prom and graduation:

• Remember that you are the primary influence on your children.

• Set clear rules about not drinking and consequences for breaking them.

• Offer to host an alcohol-free post-prom or graduation party.

• Help your teen find alcohol-free activities.

• Talk to other parents about post-event activities to make sure alcohol won’t be present.

The risks of underage drinking are many. Alcohol can damage the developing teen brain and has taken more young lives than tobacco and illicit drugs combined. Remind your teen that they know how to make smart choices, and they have a family that loves and supports them.

We all want our teens to stay safe as they celebrate the final days of their high school career. Talk to them now about the risks of underage drinking. They need the facts.

For more tips on talking with your teen about alcohol, visit www.StartTalkingNow.org.

Sharon Foster is chair of the Washington State Liquor Control Board. Michael Langer is the Prevention and Treatment Services supervisor for the DSHS Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery. Both Foster and Langer are co-chairs of the Washington State Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking.