Underage drinking is a serious health and safety problem in the Massapequas. Almost 30% of Massapequa youth (grades 11/12) report binge drinking or having five or more drinks in a row one or more times within the past two weeks - adding considerable risk to their health and wellbeing. In addition, 55% of Massapequa youth (grades 7-12) report drinking in “someone else’s home”. Anyone over the age of 18 is breaking the law if you give alcohol, marijuana, or opiates to a person under the age of twenty one.
With the help of Massapequa Takes Action Coalition volunteers, Massapequa and Massapequa Park businesses are participating in MTAC’s Sticker Shock Campaign which highlights the importance of parents serving as healthy role models and not providing alcohol (social hosting) to teens. The MTAC prevention campaign, Alcohol and Teens Don’t Mix: Be Their Guide. Don’t Provide. offers resources to help parents talk with their children about the consequences and prevention of underage drinking and how it affects their brain, health and safety.
If you are interested in being part of the solution to prevent underage drinking, contact MTAC at 516-799-3000x 131. To learn more about the dangers of underage drinking, go to mtacoalition.com or like/follow Massapequa Takes Action Coalition on Facebook.
For more information about MTAC’s strategies to reduce underage drinking and youth substance misuse and how to be a part of the solution, contact Brooke Langella, MTAC Project Coordinator at (516) 799-3000 x 131 or email at mtacoalition@yesccc.org.
You can also Like MTAC on Facebook!