Back to School

It’s about that time again. Time to hit up the sales at the department stores, fill carts at staples, make sure you have plenty of brown bags for all those lunches—time for kids and teenagers to go back to school! A time filled with both excitement and dismay, teens are sad the summer is gone but excited to see old friends and enjoy new experiences. Back to school means new friends, new relationships, new experiences and situations, and often new peer pressures that are not always positive.

While many parents believe that their child is immune to such things; in reality there are 11 million American families whose teens need treatment for alcohol and drug abuse. That’s 1 in 7 teens that also account for one fifth of the alcohol consumed in the United States. As school begins again, some parents head back to full-time or settle back into routines, risky behaviors from teenagers may be difficult to recognize. It is always extremely important to maintain a line of open communication with your teens and talk to them often; letting them ask questions and honestly answering them. Underage drinking can lead to serious consequences, changing some lives forever.

I recently read a heartbreaking story about a young woman named Jacqui Saburio, one such life that was forever altered because of a drunk driver. This young woman burned for 45 seconds inside the crashed vehicle until she was able to be pulled out. Her story touched me yet and raised the question we all face—would this horrible accident have happened had the young man who plowed into her car been educated on the dangers of drunk driving?

With fall traditions such as school dances, football games, and back to school parties right around the corner, now is one of the most crucial time to address the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.

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