Staff report
The home, a place meant for safety and comfort, surprisingly emerges as the primary source of alcohol for many young individuals. Recognizing this, the ‘Talk It Up. Lock It Up! ™ ‘ initiative steps forward as a pioneering strategy to prevent youth access to alcohol within domestic spaces.
Originating from the stark statistic that the main alcohol suppliers for 12 to 14-year-olds are their own homes—or those of acquaintances—according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2008, the program aims to enact real change.
The Talk It Up. Lock It Up! ™ campaign employs a dual approach: curtailing adults from inadvertently providing alcohol to minors and thwarting youth from obtaining alcohol without adults’ knowledge. It’s a call to action for parents and community adults to secure and closely monitor their alcohol supplies. Notably, this movement is largely driven by the youth in communities across North Carolina, who have successfully garnered thousands of pledges from adults committing to lock their alcohol reserves at home.
The North Carolina Preventing Underage Drinking Initiative (NC-PUDi) reports a positive ripple effect since January 2021, noting that 2,204 young individuals have benefited from the conscientious choices made by adults to lock away alcohol and medicines. This effort reflects a growing awareness and responsibility among adults to protect the younger generation from the potential harms of underage drinking.
Currently, Bladen County has yet to establish an official ‘Talk It Up. Lock It Up!’™ campaign. However, the team at BladenOnline aspires that this article will spark vital discussions among parents and community members about enhancing protective measures to shield our youth from engaging in harmful behaviors. Our goal is to initiate a community-wide dialogue focused on creating a safer environment for our young people.
Reference link:
https://www.wilcoprevention.org/youth-engagementcompromiso-juvenil.html
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