2023 Highlight Reel

See how we mobilized our communities to work together and prevent underage drinking like never before. 

2023 Annual Report

Read about the success of the Parents Empowered campaign this year as we worked with a coalition of partners to prevent underage drinking. 

A Better Ending

Rock on. Help your child’s story have a better ending by strongly disapproving of underage drinking. 

Baker Boys

Alcohol can wire a kid’s brain for addiction. For a better ending to their story, strongly disapprove of underage drinking. 

80’s Movie

Alcohol can disrupt the learning center of the brain. Fight for their future by letting your kids know that you completely disapprove of underage drinking. 

The Writer

Help your kids imagine a better ending. Strongly disapprove of underage drinking so their brain’s problem solving abilities avoid getting harmed 

The Tinkerers

Spend time with your kids. Help them say “no” to underage drinking to invent a better ending to their story. 

A Soccer Story

No underage drinking is an important goal. To help your child reach it, strongly disapprove of underage drinking. 

Start early

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends talking to kids about underage drinking as early as age 9.1 Research shows kids are making up their minds about alcohol between the ages of 9 to 13 and those perceptions can become more favorable as they mature. And if they view it as pleasurable, they’re much more likely to drink underage.2 If your child is older, it’s never too late to start the discussion.

All kids need a parent’s help to stay alcohol-free

As a parent, you can help keep kids’ brains healthy and their futures bright, free from the harms of alcohol.

Here’s how:

Know and teach the harms early

Research shows you should talk to your kids about alcohol as early as age 9.2

Teach the Harms

Have fun together

When you spend time in your child’s world, they’ll listen when you speak from yours.

Have Fun

Set clear no-alcohol rules

Have a chat tonight. Make your disapproval of underage drinking clear by setting rules against it.

Chat & Set Rules

Know what your kids are doing

Get involved in your child’s activities—ask the 5 Ws and know what’s going on.

Check In
Picture of kid with a backpack

Your influence is powerful

That’s the great news! Utah kids report the number one reason they choose not to drink is their parents’ strong disapproval.3

 

Picture of kid with a backpack

Why prevent underage drinking?

Because it protects a child’s future. Alcohol affects a young, still developing brain very differently than an adult’s brain, impairing proper development and increasing risks of addiction, depression, suicide, injury, violence, academic problems and more.4

Learn the Harms

How can I help prevent my kid from drinking underage?

Here are some suggestions that can help keep your child alcohol-free. Spend fun time together, set clear “no alcohol” rules and stay involved in your kid’s life.

Learn How

Resources

Get the tools and help you need to prevent underage drinking here—everything from conversation starters, podcasts, games to play, videos to watch and so much more.

Resources

Social media updates

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Alcohol affects the adolescent brain differently compared to the mature adult brain. 🧠 This is because the brain undergoes significant development and changes from ages 12 to early 20s. Underage drinking can damage brain wiring, which is crucial for developing into a mature, responsible adult.

Stay informed about the effects of underage drinking to educate your kids and empower them to make informed choices.❤️

🔗 Visit parentsempowered.org/why/addiction/ to learn more.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Alcohol affects the adolescent brain differently compared to the mature adult brain. 🧠 This is because the brain undergoes significant development and changes from ages 12 to early 20s. Underage drinking can damage brain wiring, which is crucial for developing into a mature, responsible adult. 

Stay informed about the effects of underage drinking to educate your kids and empower them to make informed choices.❤️

🔗 Visit parentsempowered.org/why/addiction/ to learn more.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Timing is 🔑 when it comes to talking to your kids about alcohol. According to research, by age 12, only 1 in 10 children have tasted alcohol, but by age 15, 1 in 2 have tried it. Start talking to them early so they know to say no.

Here are some tips to get you started when having that conversation. 💬

🔗 For more info on underage drinking, check out ➡️ my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17541-alcohol-underage-drinking

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Timing is 🔑 when it comes to talking to your kids about alcohol. According to research, by age 12, only 1 in 10 children have tasted alcohol, but by age 15, 1 in 2 have tried it. Start talking to them early so they know to say no. 

Here are some tips to get you started when having that conversation. 💬

🔗 For more info on underage drinking, check out ➡️ my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/17541-alcohol-underage-drinking 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Underage drinking can cause long-term damage to your child’s developing brain 🧠. Even if there aren’t immediate physical impacts to drinking, it’s slowly happening internally. Prevent it now while you can!

🔗Learn more about the effects alcohol has on the developing brain at: parentsempowered.org/why/healthy-brains/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Want to create special #Halloween memories with your kids? Let them pick their favorite iconic Halloween monster and based on their choice, plan a fun activity!🧛‍♀️👻 Share in the comments below which monster they choose! ⬇️

Spending quality time with your kids is not only enjoyable but also helps prevent underage drinking. Studies reveal that children who have meaningful interactions with their parents are less likely to engage in underage drinking.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Want to create special #Halloween memories with your kids? Let them pick their favorite iconic Halloween monster and based on their choice, plan a fun activity!🧛‍♀️👻 Share in the comments below which monster they choose! ⬇️

Spending quality time with your kids is not only enjoyable but also helps prevent underage drinking. Studies reveal that children who have meaningful interactions with their parents are less likely to engage in underage drinking.

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Underage drinking is wiring your child’s brain for alcohol dependence.🧠 Studies have revealed that starting drinking at 13 increases the chances of alcohol dependence in adulthood by 45%.

Your child’s brain needs time to develop without the interference of alcohol. So, let’s focus on nurturing their minds and making informed choices for a bright future.🌟

🔗Learn more here: parentsempowered.org/why/addiction/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
See MoreSee Less

Underage drinking is wiring your child’s brain for alcohol dependence.🧠 Studies have revealed that starting drinking at 13 increases the chances of alcohol dependence in adulthood by 45%.

Your child’s brain needs time to develop without the interference of alcohol. So, let’s focus on nurturing their minds and making informed choices for a bright future.🌟

🔗Learn more here: https://parentsempowered.org/why/addiction/ 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

In the News

Underage drinking can be a serious threat to our children and communities. Learn about the latest research and efforts to prevent it.

ABC4 David Wakins TV Coverage

Fox13 SeaQuest Coverage

KUTV Springbreak Takeover

KUTV Alcohol Awareness Month

Fresh Living TV Coverage

DABC TV Coverage

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About Us

Our goal is to eliminate underage drinking in Utah. We do that by empowering parents to use the tremendous influence they have to keep their children alcohol-free.

Learn More

Our Partners

The Parents Empowered Mission

Meet Tiffany Clason. She’s the Executive Director at the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS). But she’s also a mom. She knows that parents staying involved and having those important “no underage drinking” conversations are crucial to a child’s future success.

Sources

1 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
2 https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/e718

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3 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37591/

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