ROC-FM at 62811 New Haven Road, Ray, MI 48096 US - Parents Who Host Lose The Most

Here are the facts:

• Parents who give alcohol to their teen's friends under any circumstances, even in their own homes, are breaking the law.
• Parents who knowingly allow a person under 21 to remain in their gone or on their property while consuming or possessing alcoholic beverages can be prosecuted and everything associated with such a violation can be confiscated, including personal property.
• Parents can be sued if they give alcohol to anyone under 21 and they in turn hurt someone, hurt themselves or damage property.

Underage use of alcohol is a serious problem that too often leads to harmful consequences for youth and their families. Parents can protect themselves and their teens by following these guidelines when hosting parties for their children:

• Host safe, alcohol-free activities and events for youth during prom and graduation season
• Refuse to supply alcohol to children or allow drinking in your home or on your property
• Be at home when your teenager has a party
• Make sure your teenager's friends do not bring alcohol into your home
• Talk to other parents about not providing alcohol at youth events
• Report underage drinking

The "Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking" public awareness campaign provides parents with good information about the health risks of underage drinking and the legal consequences of providing alcohol to youth. More information is available at www.mcpcweb.org.

Suggestions for Parents

If your teen is giving a party

• Help your teenager plan the party. Make a guest list and invite only a specific number of people.
• Have your child pass out or send invitations and try to avoid the "open party" situation.
• Don't send e-mail invitations. They can be forwarded to a large number of people quickly and you can lose control of who has this information.
• Put your phone number on the invitation and welcome calls from parents.
• Set rules ahead of time such as no alcohol, drugs or tobacco. Set a start and end time for the party.
• Let attendees know that if they leave, they can't come back.
• Have plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Plan some activities such as music, games, movies, etc.
• Let your neighbors know in advance there will be a party and that you will be there to supervise. Familiarize yourself with the noise ordinance in your area.
• Limit the party access to a certain area of the house/property.
• Have a plan for dealing with vehicles. Include parking information on your party invitation.
• Call parents of any teen who arrives in possession of alcohol or under the influence. If you can't get in touch with the parents, keep the teen there or call the police if necessary. You can be civilly liable if you know they have been drinking and you let them leave.
• Secure all forms of alcohol, firearms and other potentially hazardous items in your home in a safe place.
• Make regular and unobtrusive visits to the party area with sensitivity to teens' needs for privacy and independence.

Invite some other parents to help chaperone if there will be a large number of teenagers.

Resource Link - Click Here

A program of Drug-Free Alliance and the Macomb County Prevention Coalition (MCPC)
TM  This is a trademark and cannot be used or altered in any way without written permission of Drug-Free Alliance

© Parents Who Host, Lose The Most is a copyright of Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth, with funding from the Ohio Department of  Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.