Friday, June 18, 2010

Are parents responsible for underage drinking parties in their homes?

From the New York Times' "Room for Debate": Should Parents Be Jailed When Kids Drink?

As one of the people who commented at the end of the blog points out, the experts who are debating the topic don't all have the same data or research-based understanding of underage drinking and prevention. This is true not only regarding underage drinking but for other drug and alcohol prevention issues. As we, as communities, prepare to engage in debates about prevention, it is essential that we build those debates on what research has shown to be effective. We cannot assume that everyone is aware of how much prevention has evolved and how much more we know now than we did ten years ago. Constant communication and education are needed every step of the way.

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