Take a pledge, make better plans: Tips for steering teens away from alcohol this graduation season

Graduation season is here for countless teens across the Triangle, and as they gear up for this big life moment, they also could be planning to celebrate with a beer or more.

Talk It Out NC, the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission's campaign to reduce underage drinking, is recommending parents across the region take the time right now to talk to their kids about ways to avoid alcohol during any upcoming graduation celebrations or summer parties.

Here's what parents should do now to help keep their kids safe.

The life-long impacts of underage drinking go beyond getting into car crash.

Research shows that underage drinking elevates a teen's risk for injury, fighting, academic problems, truancy, unprotected sexual activity, unwanted sexual advances, illegal activity and other illicit drug use, according to Talk It Out's website. Underage drinkers also are 22 times more likely to use marijuana and 50 times more likely to use cocaine.

In fact, studies show that 40 percent of teens who start experimenting with alcohol by the age of 15 are 40 percent more likely to develop a substance use disorder.

"You're almost twice as likely to have a serious problem," he said. "The reality is that the adolescent brain is more susceptible to the dangers of alcohol than the fully developed adult brain."

Teens pledge to never get in a car with someone who has been drinking and to have regular conversations with their parents about not drinking. Families receive texts from coaches, celebrities, and other kids on how to stay safe.

Parents play a big role in the pledge, Taylor said, committing to have regular conversations with their teen and supporting their teens when they need help to extricate themselves from a tricky situation.

To keep kids from drinking, Talk It Out recommends helping teens find better ways to celebrate at upcoming graduation parties.

You could, for example, raffle off prizes throughout the night, create a photo booth with a colorful background and fun props, organize a theme party with a graduation quote board or outdoor games and add music and food to match the graduation theme.

"Graduation is a time for celebration, but we want to emphasize safe celebration," Taylor said. "You can have celebration without alcohol."

All of this may be easier said than done when teens face peer pressure and more. Taylor knows all about it. His son is 17 and a rising senior.

"He was the most valuable player on his basketball team," Taylor said. "He's got colleges looking at him. We're expecting offers pretty soon."

Taylor said he's very pleased with the friends his son has chosen and that he's done a good job to distance himself from unhealthy activities. Still, Taylor has plenty of talks with him.

"We constantly have that conversation about how just one unhealthy choice at this point in his life can really totally change the projection of his future," he said. "He has to ask himself, 'Is it really worth it?'"

And Taylor speaks from experience.

"It's about being transparent," he said. "I'm a person in long-term recovery myself. I have not used alcohol or any other substance for almost 17 years. I'm not trying to preach to him. I'm letting him know what in real life can actually happen when you make the wrong choices."