Power of Choice: Supporting Students, Schools, and Parents

From the fall 2018 newsletter of Power of Choice, Naperville's youth substance-use prevention coalition.

Teens drink less than ever, survey finds

Preliminary 2018 Illinois Youth Survey data collected in the spring brings good news: in the District 203 & 204 High Schools Additional Questions Report (11,127 students), 82% were alcohol-free in 2018, up from 81% in 2016. Consider that in 2014, 77% were alcohol-free — and in 2003, just 66%. The shift toward healthy choices keeps moving in a positive direction.

3 surprising reasons youth are drinking less alcohol

1. Teens like feeling in control. High school students enjoy balanced social interactions. Risky behaviors could mean public regrets in the age of social media.
2. Youth culture has changed. Like cigarette smoking is no longer cool, there's been a subtle shift in perception about alcohol use. Campaigns, including Power of Choice, share the norm that most teens are not drinking. Science shows that an accurate perception of social norms matters to a teen deciding what to do when offered an addictive substance.
3. Others count on them alcohol-free. In summer 2018 focus groups and intercept surveys, Power of Choice learned that local high school participants valued being alcohol-free so they could "be there" for their little brothers and sisters — and for friends who might need them.

Research shows the risk of a teen using an addictive substance is reduced by half when parents keep talking with them about not using alcohol and other drugs.

Tips for connecting with your teen

• Set aside time to hang out with your kid. With time comes opportunity for conversation.
• Make it easy for your teen to talk honestly with you. Keep listening without judgment to stories about their friends. They'll trust that you will help them, lovingly, when needed.
• Set a good example regarding your own alcohol use. Kids look up to parents as role models — they don't want to let you down. Kids are often most comfortable talking with a parent who isn't under the effects of alcohol.

While alcohol consumption has gone down, a different addiction is engulfing the youth.

Electronic cigarettes 101

The 2018 Illinois Youth Survey found that 82% of District 203 & 204 students chose to be electronic-cigarette-free (11,128 surveyed) — the majority, but down from 92% in 2016. Power of Choice, along with state and federal public health agencies, has been bringing resources to parents and students to spread awareness of the risks.

3 things parents of teens should know

1. Electronic cigarettes — "e-cigs" and "vape pens," sold under brand names such as JUUL, Blue, and Halo — are battery-powered devices delivering liquid nicotine, flavorings, and other additives. (Naperville adopted Tobacco 21 in 2016; Illinois moved to a statewide age-21 law in 2019.)
2. Adolescents who try e-cigarettes may soon acquire their own device and become addicted to nicotine — dependence can develop within days of regular vaping — creating an expensive, lifelong health hazard. Chemicals in the vapor can include formaldehyde, acrolein, benzene, and the metals nickel and lead.
3. Once addicted, some teens risk school discipline by vaping in school. The aerosol can be odorless, but school officials have become vigilant. E-cigs are sometimes used to deliver other drugs, including marijuana. Use, possession, and selling of these devices is prohibited on school property, and violators may face disciplinary action and referral to local police if under 18.

This article republishes 2018–19 coalition newsletter content; statistics and laws are from that period.