What parents should know...
Social Hosting is providing and/or serving alcohol to a young person(s) under the age of 21 or providing a place for minors to consume alcohol
It is unhealthy for anyone under age 21 to drink. Alcohol has negative effects on a teen’s developing brain & critical thinking
Alcohol use in youth affects mood, memory, verbal skills and vocabulary
It is unsafe and illegal for teens to drink. Alcohol use is a major factor in all of the leading causes of death and injury among youth and young adults
Alcohol use has been strongly linked with assaults, vandalism and other criminal mischief, date rape, unplanned and/or unprotected sex and depression
It is illegal to host or allow underage drinking parties at your home or camp.
You cannot give alcohol to underage youth, under any circumstance, even in your own home, even with their parent’s permission
Parents Who Host, Lose the Most
Healthy Waldo County
Legal Consequences
Teens can be summonsed to court for possession of alcohol and a fine of $200
up to $400 could be adjudged
You can be arrested, sentenced and fined if you allow minors to consume alcohol at your home or camp up to
one year in jail can result
Possible penalties of up to $2000 in fines can result for furnishing alcohol to minors
You can be arrested and charged with a felony if someone is injured or killed as a result of the alcohol you supplied
You can be sued if a minor’s drinking results in a death or serious injury
to any person
Another adult can sue you for expenses related to any injuries, alcohol poisoning, sexual assaults or
property damage that occur
Your homeowner’s insurance policy may not provide adequate protection when serious injury occurs
Your homeowner’s insurance
costs may increase
Things you can do as a parent
- Show you care enormously about the choices your teens make about drugs and alcohol
- Help your child develop tools they can use to get out of alcohol or drug related situations
(Let them know that that they can use you as an excuse: “My Mom would kill me if I drank a beer”.
- Emphasize your child(ren)’s positive choices & decisions, instead of focusing on what is wrong.
- Compliment youth on all of their efforts, strength of their character and their individuality.
- Get to know your child’s friends and parent’s check-in with other parents to be sure that they share your views on alcohol and other drugs.
- Refuse to supply alcohol to anyone under age 21
- Know where your alcohol is and how much you have to limit your teen’s access to alcohol
HMP is a collaborative effort among 28 local coalitions, the Maine DHHS (Maine CDC and Office of Substance Abuse) and DOE, supported primarily by the Funds for Healthy Maine with federal grants from the US CDC, SAMHSA, and DOE.
“Parents Who Host, Lose the Most” was developed by Drug-Free Action Alliance, www.DrugFreeActionAlliance.org
SAVE A LIFE?
Report a Youth Drinking Party in Waldo County
Reporting a party can be made anonymously 1-800-660-3398
