NEW PROGRAM TO HELP PARENTS TALK TO KIDS ABOUT ALCOHOL
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007 – The MLCC launched a new public information program today to address the issue of alcohol consumption by children. Called, Be the Influence, the program takes aim at the provincial and national average of first use of alcohol, which is around age 11.
Carmen Neufeld, Chair of the MLCC’s Board of Commissioners says research shows that children who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependencies later in life.
“In Manitoba, as in other places in Canada, children are taking their first drink around the age of 11. This says that the time to start talking to children about the harmful effects of alcohol is before they become teenagers,” said Neufeld
She says the good news is that parents are the single greatest influence on their children, however, talking about alcohol use with their children may be an uncomfortable subject for many parents. The Be the Influence program was developed to give parents factual information about alcohol, as well as the tools to help them begin talking with their children about issues surrounding alcohol use.
“Be the Influence was designed to help raise awareness about the influence parents can have on their children, and to provide parents with information they can use whether their child is six or 16.”
Neufeld said the Be the Influence program was developed with help of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba. The program consists of a live action web site for parents at www.betheinfluence.org as well as a booklet that will be made available through Liquor Marts and on-line ordering.
CONTACT: Diana Soroka, Communications Manager at (204) 474-5631 or dsoroka@mlcc.mb.ca
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