The Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition has been providing local prevention solutions to La Plata County for the past 24 years. “They are Listening” is a campaign to encourage parents to talk with their children about substance use as an effective parenting tool that could have prevented the unfortunate (and potentially deadly) actions of some Durango youth at the recent Silverton Fourth of July celebration (“Party leads to citations, overdose,” Herald, July 6) .
Parents influence their children’s behavior and this incident provides a timely opportunity to remind parents that research shows that youth who talk with their parents about the dangers of alcohol and other drugs are 50 percent less likely to use these substances. Parents should clearly let their children know they strongly disapprove of underage substance consumption. In the 2015 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, only 50.5 percent of La Plata County youth grades 6-12 report they spoke with a parent about the dangers of tobacco, alcohol or drug use during the past 12 months. https://www.speaknowcolorado.org/
Given the legalization and prevalence of marijuana in our community, parents should educate themselves on the latest brain research regarding marijuana use for youth and young adults under the age of 30 while brains are still developing. https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/marijuana/help-parents.
When the next youth survey is conducted in 2017, help us increase the percentage of youth who report they have talked with their parents about substance use. All adults in our community can be asset-builders for youth and role models for healthy living choices. For more information or to learn more about coalition asset-building, contact Pat@OurHealthyCommunities.org. Visit: http://www.ourhealthycommunities.org/.
Pat Senecal, director
Celebrating Healthy Communities Coalition
Durango
