2024 Highlight Reel

See how we mobilized our communities to work together and prevent underage drinking like never before. 

2024 Annual Report

Read about the success of the Parents Empowered campaign this year as we worked with a coalition of partners to prevent underage drinking. 

Haunted Parrot

Parrots watching horror movies is a bad idea. Underage drinking is an even worse idea. 

The Tin Man

Don’t wire your brain for addiction. Talk to your children and set clear NO alcohol rules today. 

Start early

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends talking to kids about underage drinking as early as age 9.1 Research shows kids are making up their minds about alcohol between the ages of 9 to 13 and those perceptions can become more favorable as they mature. And if they view it as pleasurable, they’re much more likely to drink underage.2 If your child is older, it’s never too late to start the discussion.

All kids need a parent’s help to stay alcohol-free

As a parent, you can help keep kids’ brains healthy and their futures bright, free from the harms of alcohol.

Here’s how:

Know and teach the harms early

Research shows you should talk to your kids about alcohol as early as age 9.2

Teach the Harms

Have fun together

When you spend time in your child’s world, they’ll listen when you speak from yours.

Have Fun

Set clear no-alcohol rules

Have a chat tonight. Make your disapproval of underage drinking clear by setting rules against it.

Chat & Set Rules

Know what your kids are doing

Get involved in your child’s activities—ask the 5 Ws and know what’s going on.

Check In
Picture of kid with a backpack

Your influence is powerful

That’s the great news! Utah kids report the number one reason they choose not to drink is their parents’ strong disapproval.3

 

Picture of kid with a backpack

Why prevent underage drinking?

Because it protects a child’s future. Alcohol affects a young, still developing brain very differently than an adult’s brain, impairing proper development and increasing risks of addiction, depression, suicide, injury, violence, academic problems and more.4

Learn the Harms

How can I help prevent my kid from drinking underage?

Here are some suggestions that can help keep your child alcohol-free. Spend fun time together, set clear “no alcohol” rules and stay involved in your kid’s life.

Learn How

Resources

Get the tools and help you need to prevent underage drinking here—everything from conversation starters, podcasts, games to play, videos to watch and so much more.

Resources

Social media updates

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Now that it’s December, make sure to mark your calendar with one of these great activities you can do with your family for the holiday season!⛄ 🌨From home decoration to baking, the opportunities are endless!🏂

See a full list of fun winter activities at www.today.com/parents/family/winter-activities-for-kids-rcna51788

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #Winter
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Now that it’s December, make sure to mark your calendar with one of these great activities you can do with your family for the holiday season!⛄ 🌨From home decoration to baking, the opportunities are endless!🏂 

See a full list of fun winter activities at https://www.today.com/parents/family/winter-activities-for-kids-rcna51788 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #Winter

Underage drinking leads to a multitude of issues among children.😥 Studies show that among 12 – 17-year-old drinkers, many exhibited extreme levels of psychological distress and serious behavioral problems.😡💢 Your child’s mental wellness is at risk when they engage in underage drinking. Make sure you’re prepared to help them avoid that reality.

Learn more about the risks of underage drinking at parentsempowered.org/why/behavior/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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Underage drinking leads to a multitude of issues among children.😥 Studies show that among 12 – 17-year-old drinkers, many exhibited extreme levels of psychological distress and serious behavioral problems.😡💢 Your child’s mental wellness is at risk when they engage in underage drinking. Make sure you’re prepared to help them avoid that reality. 

Learn more about the risks of underage drinking at https://parentsempowered.org/why/behavior/ 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

Happy Thanksgiving parents! 🍽🦃 We hope you enjoy today with your kids and that you let them know how grateful you are for them.💞

#ParentsEmpowered #underagedrinkingprevention #Utah #Thanksgiving
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Happy Thanksgiving parents! 🍽🦃 We hope you enjoy today with your kids and that you let them know how grateful you are for them.💞 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah #Thanksgiving

When it comes to underage drinking, setting boundaries is important. Studies show that when kids believe underage drinking is “very wrong” only 3% drink. Talk with your kids today about your expectations and help them understand that underage drinking is unacceptable. 🙅🍺

Learn more about the risks associated with underage drinking at parentsempowered.org/why/healthy-brains/

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah
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When it comes to underage drinking, setting boundaries is important. Studies show that when kids believe underage drinking is “very wrong” only 3% drink. Talk with your kids today about your expectations and help them understand that underage drinking is unacceptable. 🙅🍺

Learn more about the risks associated with underage drinking at https://parentsempowered.org/why/healthy-brains/ 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

📢 Attention Parents! 📢 Doing things with your kids is the best way to help them grow. Check out some of these activities you can do with your kid today! 🎾🏀

Learn more about the importance of having fun with your kids at parentsempowered.org/how/have-fun/

#ParentsEmpowered #underagedrinkingprevention #Utah
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📢 Attention Parents! 📢 Doing things with your kids is the best way to help them grow. Check out some of these activities you can do with your kid today! 🎾🏀

Learn more about the importance of having fun with your kids at https://parentsempowered.org/how/have-fun/ 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

No parent should ever experience losing a child, but without preparing your children for avoiding underage drinking, it can happen to you. Every year, alcohol is linked to 4,000 deaths in people under the age of 21. Make sure you know the risks, and that you communicate with your child about avoiding underage drinking. 🗣🙌

Learn more about the risks at www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/Handout-Deep-Digging.pdf

#ParentsEmpowered #underagedrinkingprevention #Utah
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No parent should ever experience losing a child, but without preparing your children for avoiding underage drinking, it can happen to you. Every year, alcohol is linked to 4,000 deaths in people under the age of 21. Make sure you know the risks, and that you communicate with your child about avoiding underage drinking. 🗣🙌

Learn more about the risks at https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/sites/default/files/Handout-Deep-Digging.pdf 

#ParentsEmpowered #UnderageDrinkingPrevention #Utah

In the News

Underage drinking can be a serious threat to our children and communities. Learn about the latest research and efforts to prevent it.

ABC4 David Wakins TV Coverage

Fox13 SeaQuest Coverage

KUTV Springbreak Takeover

KUTV Alcohol Awareness Month

Fresh Living TV Coverage

DABC TV Coverage

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About Us

Our goal is to eliminate underage drinking in Utah. We do that by empowering parents to use the tremendous influence they have to keep their children alcohol-free.

Learn More

Our Partners

The Parents Empowered Mission

Meet Tiffany Clason. She’s the Executive Director at the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS). But she’s also a mom. She knows that parents staying involved and having those important “no underage drinking” conversations are crucial to a child’s future success.

Sources

1 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
2 https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/136/3/e718

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3 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention [SHARP] Survey, 2019.
4 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37591/

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