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The Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association (MB&WWA) and the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) have teamed up to fight underage drinking, and now state legislators are getting involved, too. Legislators are helping distribute the booklet Parents Unite to Prevent Underage Drinking, which offers useful tips for parents on how to talk to their teens about alcohol, spot alcohol use and prevent it.

The goal of the booklet is to eliminate underage alcohol use. The strategy the project utilizes is to encourage parents to send clear “no use” messages; to monitor their teens’ activities and friendships; to model positive behaviors and to get support and help. Parents are reminded that they are the most influential people in their teen’s life, and teens have a powerful influence on their friends so kids who have friends who don’t drink alcohol are also less likely to drink.

In addition to providing booklets for distribution by Michigan educators, community leaders and groups such as the Substance Abuse Council – a prevention coalition serving Calhoun County, Michigan – the MB&WWA and the MASSP recruited state legislators to take part in distributing the free guides.

Michigan lawmakers such as state Senator Michael Nofs and state Representatives John Espinoza, Phil Pavlov and Jennifer Haase distributed the guides as part of last April’s Alcohol Awareness Month as well as during prom and graduation season.

“These ‘Parents Unite’ booklets are a terrific tool that empowers parents so they can proactively keep their kids safe from illegal alcohol consumption,” said state Rep. Espinoza in a press release.   “Underage drinking is everybody’s problem and it needs to stop. The good news is, we can do something about it, and these free ‘Parents Unite’ booklets can help show parents how best to confront and fight underage drinking.”

The Parents Unite to Prevent Underage Drinking booklets were first distributed by the MB&WWA and the MASSP in 2002.  To date, half-a-million have been distributed throughout Michigan. 

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