Program Fights Underage Drinking

A creative multimedia program designed to reduce underage drinking has been launched by The Century Council and Nickelodeon. It targets youngsters before they are in a situation where they are faced with making decisions about alcohol.

Although two-thirds of adolescents identify their parents as the major influence on their decisions about alcohol, only 36% say they have spoken to either parent about alcohol. The new program, “Ask, Listen Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix,” is designed to facilitate communication between parents and their children. The total program includes booklets for both parents and their children, websites for parents and for their children, and television advertising produced by The Century Council for parents and by Nickelodeon for youngsters.

The American School Counselor Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Latino Children’s Institute, the National Middle School Association, and the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration have all provided scientific input for use in creating “Ask, Listen Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix.”

Coming in the future will be a teacher-focused component as well as translations into Spanish.