The median age at which children begin drinking is 12 (NIDA, 2002). Young people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21. Approximately 4,300 children die each year of underage-drinking related causes.
Safe Homes, Smart Parties is a statewide initiative initially pioneered by the National Family Partnership. Informed Families was among the trailblazers in statewide implementation, with New Jersey and Illinois being the first to adopt it. Spearheaded by parents of teens and preteens, the initiative aims to ensure that drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes are not permitted at gatherings hosted in their homes and are actively discouraged at community events.
