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West Hartford
PACT |
§ Provides
a support network for people who are concerned about
the health and safety of children;
§ Encourages
adults to take a public stand against the use of drugs and
alcohol by young people;
§ Offers
the back-up support and endorsement of the community;
§ Promotes
consistent guidelines for substance-free social activities
for young people.
Subscribe to PACT by :
§ Not
allowing the underage consumption of alcohol or the use of
drugs in your home or on your
property;
§ Assuring
that there will be a responsible adult available to
supervise any gatherings for young people held in your
home;
§ Confirming
that there will be a responsible adult present to supervise
substance-free parties that your son or daughter may be
attending in other homes;
§ Showing
your commitment by signing and returning the
pledge
card to The Bridge Family Center.
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Take the
PACT Promise to make your home
a
place where young people do not have
access to
drugs and
alcohol
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By
becoming a member of West Hartford PACT, you are taking a
stand against underage drinking for your own children, as well as
for all children in West Hartford. As a member of PACT
you will be kept abreast of issues surrounding underage substance
use both in West Hartford and across the nation. You and other
responsible adults will receive periodic mailings of information
regarding youth and substances, communicating with your child,
supervising teen parties, and much more.
As a Parent, What
Can I Do Now?
Talk with
your children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol; share this
information with them.
One of the best ways to prevent drug and alcohol use is
communication between parent and child.
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In a national
survey of youth, only 59% reported having spoken with at least 1
parent or guardian about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and
drugs. The West Hartford Police Department urges you to TALK to
your child about the dangers associated with these substances.
There is no excuse not to. Serious injury, illness, and loss of
life are too high a price to pay for silence.
West Hartford
Police Community
Relations Division |
Don’t
allow your son/daughter to drink alcohol or use other drugs.
When parents allow their children to drink or use drugs, they may be
sending an “I don’t care about you” message. Many parents
think that alcohol is the lesser of two evils because it’s a legal
drug, and they may be more accepting of its use. Lax attitudes
have led to a continuing increase in alcohol use by teenagers, and
today it is the most commonly used mind-altering substance.
Don’t be
afraid to tackle the problem of underage drinking and drug use.
Parents should not feel that the alcohol/drug problem is too big to
do anything about. All over the country parents are
discovering the effectiveness of united action. With the
necessary commitment of time and energy, parents can help stop
underage substance use.
Work
towards creating a healthy environment for the children in your
community.
An important step you can take to prevent your son or daughter from
drinking and using drugs is to work with others in the community to
create an environment in which the pressure to drink and use drugs
is minimized. Entire communities need to work together to
ensure that young people receive the right message about the use of
substances.
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Key Facts About
Youth & Substances
Community Endorsements
West Hartford
Substance Abuse Prevention Commission
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© 2003 - 2008 The Bridge Family Center, Inc.
1022 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06107
Telephone: 860.521.8035 ¿
Fax: 860.521.8036
E-Mail:
info@bridgefamilycenter.org |
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Key Facts About
Youth & Substances |
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The
average age at which Connecticut 8th graders begin
to use alcohol is 11 years old. |
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Connecticut’s high school students currently drink at rates
26% higher than their national and regional peers. |
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More
than 60% of teen drinking occurs at parties in their own
homes. |
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Young
people say that alcohol is easy to obtain and that adults
often look the other way when faced with underage drinking. |
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Many
adults dismiss underage drinking as a normal “rite of passage”
in adolescence. However, it is important to remember that
alcohol is one of the most common contributors to injury,
death, and criminal behavior among youth. |
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Children
who take their first alcoholic drink before the age of 16 are
four times more likely to become alcohol dependent than those
who drink after the age of 21. |
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Youth
age 12-17 who smoke are more than 11 times as likely to use
illicit drugs and 16 times as likely to drink heavily as
youths who do not smoke. |
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A recent
study found that teens with “hands on” parents—parents who
have established a household culture of rules and expectations
for behavior—are at one quarter the risk of drinking or using
other drugs as other young people. |
*Above statistics from the Connecticut Coalition
to Stop Underage Drinking and the United States Department of
Health and Human Services
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Community Endorsements
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The
Bridge Family Center
HopeWorks
West
Hartford Chamber of Commerce
West
Hartford Human Services
West
Hartford Police Department
West
Hartford-Bloomfield
Health District
The
West Hartford Exchange Club
Capital Area Substance Abuse Council
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The Substance Abuse
Prevention Commission
for the Town of West Hartford
The
Substance Abuse Prevention Commission was established in 1989
for the purpose of advising the Town Council on ways that it
might
help address the problems of substance abuse in the entire West
Hartford population. The Commission is the local arm of the
Capital Area Substance Abuse Council that serves Hartford, as
well as 15 towns in the Hartford region.
Substance
Abuse Prevention Commission
c/o The
Bridge Family Center
1022
Farmington Avenue
West
Hartford, CT 06107
Tel:
860.521.8035; Fax: 860.521.8036
E-Mail Us
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