The Facts.

Why shouldn’t Cranford tolerate underage drinking and marijuana use?

Because we’re a community that puts the well-being of our kids above all else. It’s clear that alcohol introduces dangers and risks that Cranford parents would like our kids to avoid. This website serves as an effort recommended by the United States Surgeon General to educate our community about the risks of underage and excessive drinking.

According to the National Institutes of Health, teens who abuse alcohol at a young age are much more likely to develop a dependency on alcohol when they get older. It can also have adverse effects on the brain. Studies show that brain development continues past the teenage years. Alcohol abuse during the brain’s formative years can negatively impact how the brain develops and can also lead to learning problems.

“Statistics compiled by the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center, underage drinking cost the citizens of New Jersey 1.5 billion dollars in 2010, of which 600 million dollars was spend exclusively on medical care.  This shocking tally amounts to an expenditure of $1825 per youth in New Jersey.  Underage drinking is widespread in New Jersey, with just under three out of four high school students reporting that they had consumed alcohol.” *From Rosenblum Law - NJ *Surgeon General Link for Information Below

Look for more information about this throughout the year, and if you have ideas for events or want us to help promote something you already have planned, please shoot us an email at cranfordmunicipalalliance@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram

Why are teenagers drinking?

To help Cranford kids make healthy decisions about alcohol and other substances, it might help to understand why teens like ours so often  don’t. Here are just a few reasons to keep in mind as we make parenting decisions, but because each kid is different, it’s important to build the open communication needed to understand what motivates your child’s decisions...

• Inexperience. Teens have a desire to “figure things out,” and until they experience the negative effects of alcohol or drugs, they might not understand the down side. But will that be too late?
  

• Impulsiveness. Either because of the way their developing adolescent brains are wired or because there’s fun in adventure, teens can focus more on short-term rewards.
  

• Environment. Yes, there’s FOMO (fear of missing out) - concern about “what everybody else is doing,” enhanced today by social media use. But parents too can create cultures of acceptance where the risks of dangerous behavior are downplayed by the feeling that they’re going to have to face the music at home.
  

• Boredom. Sometimes it can feel like there’s just “nothing else to do.” That’s why it’s important for Cranford families to realize the number of kids and families condoning underage drinking is a lot smaller than they might think - and work together to create fun, safe social environments. Speaking of which...