Marietta Alcohol Awareness

As a part of the Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention Project (ASAPP), the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) has previously awarded CCAPSA with a grant to implement an Alcohol Awareness Campaign in Marietta City and unincorporated Marietta that aims to reduce the number of underage drinking parties and the high prevalence of underage drinking.

In 2017, Cobb County (which includes the Marietta area) was revealed to have the highest number of DUI arrest and the second highest number of physical locations where alcohol is sold in comparison to any other county in Georgia. This campaign targets parents/guardians, promoting the”Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t be a Party to Teenage Drinking” and the “Talk. They Hear You” message. With this campaign, CCAPSA aims to address parental monitoring as a potential risk factor for excessive alcohol use and underage drinking in the Marietta while also promoting parents/guardians talking with their teens about alcohol as a protective factor.

Parental monitoring has been defined as parents allowing teens to drink under their supervision, and  it has been previously identified as a potential risk factor that may contribute to underage drinking in the Marietta community. The “Parents Who Host…” message educates parents about the health, safety, and legal consequences of providing alcohol to teenagers and allowing teens to drink “under supervision”.

Parents conversing with teens about alcohol use and substance abuse has been shown to be a successful protective factor against underage drinking, especially when parents express their disapproval of the behavior—parents have a significant influence on whether their kid(s) drink. The “Talk. They Hear You” message emphasizes this point, encouraging parents to have the conversation about underage drinking with their teen(s).

To learn more, check out the resources listed below!

Additional Resources

Parents Who Host, Lose the Most: Don’t be a Party to Teenage Drinking

Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention Project (ASAPP)

Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD)

Social Host/Parents Who Host

“Talk. They Hear You”®