Lauren Barnes

By Lauren Barnes with the Northeast Texas Coalition Against Substance Abuse The days of D.A.R.E. and “just say no” are behind us, and experts say teens need scientific facts about drugs and alcohol to be better prepared to make the right decisions. However, teens are receiving incorrect messages about drugs and alcohol from their friends, television and social media. The Northeast Texas Coalition Against Substance Abuse is working to ensure youth in Daingerfield receive the correct facts, but we can’t do it alone. We need parents to talk to their teens about common drug and alcohol myths and empower them with the facts so they can make healthy decisions. Myth: Drinking is a rite of passage and everyone is doing it. Only one in five East Texas 7th-12th graders are current users of alcohol, according to the 2014 Texas School Survey.

By Lauren Barnes, Next Step Community Solutions

The holidays are a time for fun and celebration, but, unfortunately, also a time of risk for young people.
On an average December day, more than 11,000 young people in the United States, aged 12 to 17, will
use alcohol for the first time.
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online e-edition at: http://www.etypeservices.com/Daingerfield%20BeeID312/default.aspx