Los Alamos High School Student Risk Prevention Team members McKenna Bernstein, second from right and Alea Kretz, right, pose outside of Papa Murphys with co-owner Gayle Cunningham, left, and LAPS Prevention Support Specialist Kristine Coblentz, second from left. Courtesy/LAPS

LAPS News:

The Los Alamos County DWI Planning Council and the Los Alamos High School Student Risk Prevention Team are implementing their annual Sticker Shock Campaign in anticipation of high school prom which will be held Saturday, April 27.

Sticker Shock is a public information campaign designed to remind community members of the dangers of underage drinking and the importance of complying with laws that protect youth from harm. This campaign aims to discourage people from supplying alcohol to minors or using a fake ID to purchase alcohol. Parents, older siblings, and older friends are often unaware of the many consequences including legal trouble that they may face as a result of providing alcohol to a minor.

Papa Murphy’s Pizza and LA Market and Indian Groceries in Los Alamos and Smith’s Food and Drug in White Rock have all agreed to support this year’s sticker shock campaign. Community members are encouraged to thank these local businesses for their role in mentoring and protecting youth.

Last year’s LAHS student prevention team members designed two stickers to be included in pizza orders and adhered to beer and alcohol products during the week before high school prom and graduation. This campaign recognizes that parents, caregivers, community members, and local businesses all play an important role in helping to keep youth safe.

Underage drinking is a serious issue that can have harmful consequences. Alcohol affects the developing adolescent brain more intensely than an adult’s brain. Teens who drink are more likely to be victims of crime or involved in alcohol-related crashes (according to the CDC, in 2020 29% of drivers ages 15-20 who died in motor-vehicle accidents had been drinking).

Drinking also increases the risk of sexual assault or unplanned, unprotected sex.

20% of LAHS students reported that they were current alcohol drinkers in the 2021 Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey. Of those students, more than 40% answered that they usually drink alcohol in private homes. Current LAHS students express concern for their peers especially around the increase in black out drinking and how easy it is to get alcohol from adults and then drive after drinking. According to SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), adults who had their first drink before the age of 15 were 7 times more likely to experience alcohol problems than those who had not started drinking before the age of 21.

What can you do?

• Take a moment to talk with teens before celebrations like prom and graduation.
• Emphasize your concern for their safety and well-being.
• Be clear about your expectations for alcohol and drug use, driving, and personal safety.
• Find out who they will go with and where they will be after the event. Communicate with other parents so that you can present a united front.

• Make an exit plan in case your teen finds themselves in an unsafe situation.
• Ask for their input and perspective while making your best attempt to stay open and curious.
• Do not provide alcohol to minors in your home or to drink elsewhere.
• Consult the resources below if you need help with starting a conversation or addressing concerns.

Members of the Los Alamos County DWI Planning Council, the LAHS Student Prevention Team, and the LAPS Prevention Program are grateful for the public’s support of this campaign to enforce New Mexico’s underage drinking laws.

Questions and comments can be directed to Los Alamos County DWI Planning Council Chair Juanita McNiel at juanita.mcniel@lacnm.us or LAPS Prevention Support Specialist Kristine Coblentz k.coblentz@laschools.net.

Courtesy/LAPS

Courtesy/LAPS