Extension > Family > Families with Teens > Parent Resources > Alcohol Use and Young People
Alcohol Use and Young People
Alcohol-related accidents and deaths, and reports of binge drinking among young people have parents concerned. The following resources help parents of college students and soon-to-be college students better understand alcohol use among young people and what they can do to help.
For Parents - English | Para madres y padres - en español | For Professionals
For Parents - English
- TimeToTalk — Partnership for a Drug-Free America — Easy-to-use guides and tips to help you have ongoing conversations with your kids to keep them healthy and drug-free. Also available in Spanish.
- College Drinking: Changing the Culture — National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — One-stop resource for comprehensive research-based information on issues related to alcohol abuse and binge drinking among college students.
- Alcohol — U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention — Reviews the research and trends related to alcohol use on campus.
- Parents — U.S. Department of Education’s Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention — Reviews what parents can do to have a positive and powerful influence on their teen’s college experience.
- STOP Underage Drinking: Parents/Caregivers — Inter-agency Coordinating Committee on Underage Drinking Prevention — Resources to help parents discuss important issue with their children and brainstorm ways for them to refuse offers of alcohol from their peers.
- Parents: The Anti-Drug — The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign — Drug information, parenting advice, how to tell if your teen is “using,” and more. Also available in Spanish.
- But You and Dad Drink… — University of Minnesota Extension — Part of the Teen Talk fact sheet series, this fact sheet gives suggestions for talking with your teen about alcohol, an overview of the effects of alcohol use and abuse, and additional resources. Also available in Spanish.
- There's a Party, Can I Go? — University of Minnesota Extension — Part of the Survival Guide for Parents of Teenagers, this fact sheet discusses the importance of talking to teens about parties. Also available in Spanish.
- Binge Drinking and the Family’s Role — Minnesota Public Radio — Listen to how parents and their kids communicate on alcohol and other risky behaviors.
- Students and Alcohol: A Guide for Parents — University of Minnesota — Advice for talking with your college-aged youth, facts to keep in mind, and sources of support.
- Seminar for Parents: Alcohol Use on Campus — University of Minnesota Extension, University of Minnesota Parent Program, and Department of Family Social Science — Online course for parents that addresses the risks associated with alcohol use and binge drinking during the college years. It provides statistics, tips for talking about alcohol, comments from parents and college students, online discussion opportunities, and a list of available resources.
Para madres y padres - en español
- Habla con tus hijos — Parnership for a Drug Free America —Guías y consejos fáciles de usar para ayudarle a tener conversaciones constantes con sus hijos para mantenerlos sanos y sin drogas.
- Pero si tú y papá tambien… — University of Minnesota Extension — Consejos para hablar con su hijo(a) acerca del alcohol, cómo afecta a mi hijo(a) mi consumo de alcohol, cómo sé si mi hijo(a) tiene algún problema con el alcohol, y a dónde recurrir para obtener ayuda. En inglés también.
- Hay una fiesta ¿puedo ir? — University of Minnesota Extension — La idea de las fiestas de adolescentes puede crear miedo en algunos padres, pero si se planean y se previenen, estas fiestas pueden ser una opción segura y divertida para actividades sin supervisión. En inglés también.
- Padres: La Anti Droga — Patrocinado por la Campaña Nacional Anti-Drogas — Informacion sobre las drogas, consejos para los padres, y más. En inglés también.
For Professionals
- Parents and Teens Talking About Alcohol (Teen Talk Take and Teach CD) — University of Minnesota Extension — A comprehensive lesson to help parents identify reasons teens use alcohol, explore and talk about their and their family's values related to alcohol, identify ways families influence teen alcohol use, and consider strategies for supporting their teens in making healthy decisions. All of the materials needed to facilitate a parent group or group of parents together with their teens are included on one easy-to-use CD.
- But You and Dad Drink… — University of Minnesota Extension — Part of the Teen Talk series for Parents of Teenagers, this fact sheet gives suggestions for talking with your teen about alcohol, an overview of the effects of alcohol use and abuse, and additional resources. Also available in Spanish. Sold in packages of 25-two-sided fact sheets. The English and Spanish fact sheet is also available.
- There's a Party, Can I Go? — University of Minnesota Extension — Part of the Teen Talk series for Parents of Teenagers, this fact sheet discusses the importance of talking to teens about parties. Sold in packages of 25-two-sided fact sheets. The English and Spanish fact sheet is also available.
- College Alcohol Study — Harvard School of Public Health — Provides links to key college alcohol study publications.
- Stop Underage Drinking — The Century Council — Summarizes research and statistics as well as some of the public policy work being done around underage drinking.
- Higher Education Center for Alcohol, and Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention — U.S. Department of Education — Helps campuses and communities address problems of alcohol, other drugs, and violence by identifying effective strategies and programs based on the best prevention science.
- A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges — National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism — A report that reviews drinking behavior by college students and its consequences for both drinkers and nondrinkers. The report also outlines a series of recommendations for colleges and universities, and researchers.
- Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility — National Research Council and Institute of Medicine — Report that looks at underage drinking and proposes a new way to combat underage alcohol use. It explores the ways in which different individuals and groups may contribute to the problem and how they can be enlisted to prevent it.
- Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking — Office of the Surgeon General — A science-based document that seeks to stimulate action in all sectors of society to prevent and reduce underage drinking.
- Underage Drinking — Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration — Provides links for reports on underage drinking.
- Monitoring the Future — University of Michigan — Provides national statistics on alcohol and drug use among secondary school students, college students, and young adults.




