Safety
Alcohol is connected with injuries, crashes, falls, drowning, violence, and alcohol poisoning.
Prevention starts with connection
Let’s Talk About Underage Drinking
Honest conversations, clear expectations, and a plan for difficult moments help young people make safer choices—without shame or scare tactics.
Why it matters
Alcohol can affect more than one night
The adolescent brain continues developing into the twenties. Alcohol can interfere with judgment, memory, coordination, and reaction time—and can make risky situations harder to recognize or leave.
Decision-making
Impaired judgment can affect driving, consent, conflict, and other choices with lasting consequences.
Well-being
Drinking can overlap with stress, anxiety, depression, school concerns, and use of other substances.
Look at the whole picture
Possible signs a young person may need support
One change does not prove alcohol use. Look for patterns and approach concerns with curiosity.
- Sudden mood, energy, friendship, or behavior changes
- School absences, falling grades, or loss of interest in activities
- Alcohol containers, unexplained smells, or attempts to hide activities
- Problems concentrating, remembering, speaking, or coordinating movement
- Repeated rule-breaking, risky situations, or unexplained injuries
For teens
You can plan your way out before pressure starts
You do not owe anyone a long explanation. Choose a phrase that sounds like you and identify a trusted person you can contact at any time.
When someone offers alcohol
Keep it short, change the subject, or leave with a friend.
“No thanks, I’m good.”“I have an early morning.”When the ride is not safe
Never ride with someone who has been drinking. Call a trusted adult, sober driver, taxi, or ride service.
“Plans changed. I need a safe ride.”When a friend needs help
Stay with them, get a trusted adult, and call 911 if alcohol poisoning may be possible. Getting help is more important than getting in trouble.
When drinking feels hard to control
Tell an adult, counselor, nurse, coach, or healthcare provider. If the first person does not help, keep telling. Support works.
Alcohol poisoning can be fatal
Know the signs. Call 911.
Do not assume someone can “sleep it off.” A person’s alcohol level can continue rising after they stop drinking.
Possible warning signs
- Cannot be awakened or is very confused
- Vomiting repeatedly
- Slow, irregular, or stopped breathing
- Seizure
- Pale, bluish, gray, cold, or clammy skin
For parents & caregivers
Prevention starts at home
Young people still listen—even when it does not look like it. Short, ongoing conversations work better than one big lecture.
Be clear
State that you do not approve of underage drinking and explain that the boundary is about health and safety.
Keep talking
Use everyday openings: a show, a news story, a party invitation, or a car ride. Ask open questions and listen.
Reduce access
Know what alcohol is in your home, store it securely, and do not provide alcohol to minors or ignore underage use.
Make a safe-call promise
Tell your teen they can call for a ride at any time. Lead with “Thank you for calling; I’m coming to get you.”
Know the plan
Ask where your teen will be, who will be present, whether an adult is home, and how everyone is getting back safely.
Model the message
Never drive after drinking. Avoid making alcohol the center of celebrations or the default response to stress.
Connecticut
Know the law—and your responsibility
Connecticut’s minimum legal drinking age is 21. State laws also address youth possession, furnishing alcohol to minors, under-21 driving, and adults who knowingly permit minors to possess alcohol on their property.
Do not provide
Adults should never buy, give, or otherwise furnish alcohol to someone under 21.
Do not look away
Property owners and people in control of a property must not knowingly allow underage alcohol possession and fail to make reasonable efforts to stop it.
Protect every ride
Never allow anyone who may be impaired to drive. Arrange a sober ride and call 911 for an emergency.
This is a plain-language prevention overview, not legal advice. Laws can change; use the linked Connecticut sources for current details, exceptions, and penalties.
Tap for the answer
Quick facts families should know
Does talking about alcohol give teens ideas?
No. Calm, age-appropriate conversations help young people understand expectations, practice decisions, and know where to turn when something happens.
Is a supervised teen party with alcohol safer?
Adult supervision does not remove the health risks or legal responsibilities. The safer choice is a substance-free gathering with clear expectations and safe transportation.
What if my teen admits they drank?
Address immediate safety first. When everyone is calm, listen, ask what happened, restate expectations, and decide whether professional support or screening would help.
Can alcohol be mixed safely with medications or other drugs?
Mixing alcohol with prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines, cannabis, or other substances can increase impairment and other serious risks. Ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist about medication interactions.
Trusted support
Learn more or ask for help
SAMHSA: Talk. They Hear You.Conversation tools and practical prevention resources for caregivers.
CDC: Underage DrinkingCurrent facts about health, safety, and prevention.
NIAAA: Underage DrinkingWarning signs, prevention approaches, screening, and treatment information.
Partnership to End AddictionPrevention and early-action guidance for parents and families.
TTYSB Youth Substance-Use ResourcesYouth-focused information, peer support, and ways to get connected.
SAMHSA National HelplineTreatment information and referral support: 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Health and resource information reviewed September 2026. This page provides general prevention education and does not replace medical, behavioral-health, or legal advice.