W2 for Drug Free Youth seeks to prevent alcohol and substance abuse

W2 for Drug Free Youth seeks to prevent alcohol and substance abuse
W2 for Drug Free Youth is a local community coalition that is part of the Washington State Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative. This partnership of state agencies, counties, schools, and prevention coalitions is supporting local communities in preventing alcohol and substance abuse.

W2 for Drug Free Youth Mission Statement
The coalition of W2 for Drug Free Youth works to prevent use of alcohol and other drugs by our youth. This includes:
- Serving as a forum that will promote collaboration among multiple sectors of the community.
- Developing and/or adopting multiple prevention strategies to address the problem of youth substance use in the Walla Walla community.

W2 for Drug Free Youth is participating in the “Talk. They Hear You.” Underage Drinking Prevention National Media Campaign that empowers parents and caregivers to talk with children early about the dangers of alcohol.
Importance of Parents: Research shows that parents are the leading influence on their child’s decisions about alcohol. Although it may not seem like it, when parents talk about underage drinking, their children do hear them.

9–15: A Crucial Age
To prevent young people from starting to drink, the campaign focuses on ages 9–15. Around 9, children begin thinking alcohol may not be just for adults. By 15, many young people are drinking. Young people who start drinking before age 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol problems as adults than those who begin drinking at 21 or older. Visit the “Talk. They Hear You.” Website http://beta.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/about.

Visit W2 for Drug Free Youth at http://w2fordrugfreeyouth.tripod.com/ or find us on Facebook