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15+
— Make Time to Listen; Take Time to Talk
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Make Time to Listen…Take Time to Talk about Goal Setting
Youth in middle and high school should examine personal health choices and the connection to the world of work and how they will be soon be assuming adult roles. The reinforcement of the importance of good health and positive choices needs to be coordinated by the school, family and community to have the greatest impact on adolescent behavior. Youth should have a personal perception of risk, the ability to recognize and resist social pressures and the skills to build positive social relationships. This will all be made easier if youth are not getting mixed messages from people in their family or the community who are providing alcohol, tobacco and other drugs to them. "Social hosting" is against the law, and stipulates that anyone who knowingly provides alcohol to anyone under the age of 21, or who allows any land or residence they rent or own to be used for underage drinking can be fined up to $1,000 and may even receive jail time. This law is supported by scientific research confirming that a young person's brain has not fully developed until the early to mid twenties. It's up to all of us to protect our youth so that they can assume their adult roles in a responsible and productive manner.
