Parents, Students, Teachers, Youth and Community members — please save the date: for our annual town hall meeting!

LiveFree!, along with WEDU and numerous other partners from our community will be hosting a Town Hall Meeting, titled: Kids and Alcohol and you're invited!  We will be taping the meeting for an upcoming show to appear on WEDU! We would love for you to be part of the audience! The Town Hall Meeting will take place at the Palladium Theater at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21.

This informational meeting will discuss topics on the issues of underage drinking in Florida. Our main goal is to increase the awareness of substance abuse and the problem that it is causing among teens in Florida. Some of the topics up for discussion will include:

• Underage alcohol use
• Synthetic marijuana use
• Prescription drug misuse and abuse
• Peer Pressure faced by our youth

Those are just a few topics we will be discussing and please, if you have any other topics you want discussed or specific questions you would like answered at the meeting, contact livefree@operpar.org.

So, don't forget to save the date for the Town Hall Meeting: Kids & Alcohol — March 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the Palladium Theater. The Palladium Theater is located at 253 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg FL.

If you would like more information on this event, please contact livefree@operpar.org or you can visit LiveFee! online. And if you want to join our mailing list, just text LIVEFREE to 22828 and don't forget to include your email address!

We hope to see you there!

Related Post:
Marijuana Use is Increasing Among Teens

By Brianna Dickinson

Aside from the health consequences binge drinking can bring about—excessive drinking can have some pretty unattractive effects on your appearance. Keep reading as we answer the question: How 'cool' does drinking really make you look?

Do I look fat?
Alcohol is fattening because it adds empty non-nutritional calories to your body. Toxins in alcohol contribute to the buildup of cellulite. There are around 125 calories in a medium-sized (175ml) glass of wine; 500+ in a bottle. A vodka and coke or gin and tonic is 120 calories, so imagine the cocktails, ladies!

No more beauty sleep?
Alcohol affects the normal sleep process, so as your body is trying to catch up to deal with daily stresses, the alcohol is making it harder for your body to do so. The deep sleep the body needs is when the body is restoring itself, but alcohol can interfere with this. So, instead of the usual 6-7 cycles of REM sleep, you’ll only have 1-2 and may wake up feeling–and looking–exhausted.

Can't I just wear more make-up?
At least women have the option of make-up to hide the tell-tale hangover signs, right? Only for a while! Research has shown that drinking more than government recommends promotes aging, wrinkles, swelling of the capillaries under the skin, glassy eyes, aggravated acne, a puffy face and Rosacea, a skin disorder. When you abuse alcohol, you tend to be undernourished, which can make your hair dry out, give you cracked lips, and make you feel depressed and tired. Not to mention, alcohol also affects your coordination–something make-up cannot hide.

Nina Goad of the British Association of Dermatologists explains: “Alcohol dehydrates your body generally, including the skin, which is your body’s largest organ. This happens every time you drink. Alcohol is also thought to deprive the skin of certain vital vitamins and nutrients,” she concludes.

Even more unattractive?
Speaking of morning-after problems! It is said that drunk and hung-over people don't smell too good because five to ten percent of the alcohol leaves the body straight through your breath, sweat and urine.

Still think drinking is attractive? Think again! Although drinking can have some detrimental effects on your appearance, what it does to your health is a more concerning matter. To learn more about alcohol's affect on your health, visit this article from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brianna Dickinson is an Operation PAR intern and junior at Eckerd College majoring in International Relations Global Affairs with minors in Spanish and Sociology. Brianna is originally from Atlanta and hopes to live in a Latin America country soon through the Peace Corps.

You go to a party. You have a few cocktails. You’re ready to leave. Are you really ready to drive? Driving under the influence is dangerous for you, as well as other people on the road, and it’s illegal. It may not seem like a big deal at the time, but that’s because the drinks you’ve had are impairing your judgment.

How much is too much?
The legal limit for drivers under age 21 is .02 blood alcohol level. This means that even one drink is too much. For drivers of legal drinking age the limit is .08. For most people, your body can process one drink per hour. If you measure out your drinks that way, wait an hour after your last drink to drive. Females or other smaller people may need to drink even less to be under the legal limit.

What can happen while drunk driving?

· Your judgment is impaired so you may make poor decisions about stopping time, following distance, or even just taking the right route.
· You may be in a car crash (30% of U.S. drivers killed in crashes are under the influence).
· You may damage property or your own car.
· You may injure or kill a pedestrian or other drivers and passengers on the road.
· You may injure or kill yourself.
· You may injure or kill the passengers in your car (possibly your own children).

What are the possible consequences of getting caught the first time?

· Loss of your license for 180 days or more
· Up to $500 fine
· 50 hours of community service
· 12-hour drunk driver education class
· Probation for one year
· Jail for up to 6 months (9 months if there is a minor present in the car)
· Increase in car insurance premiums
· Lawyer fees that must be paid

If you injure someone or damage property, you will be liable for costs.

If you kill someone, you will have to live with the intense guilt for the rest of your life.

If you get caught driving drunk a second time, you will face even steeper consequences.

How can driving drunk be avoided?
If you’re not sure how to play it safe, here are some ideas.

· Take a taxi or public transportation to an event that will involve drinking, or at least take it home.
· Arrange a car pool with a designated driver who will not drink; be sure to thank your driver.
· If you find yourself unexpectedly intoxicated at a friend’s home, spend the night even if it means a lumpy sofa.
· Call a friend or family member. This person may be upset with you that night, but you’ll both be glad to be alive and safe in the morning.
· Use a local designated driving service; check online to find one in your area.
· Don’t drink alcohol to excess in the first place. And if you are under age 21, don’t drink alcohol at all.

LiveFree! Youth Clubs can help you make good choices. Spread the word about the dangers of drunk driving. No party will ever be worth the monetary, physical, and emotional cost of a drunk driving accident.

Sources:
Drunk Driving Penalties in Florida
Drunk Driving Statistics:

Related Posts:
Say No to Supervised Drinking
Setting an Example for Younger Siblings

Alcoholism ruins lives, separates families and couples, and can alienate its victims from their friends and loved ones. Regardless of speculations and critics, and the lighthearted way it is shown in the media, it is a very harmful disease. However, alcoholism is not something that happens overnight. You don’t wake up one morning and become an alcoholic—it develops over time. The more you depend on alcohol to “have a good time,” to “relax,” or to feel better about your own shortcomings, the more your body becomes dependent on it.

If you know the subtle signs of alcoholism ahead of time, it’s easier to face and confront a potential problem before it gets worse. The sooner the disease is caught and treated, the better.

Signs of Alcoholism

• An increased tolerance
• Growing preoccupation with drinking (planning recreational time around it)
• Drinking alone
• Lying about the amount of consumption
• Drinking before activities where there will be drinking
• Mood changes when drinking (“good” or “bad”)
• Changes in behavior while drinking (doing things out of character)
• Memory loss
• Lack of control over drinking (not knowing when to stop or slow down)
• Missing work or school, or a decrease in performance

According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, some people are more likely to become dependent on alcohol. Those at the highest risk:

• Are under peer pressure, especially teens and college-aged students
• Have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia
• Have easy access to alcohol
• Have low self-esteem or problems with relationships
• Live a stressful lifestyle

If you witness any of these signs in a friend, a loved one, or yourself, don’t brush them off. The sooner an alcohol problem is dealt with, the better. Initially, just expressing concern about the level of drinking is a good starting point. Research has shown that compassion and empathy are the most effective methods for dealing with someone who shows signs of alcoholism or who may be dealing with an alcohol problem.

According to the National Institutes of Health, “the ideal approach is to help people realize how much their alcohol use is harming their life, and the lives of those around them.”

Studies show a more positive response from alcoholics who have a supportive group of family members, friends, and employers who are not only honest with them about their concerns, but also try to help them see that drinking is preventing them from reaching their goals.

If you or a loved one is suffering from or showing early signs of alcoholism, help is available. Find more information on our website by clicking here: Livefree!

Sources:

Mayo Clinic

U.S. National Library of Medicine

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Teenage Drinking Can Be Scary

Alcohol and Brain Development