TYLER – April 12, 2022 – Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) Texas will host a virtual parent series to help equip parents with the resources they need to talk with their teens about the risks of underage drinking and drug use. MADD East Texas’s Power of Parents® Virtual Series will be held beginning on April 21, 6pm, Online. To register please use this link: https://madd.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0ld-6uqz0vHtc_ifvOjCDmV96ODFFjH7Lq
This year’s theme of MADD’s Power of Parents® program, “Empowering Parents. Empowering Families. Steer the Conversation” highlights the critical role parents have in helping their teens wait until they are 21 to consume alcohol and to never get into a car with a driver who is impaired.
MADD has teamed up with National Presenting Sponsor Nationwide once again this year for Power of Parentsand has designated April 1 through May 31 as PowerTalk21,® the critical time when several milestone events occur that could increase the presence of alcohol for young adults and teens under 21.
“PowerTalk21 gets the conversation started around Prom, Graduation and even the beginning of summer, when teens might be faced with the temptation or pressure to drink,” said Kathy Davidson, MADD East Texas. “Parents have more influence over the teens’ decisions than they sometimes realize. MADD wants to equip parents with the tools to have the important conversations that will keep their kids safe.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive drinking is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youth each year and can lead to early addiction as well as many other dangerous outcomes. In addition, marijuana is the leading cause of substance dependence other than alcohol in the United States.
PowerTalk 21 is a part of MADD’s Power of Parents program that empowers parents of middle school and high school students to have ongoing, intentional conversations about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking and drug use. Parents can download free Power of Parents handbooks for parents of middle school and high school students at www.madd.org/powerofparents.
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 400,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.