Nashville, TN – With prom and graduation season approaching, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) and Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) are teaming up to remind teens, parents, and retailers what responsible celebration looks like.
Serving alcohol to minors and underage consumption are both Class A Misdemeanors in Tennessee with potential jail time and thousands of dollars in fines for those responsible. But it’s the potentially life-changing effects of one night’s bad decisions that state leaders are most conscious of.
A recent report published by the TABC showed alarming increases in dangerous effects of teen alcohol consumption. From 2019 to 2023, alcohol related vehicle crashes for teens more than doubled. In a similar time period, alcohol-related hospital admissions for teens increased by almost 50%.
Read more from the TABC Report on Alcohol
“We all want prom and graduation season to be filled with great memories—not regrets. At the TABC, we’re committed to enforcing the law and educating the public to help prevent underage drinking. When adults provide alcohol to minors, they aren’t just breaking the law—they’re putting young lives at risk. This season, we’re urging parents, retailers, and the entire community to help us keep Tennessee teens safe,” said Russell Thomas, TABC Executive Director.
“While other substances may get headlines, alcohol is still a big challenge because it is so readily available. We need parents to make the responsible choice to not provide alcohol or promote underage consumption,” said TDMHSAS Commissioner Marie Williams, LCSW. “We encourage every parent to talk to their child about alcohol. No matter how hard or awkward the conversation is, research shows a parent’s input is still the biggest influence in a teen’s decision-making process.”
Link to More Resources for Parents
Through its Substance Use Prevention Coalitions, TDMHSAS reaches teens and families in roughly 75% of the state. Priority messaging for high schoolers includes alternatives to alcohol consumption, awareness of the risks of alcohol use on developing brains, and potential for misuse to turn into a diagnosable substance use disorder. During prom and graduation season, coalitions organize pledge card events, create specific marketing and awareness materials, and step up their outreach to parents and alcohol retailers.
The latest TN Together Student Survey shows about one in three Tennessee students has already consumed alcohol before graduating high school. Only two in five students said it was very or fairly difficult to obtain alcohol despite the legal drinking age of 21.
“Prom and graduation season are a great time for increased awareness efforts, but our survey of Tennessee students shows parents need to be having those conversations long before children even reach high school,” said Anthony Jackson, Jr. TDMHSAS Director of Prevention and Early Intervention Services. “Among Tennessee youth who have consumed alcohol, our survey showed the average age of their first drink was about 13 and a half years old.”
To connect with the coalition that serves your area or to learn more about how to influence teens to make healthy decisions about alcohol, visit this link on TN.gov: TN.gov/behavioral-health/substance-abuse-services/prevention
