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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – The County of Santa Barbara, Department of Behavioral Wellness, is sponsoring youth involved with Friday Night Live (FNL) through Lompoc High School, to launch a campaign that tackles underage drinking in Santa Barbara County. FNL builds partnerships for positive and healthy youth development, engaging youth as active leaders and as resources within their communities, to create positive changes on essential issues that matter to them. Due to legislative changes and prevention efforts, there has been a 34.5% decline in the prevalence of drinking among 12 to 20-year-olds since 2004. Although rates are declining, 23% of high school students consumed alcohol in the last 30 days, and an additional 14% rode with a driver who had been drinking (CDC, 2022). Youth involved with Lompoc High School FNLare on a mission to ensure that underage drinking rates continue to decline.
It is a common misconception that all young people are participating in underage drinking. Misleading depictions of youth perpetuate this false narrative in film, television, and social media. Due to the saturation of these images and messages, many young people may feel isolated in their decision not to drink. The behaviors that a group, such as teens, believes to be acceptable are called social norms, and social norms have been proven to influence behavior. This youth led campaign will launch a multi-media initiative to counter negative stereotypes of youth’s relation to alcohol and promote positive social norms by highlighting the stories of their peers choosing healthy behaviors and remaining alcohol-free.