IN the wake of new data suggesting increased alcohol consumption among local consumers, the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica (NPTAJ) and the Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation are amplifying their drive to reduce alcohol misuse. NPTAJ interim president, Mitsie Harris-Dillon says The Parents Movement — an interactive information series that educates parents on how to talk to their children about alcohol — is gaining ground among its target audience. The programme has logged four online engagement sessions, with a fifth scheduled for Sunday, November 21 for PTAs in Region Four of the NPTAJ.

Kerrian Gibson, a parent who participated in one of the sessions, shared that she’s now better equipped to support her pre-teen and teenage children on how to avoid underage drinking. She’s encouraging more parents and educators to access the programme. “I’m sure schools can share aspects from the electronic toolkit in classes or in assemblies. The presentation lasted just about an hour, but I got a lot of information. There were statistics I’d never been exposed to before, and there was the drama mini-series that was entertaining but, more than that, it put words to action,” said Gibson.

For Harris-Dillon, Gibson’s response is exactly what the organisation was hoping for. “We can plan many campaigns but success comes through active partnerships. We are grateful to the D&G Foundation for sharing with us, for understanding the urgency and relevance of this conversation, particularly as we continue the slow climb away from the stresses imposed on us by the [novel coronavirus] pandemic. Hearing parents say they want to share this with their schools and families shows me that we are doing the right thing,” Harris-Dillon said.

In addition to the conversation starters of statistics and information on the effects of alcohol on teens, The Parents Movement sessions also include an Ashe Company theatre production dubbed Pon Anodda Level, a story of a family steering their teen away from alcohol. The series was commissioned by Red Stripe in collaboration with the D&G Foundation as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to discourage alcohol misuse.

“We are glad to support the NPTAJ in their efforts to make our parents more vigilant about keeping their children away from alcohol as part of our ongoing commitment to reduce the misuse of alcohol,” said Dianne Ashton Smith, secretary of the D&G Foundation. “The reduction of harmful consumption is a shared responsibility. Only with joint work and education of citizens on alcohol will we be able to reduce the harmful consumption of this product.”