Did you know that alcohol consumption is responsible for approximately 4,700 deaths per year for individuals under 21? More than 70% of high school students drink alcohol and about 22% participate in binge drinking?
What do you do when you get a call from law enforcement, school or even your friends telling you that your teenager has been caught drinking? You may be shocked and caught completely off guard, or have had suspicions but haven’t gotten around to dealing with the situation. If it’s a legal offense the court will mandate that the underage youth take a MIP or minor-in-possession class. This is the same thing as an alcohol and drug education class. Judges will often order this course with the goal of teaching young adults why the choice they have made is illegal, the risks and repercussions that come with underage alcohol abuse and new skills to avoid a repeat performance. MIP classes are also a proactive way of handling a drinking problem in a youth that hasn’t been caught up in the legal system yet.
The easiest way to fulfill a court mandated MIP class is to take it online. This is becoming an increasingly popular way of taking the course because it allows the student to go at his or her own pace and schedule. A minor in possession class can be taken online from any computer device that is connected to the web. There is nothing to download or print out, so the client can be sitting at home, at the library, a coffee house or even a friend’s house. Classes are available in 8, 12, 16 and 24 hour increments, or can also be tailored to your particular needs. Simply start with an 8-hour MIP class, or choose the length the court has mandated and upon registering the class becomes immediately available to you on your computer screen.
Busy parents really like this method of education for their adolescents because they don’t need to miss work to drive their child to a traditional classroom across town. It can all be done in the home either independently or sitting together with your child. Online classes give you complete privacy so they take away the stigma or embarrassment involved for your teenager to have to attend a public classroom setting. Parents also find that when sitting at home, the relaxed environment will create an atmosphere in which your child opens up to you.
According to the first national survey from researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth, the following are the top 10 most consumed brands for underage youth:
1) Bud Light 27.9%
2) Smirnoff Malt Beverages 17%
3) Budweiser 14.6%
4) Smirnoff Vodkas 12.7%
5) Coors Light 12.7%
6) Jack Daniel’s Bourbons 11.4%
7) Corona Extra 11.3%
8) Mike’s 10.8%
9) Captain Morgan Rums 10.4%
10) Absolut Vodkas 10.1%
Take immediate action if your child has been drinking any of these beverages and enroll him or her in an online MIP education class today!