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Parents Allowing Alcohol Use Jul 19, 2022

This post was written by a CSUCI student. 

This topic is probably the most baffling one for me. I grew up in a very strict, traditional household where even talking about alcohol was a sore topic, let alone having my parents actually provide it for me. My parents would have the occasional beer or glass of wine once every few weeks. Their lives did not revolve around drinking, which meant...

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Community Opinions about Marijuana, Vaping, and Alcohol Jul 13, 2022

We recently had the pleasure of working with students from CSUCI’s Service Learning program. Some of those students conducted surveys about attitudes around marijuana, vaping, and alcohol in both Ventura and Los Angeles. Here are the questions and responses. 

  • How do you feel about marijuana? 

  • How do you feel about vaping?

  • How do you feel about alcohol? 

  • (For...

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Risky Drinking Can Put a Chill on Your Summer Fun Jun 10, 2022

The following article was published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Summer is a wonderful time for outdoor activities with family and friends. For some people, a day at the beach, on the boat, or at a backyard barbecue will include drinking alcoholic beverages. But risky drinking and summer activities don’t mix. Drinking impairs both physical and mental...

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Driving Challenges May 13, 2022

Written by David Zecua, a CSU Channel Islands Service Learning student.

How do you feel when you drive? Challenges on the road such as slow vehicles, heavy traffic, or bad weather can make you feel nervous when driving. Having a passenger or two or listening to loud music can be distracting as well. Imagine how much harder those challenges can be when you get behind the wheel...

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Impaired Driving: How Marijuana, Alcohol, and Prescription Drugs Can Affect You Apr 27, 2022

What is Impaired Driving?

Impaired driving is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, legal or illegal drugs.

Alcohol-impaired driving

Alcohol has a significant effect on driving skills due to its depressant effects. While under the influence of alcohol, drivers can misjudge their capabilities and experience the following:

  • Decreased reaction time due to slower reflexes
  • ...
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How BRITE Helped Me Cope With My Family’s Addiction Apr 27, 2022

This post was written by a CSUCI student. 

Through working with BRITE, I’ve been able to reflect on my own experiences involving drug and alcohol abuse. By bringing awareness to these dangerous activities, I’ve been able to get a better understanding of why underage kids and even my own siblings participate in them. I wasn’t able to help or essentially persuade my...

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Exposure to Excessive Drug Use Apr 27, 2022

By Stephanie Escobedo Tirado, local CSUCI student.

It’s easy to say, “You’re young; live a little!” Or, “That stuff only happens in the movies.” What are the effects of these words on young people? 

Here’s the impact that many don’t want to admit: it’s hurting teenagers. 

Now, I don’t mean all teenagers have that one person...

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April is Alcohol Awareness Month Apr 25, 2022
April is Alcohol Awareness Month. It was developed to spread awareness and reduce the stigma associated with alcohol addiction, and to highlight the need for education on the dangers of unsafe alcohol consumption. Did you know that alcohol is the most used substance by youth and adults in the United States? According to the National Institute of Health’s 2020 Monitoring the Future Survey,...
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The Link between Underage Drinking and Sexual Assault Apr 01, 2022

There is a strong connection between alcohol and sexual assault, for both teens and adults. Alcohol is the drug most used to facilitate sexual assault, and it’s used in half of all sexual assaults. Additionally, alcohol inhibits a teen’s ability to:

  • Think clearly
  • Set limits and make good choices
  • Think about long-term consequences and control impulses
  • Determine when a situation is...
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The Facts About Underage Drinking Apr 01, 2022

Alcohol is the most widely misused substance among America’s youth. Consumption of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21, also known as underage drinking, remains a considerable public health challenge. Adolescent alcohol use is not an acceptable rite of passage, but a serious threat to adolescent development and health. Medical research shows that the developing adolescent brain may be...

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Underage and Binge Drinking: The Local Story Mar 30, 2022

Underage and Binge Drinking in Ventura County

Underage drinking is when anyone under the minimum legal drinking age of 21 drinks alcohol. It is a risk to youth and a widespread public health problem.

  • In Ventura County, 6% of 7th graders, 14% of 9th graders and 26% of 11th graders currently use alcohol.
  • Lifetime alcohol use by ninth and eleventh graders has declined by 20 percentage points...
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Alcoholism in the Family Mar 28, 2022

This post was written by Aiden Choi, a senior at the Davidson Academy in Reno, Nevada.

Undeniably, alcohol has had a profound effect on human history. In the “Epic of Gilgamesh,” regarded as one of the earliest forms of known literature, the drinking of alcohol is equated to the participation of civilization. During their journey aboard the Mayflower, beer served as the...

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 The BRITE program does not promote any unlawful use of drugs or alcohol.