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(EMAILWIRE.COM, September 25, 2007 ) Point Roberts, WA -- A new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Colombia University was released today saying that teenagers who average fewer than two family dinners a week, are more likely to do drugs, smoke, and drink, compared with teens who have family dinners five times a week. The research, sponsored by the Safeway Foundation, was based on telephone interviews with 1,000 random interviews of 12-17 year olds and more than 500 parents. CASA has been tracking the link between family dinners and substance abuse since 1996. They confirm that the most effective anti drug and alcohol messages come from parents and many teens report that the best time to talk to their parents about something important is during dinner. Although 84% of teens report that they prefer to eat dinner with their families than to eat alone, only about 60% of teens report having dinner with their families at least 5 times a week.Other important findings include:1. Among those teens who don’t have frequent family dinners (five or more a week), marijuana use is six times more likely for teens 12 – 13 years old, three times more likely for teens 14-15 years old, and twice as likely for teens 16-17 years old.2. Among teens who had fewer than two family dinners a week, 50% of them reported drinking alcohol and 25% reported marijuana use.3. Teens whose families have infrequent dinners are 3.5 times more likely to have abused prescription drugs. No one is suggesting that having family dinners is going to be the magic bullet that prevents alcohol and drug abuse in teens; there are many complex risk factors including environment, hereditary markers, and peer pressure. But as Elizabeth Plant, The Safeway Foundation project manager says, "family dinners are a proxy to family engagement, which is the key to reducing teen substance abuse risk".Sheena Berg, M.Ed., a parenting coach at www.Blended-Families.com states that, "We’ve known the cumulative benefits of the family dinner for some time, especially among blended families creating new traditions and rituals. Dinners can be as simple as you want, but the positive values are multifaceted, immediate, persistent, and long lasting. Family dinners model responsibility, cooperation, communication, and connectedness. They are an effective way of teaching kids healthy eating choices, and because every family member can be involved, from the littlest kids putting out napkins, to the older kids learning life skills such as meal planning, shopping, and food prep, each person can feel like a valued member of the family". Turn off the cell phone, the TV and the I-pod. Enjoying a simple family dinner can restore the balance and stability in your family after the stressors of the day. Engagement comes from having fun, eating healthy food, talking, and listening. Notice how your family reaps the benefits of modeling respect, cooperation, appreciation, fun, and love. And parents will enjoy some welcome help in the kitchen. Media Contact: Emily Bouchard, MSSW Blended-Families.com, LLC 360-991-9558
Blended-Families.com, LLC
Emily Bouchard
emily@blended-families.com 
Source: EmailWire.com
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