• Graduation and prom give children an excuse and opportunity to consume alcohol. It is a good idea to know what the repercussions of drinking can be for your whole family, especially when it comes to drinking and driving.
  
• Make sure your teen knows that there is a zero-tolerance policy for teens who drink and drive. They will lose their license immediately and depending on how many offenses they have they could face felony charges.

• If your teen receives a DUI or DWAI, that will not be expunged from their records when they turn 18 and will impact their future and they will likely be charged with careless driving as well, which will compound their punishment. If they hit somebody while driving drunk, they may face prison time. Parents may also lose their insurance or see their rates go up.

• Parents and teens should know that they both face potential criminal and civil liability for their teen’s actions, especially if the parent knows about what their teen is doing and that they are doing it with other kids.

• Do not throw a party for your teen where Alcohol is consumed, even if you believe it will be safer for them to drink under your supervision. Parents face criminal charges for serving and/or facilitating teens drinking.

• There are civil repercussions for your teen’s actions which could result in substantial financial penalties for the teen or for the parent.
  
• Do not provide alcohol for your teen and their friends or allow them to drink.

Part 2 - Prom Night – High School Graduation – And Marijuana – What Moms, Dads and Teens Really Need to Know

Celebrations for prom, graduation, and homecoming mean more parties and gatherings among teens who are celebrating. It is important to be vigilant about your child and their friends and to communicate to your child all of the potential repercussions of consuming marijuana.

• Teens are using vape pens and edibles to hide their consumption of marijuana. Vape pens conceal the smell and make consumption quick and easy. Edibles appear no different from candy.  
• Teens may face criminal and civil liability for marijuana related offenses. A minor in possession can be a felony offense. 
• If your teen is charged with a DUI or DWAI’s for driving while high on marijuana, they will lose their license immediately and can face punishments ranging from fines, misdemeanors, and even felonies. Also, that punishment may be compounded if marijuana is found in their car.
• DUIs and DWAIs will remain on their permanent record even after they turn 18 and will never be removed from their records. This could affect future education and job prospects. 
• Your teen may not know that they can face legal repercussions for offenses committed by the people they are with. 
• Your teen may not know that their drug use may lead to criminal and civil repercussions for their parents and parent’s should refrain from facilitating gatherings where teens are consuming pot. If you think that throwing a party for your teen will ensure a safe space to rebel in, keep in mind that you may face misdemeanor or felony charges if you provide the weed, knowingly allow your child and other children to smoke weed, cause property damage, or cause car accidents. 
• Do not throw a party for your teenager and their friends or facilitate the consumption of marijuana. Taking the stance that using pot is a normal form of rebellion and that allowing or facilitating drug use by your child and their friends may lead to serious repercussions for you and your child.