NEWS RELEASE – JANUARY 14, 2026
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — January marks Parents Empowered Month, celebrating 13 years of elevating and amplifying Utah’s statewide underage drinking prevention campaign that has supported families for nearly 20 years. Overseen by Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS), Parents Empowered is guided by a statewide workgroup made up of alcohol safety and prevention advocates from across Utah, helping ensure the campaign reflects the people it serves and remains relevant, trusted, and effective statewide.
“Parents Empowered reflects the strength of collaboration across Utah,” said Governor Spencer Cox. “For 20 years, and through 13 years of Parents Empowered Month, the Parents Empowered workgroup, has worked alongside parents and local coalitions to deliver real results and help Utah’s kids grow up in good health.”
Parents Empowered Month focuses on encouraging parents to start conversations early — especially with children ages 9 to 13 — and to stay actively involved as kids grow. Throughout January, Parents Empowered and its statewide partners will be sharing tips, tools and resources for parents on their social pages. Follow along on Instagram at @ParentsEmpoweredUT and on Facebook at @ParentsEmpowered.org.
“The work of Parents Empowered to reduce underage drinking and protect kids’ developing brains is one of the most important things the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services does,” said DABS Director Ericka Evans. “I am proud of the efforts of the statewide workgroup that moves the needle in preventing the harms caused by drinking alcohol underage.”
Underage drinking can interfere with brain development and increase the risk of addiction later in life. Research shows that kids who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol-dependent than those who wait until age 21.
According to the recently released 2025 Utah Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) survey, Utah continues to report some of the lowest youth alcohol use rates in the nation, reflecting the impact of engaged parents, community partnerships and sustained prevention efforts.
- Only 3.8% of Utah students report drinking alcohol in the past 30 days, compared to 12.5% nationally, according to SHARP data.
- The percentage of Utah students who report ever experimenting with alcohol has continued to trend downward, currently at 10.9%.
Prevention experts note that these outcomes are closely tied to parental expectations, clear communication and ongoing involvement, the core focus of Parents Empowered.
Throughout the month, Parents Empowered is reminding families of a powerful truth: parents remain the single strongest influence in their child’s life — even amid peer pressure, social media and other outside influences.
For nearly two decades, Parents Empowered has brought together prevention experts, local coalitions, health departments and community organizations across Utah to provide parents with practical tools, conversation starters and evidence-based guidance to prevent underage drinking.
For the past 13 years, Parents Empowered Month has served as a dedicated time to spotlight these efforts, celebrate progress and re-engage parents with timely tools and resources. More information is available at ParentsEmpowered.org.
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About Parents Empowered
Parents Empowered is a statewide media and community education campaign with the goal of having every Utah child reach the age of 21 alcohol-free so they can enjoy the benefits of a healthy brain. Overseen by Utah’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services (DABS) and funded by the Utah Legislature, the community-based initiative provides parents and caregivers with information about the harmful effects of alcohol on the developing adolescent brain, along with research-based parenting skills to help prevent underage drinking. More information and resources can be found at ParentsEmpowered.org.
