STUDENTS AGAINST DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS
SADD's mission
Originally,
the mission of the SADD chapter was to help young people say "No" to drinking and driving. Today, the mission has
expanded. Students have told us that positive peer pressure, role models and other strategies can help them say "No"
to more than drinking and driving. And that is why SADD has become a peer leadership organization dedicated to preventing
destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, impaired driving, teen violence and teen depression
and suicide.
SADD's mission simply stated:
To
provide students with the best prevention and intervention tools possible to deal with the issues of underage drinking, other
drug use, impaired driving and other destructive decisions.
Policy Against Use of
Alcoholic Beverages by Underage Youth (“No Use” Policy)
SADD does not support or condone the use
of alcohol by underage young people. The purchase and public possession of alcoholic beverages by anyone under the age of
21 is illegal in all 50 states.
Alcohol alters an individual's vision, reaction times, perception
of distance, and judgment of one's abilities. For adolescents, whose brains are still developing in critical ways, alcohol
use makes them more vulnerable to learning and memory impairments. The use of alcohol is frequently coupled with risky and
potentially destructive behaviors such as physical and emotional violence, rude or thoughtless remarks or actions, sexual
mistakes or misjudgments, sexual assaults, and suicide acts and attempts.
SADD believes that young people can
have fun, enjoy life and nurture positive personal relationships without the distraction and distortion of alcohol. SADD seeks
to demonstrate positive and attractive alternatives to alcohol and other drug-infused activities for teenagers.
SADD does
not believe that it is possible to break the law responsibly. SADD and its chapters do not support or condone activities that
encourage or enable the use of alcohol by underage young people, including the following activities:
Designated Driver programs for underage young people
Safe Rides programs
Parties where alcohol is served
under the supervision of or with the knowledge or consent of parents or other adults
Drinking subject to passing a Breathalyzer test
SADD is an inclusive, not an exclusive, organization. SADD recognizes that
the pressures on young people to drink, use illicit drugs and engage in other unhealthy behaviors are strong. SADD seeks not
to punish or alienate those students who make unfortunate choices but rather aims to inform, educate, support and empower
young people to make positive decisions in their lives.
The Red Ribbon Campaign
The
purpose of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a visible commitment to a safe, healthy and drug-free lifestyle. The campaign
is designed to accomplish the following:
to create awareness concerning the problems related
to the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
to support the decision to live a healthy,
drug-free lifestyle.
We
are pleased to present you with Think
About It ... Homecoming & Red Ribbon Season, the latest campaign presented
through the partnership between SADD and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This campaign will be an
exciting way for your chapter to create visibility and raise awareness about the harm that can be caused by drug and
alcohol use and impaired driving.
500 SADD
chapters across the nation have already signed on to be a part of this exciting campaign. Please feel free to join us by downloading
the campaign materials (listed below in PDF format). For questions regarding this campaign please contact Matthew Lowe at
mlowe@sadd.org or by phone at 877-SADD-INC.
The Think
About It ... Homecoming & Red Ribbon Season kit consists of:
Homecoming & Red Ribbon Season Manual:
Campaign Pledge Cards
Campaign Table Tents
Download this information in PDF format by filling out the form.
