Public Health

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Two out of three teens are not drinking alcohol, according to studies cited by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and parents can use that fact to counter the belief that "everyone's doing it." MADD's Power of Parents program offers conversation starters and practical tools for talking with teens about alcohol, drugs and safety.

Teens overestimate how much their peers drink

Perceived norms drive behavior, and many teens assume their peers drink more than they do. MADD suggests asking curious questions, such as what teens actually do on a typical weekend and whether everyone is really drinking. Comparing those assumptions with the statistics helps parent and teen see the real picture.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Cannabis sold in legal-sale states in 2023 contains 25-90% THC, compared with roughly 2-4% before 1990, so parents who tried it in their youth may be thinking of a very different drug. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging parents to update their conversations with teens through its Power of Parents program.

Potency has jumped by more than 100 times

MADD says the difference can be over 100-fold. Its comparison: if beer had strengthened the same way, one beer today would equal more than 20 beers in 1990. Beer potency, by contrast, has changed very little because of strong regulation.

Pennsylvania – October 27, 2026 -- Self-driving cars and in-vehicle prevention technology envisioned under the HALT Drunk Driving Law could keep impaired drivers off the road, says Bob Nulman, a MADD National Ambassador who lost his son to a drunk and drugged driver in 1987.

A 1987 wrong-way crash killed five young men

Nulman's son Dan, a 22-year-old college senior, was riding with four friends on I-95 in Pennsylvania. A 20-year-old impaired driver heading south in the northbound lanes hit their car head-on. All five young men and the driver died. Thirty-nine years later, Nulman says he still feels the loss every day.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Coffee, cold showers and workouts will not lower your blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and only time lets your body clear alcohol, according to guidance from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Judgment slips before the 0.08% limit

Alcohol can affect your judgment well before you reach the 0.08% legal limit used in most states. Feeling alert does not mean you are safe to drive. Even under the limit, your reaction time and coordination may not be where they need to be behind the wheel.

Three popular tricks only change how you feel

Caffeine is a stimulant, so coffee and energy drinks can ease tiredness. They do not help your body process alcohol faster, and they can make you feel more capable than you are.

A cold shower may leave you refreshed, but it does not reduce your BAC.

Texas – October 27, 2026 -- Parents still outrank friends as the biggest influence on teens' decisions. In the 2022 MADD Parent & Teen Perceptions Survey, 60% of teens named their parents, while 23% named friends.

Teens start drinking at about age 15 on average

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism puts the average age of first alcohol use in the US at about 15. The CDC reports that the earlier someone begins drinking, the more likely they are to develop alcohol dependence later in life. The brain keeps developing until around age 25, which makes it especially vulnerable to alcohol and other substances.

The road toll is also high. AAA reports that 13,135 people were killed across the country in crashes involving a teen driver between 2019 and 2023.

United States – October 19, 2026 -- Parents should be able to install third-party safety software on every social media platform and device operating system, argues Marc Berkman, CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety, after two months of damaging press about children's exposure to harmful content.

United States – October 19, 2026 -- Parents can cut the risk of teen drug poisoning by setting app permissions, locking down privacy settings and talking openly about fentanyl, according to the Organization for Social Media Safety. The group says its own testing found it takes about three minutes to connect with a drug dealer on social media and receive a "menu" of drugs for sale.

A teen who thought he bought Xanax died of fentanyl

Sammy Chapman was an A student whose parents, Sam and Laura, worked to keep him away from dangerous people and places. A dealer contacted him on Snapchat and delivered drugs to his home. Sammy snuck out after his parents went to sleep and met the dealer, who gave him a lethal dose of fentanyl. He believed he had bought Xanax. The organization says thousands of children died this past year from drugs bought through social media.

United States – October 19, 2026 -- The anonymous messaging app NGL has passed 15 million installs in recent weeks, and a child-safety advisory now urges parents to keep their kids away from such apps.

Anonymous messages have been linked to teen deaths

These apps let users message others without revealing who they are. The advisory says that ability is exploited by people who want to cyberbully, defraud, or molest.

Sixteen-year-old Carson Bride died by suicide on June 23, 2020. Between January 23 and June 22, 2020, he received 105 messages through YOLO, an app for sending anonymous messages on Snapchat. Most were severe harassment, often sexually explicit and threatening. Evidence indicates he tried several times to identify the senders, and his final phone search was for a way to reveal the YOLO username.

Novato, Calif. – October 19, 2026 -- More than 31 million Americans live with eczema, and during October the National Eczema Association (NEA) is giving them a free national data report and a set of video stories to see, share and discuss.

Eczema Awareness Month 2026 is built around the theme "State of Eczema." Since Oct. 1, NEA has asked people with eczema and their caregivers a two-part question: what is it like to live with eczema, and what does it take to get good care?

A first national baseline covers all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

On Oct. 1, NEA published its State of Atopic Dermatitis Indicator Report, together with 51 state-level briefs covering all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common form of eczema. According to NEA, the report is the first comprehensive national and state-level baseline on AD diagnosis and care, and it points to gaps across the country.

Tooele – October 19, 2026 -- A routine dental exam does more than look for cavities: according to a HelloNation article featuring Dr. Landon B. Rockwell of Rosewood Family Dentistry in Tooele, Utah, it can catch problems before you notice any symptoms.

Exams check teeth, gums, and surrounding tissues

Dental professionals look for early signs of decay and inflammation. They also check for enamel wear and grinding damage. Enamel is the outer defense against decay and sensitivity, so spotting early wear helps protect it.

Professional cleanings remove what brushing cannot

Decay develops when bacteria feed on sugars and produce acids that weaken enamel. Daily brushing and flossing control bacterial buildup, but only professional cleanings remove hardened plaque. The article stresses that cleanings stay important even for patients with strong home-care habits.