This Program is Awarding Students for Abstaining from Drugs and Waiting until 21 to Drink.

Thousands of programs on local, nation, and international scales have all attempted to accomplish the same task: help reduce substance abuse by getting youth to stop taking drugs and staying away from alcohol. Typical messages have consisted of scare tactics and avoidable risks such as “Don’t drink and drive or you’ll die.” Drinking and driving is undoubtedly bad; however, why haven’t we been teaching our youth about the unavoidable risks associated with these substances?

Wait 21 was developed to educate youth on the science of addiction and provide them with the knowledge and tools to make the decision for themselves. Wait 21 encourages youth to pledge to abstain from drugs and wait until 21 before they consider whether or not the drink alcohol. Youth recommit to this pledge 3x/year and receive a letter of recognition for college applications and scholarship opportunities. Wait 21 is disrupting the field of addiction education.

Wait 21 was founded on several key principles that set them apart from the rest of the thousands of organizations around the world attempting to make the same impact.

1. Wait 21 focuses on unavoidable risks associated with addictive substances. Youth have been taught for years that alcohol and drugs will kill you, or that you can drink as much as you want as long as you don’t get behind the wheel. This concept has proven to be ineffective and actually increases risky behaviors. Wait 21 focuses on the positives of abstaining from drugs and waiting until 21 before considering drinking. Wait 21 provides a unique platform that cannot be seen anywhere else. Students who show their dedication to living the Wait 21 lifestyle are awarded with college recognition and scholarship opportunities! Wait 21 also focuses education on unavoidable risks like addiction. Addiction is something that everyone is susceptible to and the best way to avoid addiction is by waiting until the brain becomes more fully mature. The longer one waits, the greater the chance they have at being successful in life and preventing their risk of addiction.
2. Wait 21 is based on facts and research. The video “Understanding Addiction as a Disease” was one of the first projects completed by Wait 21. It is a 3.5 minute video that explains addiction in a simple and understandable way. This video has received over 90,000 views and has received praise from experts in the industry around the world. The foundation of Wait 21 started after discovering some alarming facts from CASAcolumbia, SAMHSA, and Drugabuse.org. Turns out that if you drink, smoke, or use before the age of 18, your risk for addiction is 1 in 4. However, if you wait until you are 21, your risk drops to about 1 in 25! Thus, “Wait 21” was born.
3. Wait 21 is Youth Led. This program is driven by youth. Every decision, idea, and direction of the organization is guided by it’s members. Through a advocate group and discussions with youth, the Wait 21 team gathers insights for design and implementation. Wait 21 isn’t trying to be “cool” or “hip”, but simply a trusted organization that youth believe in. If Wait 21 were to reach out to students through teachers and schools, it would quickly lose it’s reputation. Waiting should be a choice and each individual deserves the right to make that decision for themselves after taking the time to research it on their own.
4. Wait 21 is not politically or religiously affiliated. Guess what? Wait 21 has received no help, guidance, or direction from any political or religious groups. Wait 21 believes in providing unbiased facts to get the truth out to those who need it. Funny enough, since the start of Wait 21, a couple government funded organizations have attempted to copy Wait 21 but fizzled out after a short run… Why? Because Wait 21 is self-sustainable through it’s creative design, trusted members, and secure structure.

Wait 21 has recently launched it’s new updated platform that further accomplishes it’s goal to make a global impact and disrupt the prevention education industry. Students are now able to create online accounts that unlock access to amazing resources and programs. Youth are able to connect with fellow peers that have similar goals and ideologies as them, collaborate on social impact initiatives, and make a difference in the world. On top of this, Wait 21 has also implemented a stronger incentivized program that provides points to members for an array of activities. With these points, students will soon be able to unlock more amazing programs, purchase merchandise that represents their healthy lifestyle, and raise funds for helping the world.

If you are interested in learning more about Wait 21, you can visit them at https://wait21.org/

If you are interested in supporting the Wait 21 Movement, either through donation or partnership, you can visit https://wait21.org/donate/ or https://wait21.org/partnership/