WILMINGTON, N.C. – Talk It Out NC started a new initiative in March that goes along with their mission to end underage drinking.

The organization already partners with recovering alcoholics all across the state, like Kurtis Taylor. They share their stories about turning their lives around, but after seeing an increase in teenage drinking with the pandemic, they began looking for a new approach.

“COVID has increased anxiety levels and depression levels, not just in adults but also in teens especially,” said Taylor. ”Nobody likes to feel anxious. Nobody wants to be depressed. Nobody wants to be unsure of themselves, and so it's human nature sometimes that kids will begin to try to self medicate.”

Talk It Out NC introduced a speaker series called 'Talk It Out Tuesday' where experts present data and information to encourage parents to start those hard conversations with their teens. Taylor says waiting until kids are in high school to talk about alcohol is too late – by age 14 the average child in North Carolina has already had their first drink.

“We understand wholeheartedly that scare tactics don't work,” Taylor said. “It's not like I'm trying to say 'Look don't do this because look what happened to me,' that's not the message we're sending. We're very simply equipping both adults and youth with accurate information.”   

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2020, over 20% of 8th graders admitted to using alcohol in the past year and by age 15 half of teens have tried it.

Taylor had his first experience with alcohol younger than most at age 12. He's been sober for 18 years now and says he's blessed to have been able to go back to school, start a business, become a father and now be an ambassador for change, as well as the executive director of the Alcohol Drug Council of North Carolina.

“None of us need judgment,” Taylor said. “Judgment does not promote healing. Criminalizing substance use disorder or looking down our nose and thinking that we're better than - that's not helping anybody.”

He knows firsthand the damage underage drinking can do in someone's life, and his goal is that by sharing his journey he may save someone else from a life of alcohol addiction.

“I felt like it's been my obligation to instill in these kids hope for the future, encouraging them to make wise and healthy decisions to the best of their ability,” said Taylor.