April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and, as we are made aware by nightly media reports, we should all be concerned about the apparent increase in underage drinking by our youth.
There are serious consequences that seem to be overlooked by teenagers and often their parents. Alcohol remains the leading drug of choice among our nations youth and the leading contributing factor in teenage death. Unlike other drugs, alcohol use seems to be seen as a right of passage by many teens and even by adults who tend to talk to their children about not using drugs such as marijuana and cocaine but do not spend an equal amount of time speaking about the consequences of drinking.
Too many kids in high school are drinking on a regular basis, with around 65% saying that they have been drunk. Too many young people think that getting drunk with your friends is a part of growing up in America. We see the results of young people drinking and driving on a regular basis, and many of us have known young people who have died or been seriously injured as a result of drinking and driving. Nationally, eight young people a day die in alcohol related crashes.
Kids typically begin using alcohol around the age of 13, long before their minds or bodies are mature enough to handle the effects of a powerful drug. The research shows that the earlier kids start drinking, the more likely they will be to develop a problem with alcohol or drugs later in life.
Some parents believe that if they let their child drink at home, he or she will be less likely to get into trouble with alcohol outside of the home. Unfortunately, the research shows that teenagers whose parents allow them to drink at home are more likely to drink outside the home due to the fact that the teen thinks that it is acceptable by the parent for them to drink.
Once kids start drinking, their world suddenly becomes a more dangerous place. There are many connections between risky behaviors and drinking. These include unwanted and unprotected sexual activity, which can result in pregnancy and the likelihood of contracting sexually transmitted diseases such as herpes or HIV. Often boys tend to become more aggressive under the influence of alcohol, resulting in fights, vandalism and of course high risk driving behaviors. More teenage suicides happen while youth are under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
Another very important issue related to underage drinking is the effect on academic and athletic performance of students, leading oftentimes to poor school performance, not participating in athletic activities, and perhaps ultimately dropping out of school.
Many young people do not know that a person can die from an alcohol overdose. Frequently, teenagers drink very quickly and engage in ‘binge’ drinking (consuming more than 5 drinks in a row for males and 4 for females). A drink is defined as a 12 ounce beer (5% alcohol), a 5 ounce glass of wine (12% alcohol) or 11/2 ounce spirit (80 proof-40% alcohol).
Surprisingly, the reasons that kids say they drink is not to typically what we as adults would think: to have fun. Around 60% say that they drink when they are upset or stressed, and nearly 40 % say they drink alone. (Information provided through National Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.)
Delaying the onset of use of alcohol by teens can only contribute to the health and well-being of our youth. If you would like more information on the consequences of underage drinking, how to talk to your children about alcohol, recognizing signs of a problem, or local support group information, contact Anne Williams, Prevention Specialist, Five County Mental Health at 252.431.3461.
For information on community resources, contact Gina DeMent at 252.430.3031.