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Start Talking!
Know! April is
Alcohol Awareness Month
4/12/2017
The media has done a good job bringing to light the prevalence and
severity of the use of heroin, prescription drugs and marijuana among
our nation’s youth. But what about alcohol? We don’t hear much about it
in the news anymore. Is underage drinking still that widespread? And is
it really that big of a deal? YES and YES.
Alcohol remains the number one drug of choice among youth, and
excessive drinking continues to lead to more than 4,300 adolescent
deaths each year. The good news is that, overall, underage drinking has
declined. The 2016 Monitoring the Future Survey found that 7 percent of
8th grade students, 20 percent of 10th grade students and 33 percent of
12th grade students had consumed alcohol within the past 30 days – all
down from past years.
Similarly, when it comes to binge drinking (defined as five or more
drinks in a row by males or four or more drinks in a row by females),
it has also decreased, with 3 percent of 8th grade students, 10 percent
of 10th grade students and 16 percent of 12th grade students reporting
recent binge drinking. However, anytime young people are drinking
alcohol, it is a problem. Furthermore, the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior
Survey showed that 8 percent of high school students admitted to
getting behind the wheel after drinking and 20 percent said they rode
in a car with a driver who had been drinking.
Car accidents are the leading cause of death for adolescents. And
stepping into a car as either an impaired driver or as the passenger of
an impaired driver can be a fatal mistake. The hazards of underage
drinking include a long list of risks and should never be taken lightly.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth who
drink alcohol are more likely to experience:
School problems – missing school and poor or failing grades
Social problems – fighting and loss of interest in extracurricular
activities
Legal problems – from impaired driving or physically hurting someone
while under the influence
Physical problems – hangovers and illnesses
Disruption of normal growth and sexual development
Changes in brain development - some that may have lifelong effects,
including memory issues
Unwanted, unplanned and unprotected sexual activity
Abuse of other drugs
Physical and sexual assault
Increased risk for suicide and homicide
Unintentional alcohol-related injuries and fatalities – due to burns,
falls, drowning and alcohol poisoning (in addition to car crashes)
There are also certain times and circumstances in our children’s lives
where they may be at a greater likelihood for underage drinking. When
youth transition into middle school or high school, or acquire a
driver’s license - these are especially risky times for teen alcohol
use. Youth with conduct problems, depression or other emotional issues;
anyone with a family history of alcoholism; young people whose friends
drink or are involved in other deviant activities – are all at
increased risk for the onset of teen drinking.
It is also important to keep in mind that young people who begin
drinking before the age of 15 are six times more likely to develop
alcoholism or have problems with alcohol later in life, compared to
those who wait until turning 21. With this in mind, the importance of
delaying drinking is immense. In a future tip, we will share some ideas
to assist you in keeping your child alcohol-free.
Learn how to get the drug prevention conversation started at
StartTalking.Ohio.Gov.
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