On an average day, 13,000 teens and pre-teens try alcohol for the first time. Studies have shown that people who start drinking at age 15 are four times more likely to become alcohol-dependent than are those who wait until they're 21.

"The sky is falling on our teens and young adults, and there is plenty of responsibility to go around: from permissive parents who think it's better to have their teens drink at home than risk drunk driving to colleges and universities turning a blind eye to ever-increasing binge drinking on campuses and at local bars."

The National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse found that alcohol misuse cost the United States $220 billion in 2005; more than the cost of cancer or childhood obesity. Now that summer is in full swing, teens have a lot more free time, and parents have the responsibility of making sure that time is used well. Source: The Free Lance-Star

Learn more by reading Higher Risks in Early Drinkers.

Labels: addiction, binge_drinking, underage_drinking

Law enforcement officials in Placer County, California, have launched a new campaign titled "Parents Who Host Lose the Most" aimed at increasing awareness about the dangers of underage drinking - both for adolescents and the adults who supply the liquor.

"According to a survey conducted by the American Medical Association, 26 percent of parents in the United States with children aged 12 to 26 agree that teens should be able to drink at home with their parents present. A quarter of those parents admitted to allowing their children to drink at home."

Studies have found that the younger a person is when he starts drinking, the more likely he is to develop alcohol dependence later in life. Most states also have laws in place that prosecute adults who provide alcohol to underage kids, including their own. Source: News10 Sacramento

The effects of underage drinking can last long into adulthood. Learn more at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: parental_involvement, role_models, underage_drinking

An underage drinking prevention program was recently run in a rural area of Minnesota, as well as more urban areas of Florida. Though the program was exactly the same, the two areas saw very different results.

"...at the end of the study, year-end surveys showed no difference in alcohol use among the teens [in urban areas] who took part in the project and those who did not... One particular problem surfaced during the community component of the project. The organizers struggled to rally some community members around the cause, often having to explain why they should be concerned about adolescent alcohol use."

One positive find of the urban study was that family interventions had a more significant impact than any other aspect of the program. Researchers also found that young people's ability to buy alcohol was reduced by 64 percent in neighborhoods where community teams asked stores not to sell alcohol to underage kids. Read more at HealthNewsDigest.com.

Underage drinking can lead to a variety of problems, including academic failures and trouble with the law. If your teen is drinking and would benefit from a safe, structured, sober environment, then SunHawk Academy in Utah or Excel Academy in Texas are good options. Both private boarding school programs offer accredited academics, counseling and therapy, and daily 12-step meetings.

Labels: interventions, prevention, underage_drinking

Community leaders, doctors, law enforcement officials, school personnel, and doctors gathered together in Lafayette, Colo., to discuss the current state of underage drinking. The panel was one of hundreds that took place across the country.

"[Leisha Conners-Bauer] said a 2005 survey of Boulder Valley School District students found that while 70 percent to 75 percent of all high school students said they think there is harm involved in drinking alcohol frequently, and as many as 90 percent said they know their parents would disapprove of them drinking, most students still think it's OK to drink in moderation."

Many experts on the panel expressed concern over this viewpoint, citing the likelihood that someone who begins drinking at a young age is at a much higher risk for alcohol dependence than an adult. Read more at DailyCamera.com.

Labels: acceptance, risky_behaviors, underage_drinking

The New London Community & Campus Coalition has introduced a plan intended to increase community involvement in preventing underage drinking. The coalition is concerned that parents in this Connecticut town don't take adolescent drinking seriously.

"'They don't look at it as an issue generally. They don't talk about it in the same way they might about sex or other issues,' [Tony] Mollica said. Alarmingly... an overwhelming majority of teens are getting alcohol at home or from a friend - approximately 94 percent."

As part of the coalition's strategic plan, it will host a "community conversation" to encourage parents and teen to talk about the dangers of underage drinking. Read more at TheDay.com.

Labels: awareness, prevention, underage_drinking

The holiday season is a festive time. But the family and social gatherings often include alcohol, which is fine for adults but poses a problem for teenagers.

"Teenagers or younger children may view these parties as opportunities to sneak alcohol, spike their soda when nobody is looking, or convince a relative to assist them in getting an alcoholic beverage. Some parents, feeling it is part of the holiday spirit, may be more inclined to let their teenagers have an alcoholic drink to share in a family toast."

But numerous studies have shown that the earlier someone begins to drink, the higher the chances that he or she will have alcohol-related problems later in life. Consider keeping alcohol to a minimum at holiday gatherings, and make sure friends and relatives know that they're not to give alcohol to anyone who's underage.

How do you help your teen in recovery during the holidays? Send him to Excel Academy, a sober high school, and give him the environment he needs to stay on track.

Labels: alcohol, holidays, underage_drinking

Thanksgiving eve is commonly considered one of the biggest drinking nights of the year. Across the country, police and sheriff's departments will be issuing warnings about the dangers of drinking and driving.

"Much of the drinking tonight will be by college students returning home for the holiday and spending time at bars with friends, officials said during a press conference at the Calhoun County Sheriff's Department in Battle Creek."

Members of the Substance Abuse Council are using today as a platform to warn against underage drinking. Most studies have found that the earlier someone begins to drink, the more likely he or she will struggle with addiction later in life.

Don't waste your teen's winter break - use the time off from school to help your child get back on track. Check out the winter break program at Aspen Achievement Academy.

Labels: addiction, drunk_driving, underage_drinking

A new study by Health Canada concludes that parents tolerate drinking older teens but worry if their children start drinking before they are fifteen years old.

"A key transition point" occurs when young people enter high school, according to the authors of the study, which involved focus groups of teens and their parents in Winnipeg, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec and British Columbia.

The Health Canada report indicates that parents of older teens believe drinking is an acceptable part of their children's lives. A small number of parents buy alcohol and host drinking parties in their homes for their teenagers.

A good residential treatment center like SunHawk Academy can help with teen substance abuse.

Labels: alcohol, parents, underage_drinking

It's a common opinion, but one that can't be repeated too often. We need to keep teens and alcohol as separate from each other as possible, and everyone - from law enforcement to parents and teens themselves - share in the responsibility.

"Those who would minimize their own responsibility by assigning it to other or claiming that concern over the problem has been blown out of proportion should face facts: Approximately 20 percent of 13-year-olds admit they've used alcohol at least once, and often they're able to do it because parents not only ignore what their kids are doing but actually supply the drinks."

It's important for members of the community to work together in addressing under-age drinking.

Labels: community_programs, prevention, underage_drinking

The cities of Hudson Falls and Glens Falls, New York, have received state grants which will help them target merchants who sell alcohol to adolescents under the age of twenty-one.

"Hudson Falls Deputy Police Chief Randy Diamond said the program will not only allow police to check stores and bars to see if they are checking IDs. It also includes additional training for police and store owners as they work to combat the region's underage drinking problem."

Glens Falls had done similar "sting" operations before and found that 100 percent of the bartenders were compliant with the law, as were 85 percent of merchants. Read more at PostStar.com.

Labels: bars, liquor_stores, underage_drinking

The Rockingham Coalition for Youth is working with the New Hampshire State Liquor Commission to warn parents and teens about the dangers of underage drinking. Presentations and drunk driving simulations have been used to show the dangers, but alternatives have been offered as well.

"[Lt. James] Wilson said with prom and graduation season now beginning it would be worthwhile to consider hosting chemical-free parties for youth to attend instead of leaving them to their own devices."

It's estimated that 65% or more of teens who drink get the alcohol from adults. And though some parents think that, since teens are going to drink anyway, it's better to offer them a controlled environment, experts warn that people who start drinking at a young age are much more likely to become addicted. Read more at SeacoastOnline.com.

Learn more about adolescent substance abuse and ways to help teens struggling with drug abuse at DrugRehabTreatment.com.

Labels: influences, parents, underage_drinking

When you talk about teen substance abuse, most people think of marijuana, cocaine, or even heroine. But alcohol is as common among teens as any other drug - maybe more - but it's often overlooked. Some don't think that underage drinking is a "big deal".

"Alcohol is a leading contributor to traffic fatalities, homicides, suicides, and all other accidents among people ages 15-24... Recent research tells us that alcohol consumption by young people damages the developing brain and contributes to the onset of adult drinking problems."

Surprisingly, some parents allow their children to drink at home, thinking it's safer to offer them a controlled environment where they can teach their kids to drink responsibly. Unfortunately, this approach more often increases the likelihood of dangerous behavior. Read more online.

Labels: alcohol, parents, underage_drinking