Teens and Alcohol Use
Published by anonymous May 21st, 2010 in AbstinenceFoxNews.com reported on a recent study that shows teen use of marijuana and alcohol are on the rise ending a decade-long decline. The number of teens in grades 9 through 12 who reported drinking alcohol in the last month rose 11 percent last year, with 39 percent – about 6.5 million teens – reporting alcohol use. That’s up 35 percent, or about 5.8 million teens, in 2008. Until last year, alcohol use among teens had been on a steady decline since 1998, when use hovered around 50 percent of teens.
According to the CDC, more than 90% of seniors in high school and 60% of eighth-graders say alcohol is fairly easy or very easy to get. Of the 1,300 people surveyed by The Partnership’s “attitude” study, a majority had their first drink at 14 or 15 years of age.
However, the UnderageDrinking.com site states that “between the ages of 9 and 13, children start to think differently about alcohol. Many children begin to think underage drinking is OK and some even start to experiment.”
This is an alarming trend and the dangers of pre-teen and teenage drinking are very apparent including:
- It damages their developing brains
- It increases their risk for other addictions
- It increases depression and anxiety disorders leading to possible suicide
- It contributes to accidents (particularly car accidents) that can lead to death
However, alcohol use also greatly increases the chance that teens will engage in other risky acts such as violent behavior and sexual activity at an earlier age.
“Date rape, HIV/AIDS, fetal alcohol syndrome…they all last a lifetime and they all happen more often to teens who mix alcohol with sex!” states Patrick Smith of the Erie Teen Peer Education Program. “With alcohol and drugs so easily available for many teens, there can be a lot of pressure to join in. But mixing drinking, drugs and sex can have lifelong consequences for teens, their families and their communities.”
Youth who use alcohol or drugs before the age of 16 are more likely to have sex before the age of 16. This is especially true for girls, who are four times more likely to have had sex before 16 if they used alcohol or drugs. Not only are they more likely to have sex, they are more likely to have five or more sexual partners. We can begin to see a correlation between the rise in the use of alcohol and the rise in sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy among teens.
As parents we must begin to talk to our children earlier and earlier about abstaining from all forms of risky life-style choices whether it is tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or premarital sex. Over 70% of children say parents are the leading influence their decision making. Think of the heartache we can save them if we instill in them the courage to say “no” to their peers!
Sources: USA Today.com; Partnership for Drug Free America; Erie Teen Peer Education Program; UnderageDrinking.com; CDC