Info 101: Teen Drinking Facts, Advice, and the "Good Samaritan Bill"
The Pennsylvania Senate recently passed and sent to the House the "Good Samaritan" bill which would offer an underage drinker who calls 911, gives their name, and stays with an overly intoxicated friend in need of medical attention, legal amnesty.
This in an effort to save lives both on college campuses and at teen parties, where kids all-too-often leave an inebriated friend to "sleep it off" in order to avoid legal troubles themselves-sometimes with dire consequences.
Make no mistake about it, then: underage drinking is serious business, with the facts speaking for themselves: 1.
28% of 12- to 17-year-olds said alcohol and drug use is their biggest problem; only 17% of parents listed it in their top 10.
2.
In the 1960's, 7% of girls reported having their first drink between 10 and 14; that figure has jumped to 25% today.
3.
It's estimated that 20 million U.
S.
adults abuse alcohol; more than 50% started drinking as teens.
4.
In a National Institute on Drug Abuse study, 16% of 8th graders, 33% of 10th graders, and 44% of 12th graders admitted to drinking in the past 30 days.
5.
Research finds that one in 16 underage drinkers-some 650,000-were provided alcoholic beverages by their parents in the past month.
6.
The U.
S.
Surgeon General estimates that each year about 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related injuries involving underage drinking.
7.
36% of adolescents say they'd tried alcohol by the time they reached 8th grade.
8.
Only 4% of teen say it's hard for them to obtain alcohol.
Moreover, according to the CDC, when it comes to teen drinking and driving: · 29% of high schoolers report being in a car driven by someone who had been drinking one or more times during the previous month · 10.
5% of high schoolers had driven a car when they'd been drinking at least once during the previous month.
And all of that makes parents a crucial part of the teen drinking equation-and quite possibly the most important one.
Brigham Young University researchers surveyed almost 5,000 American 12- to 19-year-olds about their drinking habits along with their relationships with their parents.
Here's what they discovered: · Those whose parents were authoritative-high in discipline and monitoring, coupled with support and warmth-were least likely to engage in binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks in a row.
· Those who drank less were more likely to have close non-drinking friends.
· Those whose parents were warm, indulgent, and required less accountability were three times more likely to report heavy drinking.
· Those whose parents were high in accountability but low in warmth were twice as likely to engage in heavy drinking.
In other words, being accountable and monitoring teen behavior is a must, right there along with being warm and supportive, so be sure that you: 1.
Don't ever offer your kids a sip of alcoholic beverages.
2.
See to it that teen parties are supervised by a responsible adult.
3.
Keep your child from socializing wherever teens are drinking.
4.
Consider having your child sign a "No Drinking until 21 Pledge.
" 5.
Insist that your child call you if/when intoxicated-no matter how angry they're afraid you'll be.
6.
Tell your child to never ride in a car with an underage driver who has had even one drink.
7.
Enjoy family dinners often; they make a big difference! 8.
Go to the Science Net Links site for a copy of Delaying that First Drink: A Parents' Guide, put out by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for help explaining the science of alcohol and its effects on the body.
Sometimes, though, despite our best efforts, our children drink-often frequently and to excess-leaving signs along the way.
These include: · Being argumentative · Staying alone in his/her room · Changing sleeping patterns · Associating with a new group of friends · Declining grades · Asking for money without a good reason Best bet: play it safe, not sorry.
Be proactive, monitoring your child's comings and goings, friendships and behavior, too.
At the same time, be warm and supportive, keeping the lines of communication open and putting family first.
In other words, act as a vigilant parent, not your child's good buddy.
This in an effort to save lives both on college campuses and at teen parties, where kids all-too-often leave an inebriated friend to "sleep it off" in order to avoid legal troubles themselves-sometimes with dire consequences.
Make no mistake about it, then: underage drinking is serious business, with the facts speaking for themselves: 1.
28% of 12- to 17-year-olds said alcohol and drug use is their biggest problem; only 17% of parents listed it in their top 10.
2.
In the 1960's, 7% of girls reported having their first drink between 10 and 14; that figure has jumped to 25% today.
3.
It's estimated that 20 million U.
S.
adults abuse alcohol; more than 50% started drinking as teens.
4.
In a National Institute on Drug Abuse study, 16% of 8th graders, 33% of 10th graders, and 44% of 12th graders admitted to drinking in the past 30 days.
5.
Research finds that one in 16 underage drinkers-some 650,000-were provided alcoholic beverages by their parents in the past month.
6.
The U.
S.
Surgeon General estimates that each year about 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from alcohol-related injuries involving underage drinking.
7.
36% of adolescents say they'd tried alcohol by the time they reached 8th grade.
8.
Only 4% of teen say it's hard for them to obtain alcohol.
Moreover, according to the CDC, when it comes to teen drinking and driving: · 29% of high schoolers report being in a car driven by someone who had been drinking one or more times during the previous month · 10.
5% of high schoolers had driven a car when they'd been drinking at least once during the previous month.
And all of that makes parents a crucial part of the teen drinking equation-and quite possibly the most important one.
Brigham Young University researchers surveyed almost 5,000 American 12- to 19-year-olds about their drinking habits along with their relationships with their parents.
Here's what they discovered: · Those whose parents were authoritative-high in discipline and monitoring, coupled with support and warmth-were least likely to engage in binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks in a row.
· Those who drank less were more likely to have close non-drinking friends.
· Those whose parents were warm, indulgent, and required less accountability were three times more likely to report heavy drinking.
· Those whose parents were high in accountability but low in warmth were twice as likely to engage in heavy drinking.
In other words, being accountable and monitoring teen behavior is a must, right there along with being warm and supportive, so be sure that you: 1.
Don't ever offer your kids a sip of alcoholic beverages.
2.
See to it that teen parties are supervised by a responsible adult.
3.
Keep your child from socializing wherever teens are drinking.
4.
Consider having your child sign a "No Drinking until 21 Pledge.
" 5.
Insist that your child call you if/when intoxicated-no matter how angry they're afraid you'll be.
6.
Tell your child to never ride in a car with an underage driver who has had even one drink.
7.
Enjoy family dinners often; they make a big difference! 8.
Go to the Science Net Links site for a copy of Delaying that First Drink: A Parents' Guide, put out by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for help explaining the science of alcohol and its effects on the body.
Sometimes, though, despite our best efforts, our children drink-often frequently and to excess-leaving signs along the way.
These include: · Being argumentative · Staying alone in his/her room · Changing sleeping patterns · Associating with a new group of friends · Declining grades · Asking for money without a good reason Best bet: play it safe, not sorry.
Be proactive, monitoring your child's comings and goings, friendships and behavior, too.
At the same time, be warm and supportive, keeping the lines of communication open and putting family first.
In other words, act as a vigilant parent, not your child's good buddy.