Miami Beach Spring Break "Breakup"
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It’s a fact of life for many — telling our kids not to do something all but guarantees that they do it. Maybe you remember those ubiquitous red cups with the questionable “punch” in orange coolers in your freshman dorm. Or maybe you played truth-or-dare in your parent’s basement in 10th grade and someone dared you to go take a swig out of vodka in the kitchen. Maybe you even struggled with alcohol during your teenage years.
Whatever our experience was, when it comes to our kids, we hope for the best, but naturally fear the worst. Surely they won’t stumble out of a frat house after falling asleep on a beer-soaked couch? Or wake up with a blinding headache and parched lips as they leaf through their calculus textbook, trying to make sense of the blurry numbers swimming across the page? But ready or not, the truth is that teenagers rebel (yes, even the “good” ones) and underage drinking is a reality. So how can we understand it better? And how can we prevent teenage drinking (or at least minimize the risks)? Let’s take a closer look.
Underage drinking is a fact, and a sobering one, at that. According to the NIAAA, teens often start drinking during early adolescence but are more likely to do so as they get farther into their teenage years.
Let’s look at the statistics:
Sadly, according to the CDC report on underage drinking, the outcomes can be tragic. We all know the downsides of drinking too much: as the CDC reports, alcohol misuse claims around 178,000 lives each year.
Underage drinking cost the U.S. $24 billion in 2010 alone — but it’s so much more than that. According to the CDC (and NIAAA), there’s a hefty cost to underage drinking — one that goes way past the monetary costs. Let’s take a closer look.
Many studies confirm this sad truth. A study in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery tracked emergency room visits involving underage patients and found that out of the 303 whose primary complaint was “unintentional injury,” most were male and had higher blood alcohol levels.
High school can be a challenging time. From the challenges of physics homework (Remember those egg drop experiments or attempts to calculate the momentum of a flying hockey puck?) to the weight of first heartbreaks and peer pressure, stress can really ramp up. Add booze to these already challenging situations, and it can seem well near impossible to navigate.
According to the CDC, underage drinking can wreak havoc on school performance and social life. Here are some of the repercussions:
According to the NIAAA, those who start drinking before the age of 15 are more likely to develop alcohol use disorder (AUD) when they’re older. By the time we’re 26 and older, we’re 3.5 more likely to report having AUD if we started drinking before age 15!
Alcohol misuse can wreak havoc on our health, and when we’re talking about underage drinking, the risks — and the stakes — are even higher. According to a Pediatrics article, binge drinking in particular — defined as 5 or more drinks in one sitting for men and 4 or more for women — takes an especially high toll. Let’s take a closer look at the dangers.
It can sometimes be difficult to untangle the exact reasons behind drinking or to separate causes from effects when it comes to its consequences. An NIH publication touches on this question, pointing out that there are other factors at play, especially when it comes to impulsivity — a trademark characteristic of youth.
That said, there are many reasons behind underage drinking. Let’s explore some of the most common ones.
Wanting to fit in isn’t unique to teens, but those high school (and sometimes college) years are when things ramp up in the social department. There’s a whole genre of movies dedicated to high school “drama” — depending on your generation, it may be Heathers, 10 Things I Hate About You, Mean Girls, and so forth.
Alcohol often comes up as a plot element in these films, and social pressures are certainly a major reason why a lot of teens end up drinking. Science backs this idea up as well: a Journal of Drug Education study found that peer drinking in particular had a strong effect when it came to influencing underage drinking and driving by young men.
Studies show that there’s a relationship between adult and adolescent drinking patterns. For example, a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows a connection between binge drinking among adults and the chance of underage drinking.
Likewise, an Addiction study found a correlation between drinking patterns in the community and the rates of underage alcohol use. As it turned out, adolescent drinking “appears to be influenced by community-level adult drinking.” Specifically, “bar density” was linked to higher rates due to “perceived alcohol availability and approval of alcohol use.”
Finally, it’s no secret that our brain continues to develop well into our mid-twenties, and, during our adolescent years, we’re simply not quite there yet. We’re more likely to make impulsive decisions, especially when additional risk factors are part of the picture. A study in Alcohol Research and Health shows that there’s a link between executive functions and alcohol misuse in adolescents with factors such as conduct disorder and attentional disorders amping up the risk.
According to the NIAAA, it’s essential to use prevention strategies to curb underage drinking and address problems before they escalate. And, as the SAMHSA 2021 survey shows, prevention works: “Between 2002 and 2019, current drinking by 12- to 20-year-olds declined from 29 percent to 19 percent. From 2015 to 2018, binge drinking and heavy alcohol use declined from 13 percent to 11 percent and 3 percent to 2 percent, respectively.”
Alcohol education can take place both at school and at home. It’s important to hear the message in different contexts. What our parents tell us and what we learn from teachers at school tends to land differently — the more information we have, the better equipped we can be to understand the potential impact of alcohol on our lives.
Here’s what alcohol education involves:
The NIAAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend regular screening by medical professionals who can spot underage drinking early and address them before they get out of hand. It can also be easier for teens to talk to an adult who is not a teacher or family member about sensitive questions, knowing that they’re with a professional who knows what they’re doing and will be discreet while offering tangible advice.
Laws and regulations to prevent underage drinking can make a difference. These can include enforcing a minimum legal drinking age, creating penalties for supplying alcohol to minors and supporting laws that limit driving privileges to underage minors who drink.
Social media can be a double-edged sword when it comes to underage drinking. On one hand, it can promote alcohol use. However, technology can also be a valuable prevention tool, with apps and online resources fostering education and support.
So how do we talk to teens about alcohol? It’s not exactly the easiest topic to bring up. Here are some ideas:
As Daniel Handler writes in The Basic Eight, “Maybe, generations ago, young people rebelled out of some clear motive, but now, we know we’re rebelling. Between teen movies and sex-ed textbooks we’re so ready for our rebellious phase we can’t help but feel it’s safe, contained.” And yet, the reality is that it’s not always as safe as it might seem if alcohol is in the picture.
But while rebellion might be a natural part of adolescence, alcohol misuse doesn’t have to be. Let’s work together to keep our kids healthy as we continue our own journeys to the happiest and healthiest versions of ourselves!
1. How common is underage drinking?
Underage drinking is a significant concern, with almost a fifth of young people having had a drink by age 15. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2022 reported that about 19.7% of youth ages 14 to 15 have consumed alcohol, and as many as 5.8 million youngsters ages 12 to 20 reported drinking more than "just a few sips" in the past month.
2. What are the dangers associated with underage drinking?
The risks of underage drinking include alcohol-related deaths and accidents, with excessive drinking claiming about 4,000 adolescent lives each year. It can also lead to unintentional injuries, such as burns, falls, or drowning, and it is a significant factor in car accidents among teens. Furthermore, underage drinking can result in school and social problems, including higher rates of absences and lower grades, as well as physical and sexual risks.
3. Why do teenagers engage in underage drinking?
Teenagers may drink due to various reasons, including social stressors and family factors. Peer influence, especially, plays a strong role in encouraging underage drinking, along with alcohol consumption patterns within the family and the adolescent’s environment.
4. How can we prevent underage drinking?
Effective strategies include education through school programs and community initiatives, open family communication, regular screening by medical professionals, and enforcement of laws and regulations. It's also important to leverage media and technology to both educate and prevent underage drinking.
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