Underage Drinking

Cost of Underage Drinking

The cost of underage drinking is on the rise. Statistics posted by the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center (UDETC) show that underage drinkers made up more than 16% of alcohol sales in the United States in 2001. And of surveyed high school students, 78% admitted to having at least one drink once or more in their lifetime. These large numbers have a significant impact on related costs to the American public.

Most people associate the financial cost of underage drinking with the court costs assigned to an “underage drinking ticket.” According to the UDETC, the medical, lost work, and pain and suffering costs related to underage drinking totaled over $61 billion in 2001.

Physical costs can be even more severe than simple hangovers. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that youth who are dependent on alcohol show differences in brain activity than normal teenagers. The hippocampus, the portion of the brain that affects learning and memory, is shown to be smaller in abusing teens. Also, children who have been drinking before the age of 15 have been shown to be four times more likely to develop alcoholism than those who begin drinking at 21.

Risk Factors for Underage Drinkers

Most underage drinkers have had their first drink by age 13. Risk factors for children becoming problem drinkers include:

• Being a child of an alcoholic.
• Impulsive behavior in early childhood.
• Parental drinking habits and attitudes toward drinking that are lax or irresponsible.
• Peer pressure.

Identifying Underage Drinkers

Alcohol abuse is frequently considered a “gateway” drug. This means that after trying alcohol, a teen may be more likely to try inhaling, marijuana, methamphetamines, or other drugs. Warning signs that a youth may be drinking include:

• Having a new friend group.
• Sudden secrecy regarding activities.
• Borrowing or stealing money.
• Using mouthwash or breath mints to cover the smell of alcohol.
• Frequent stomachaches or headaches.
• Forgetfulness.
• Bloodshot eyes.

Identifying a youth who may have a problem with underage drinking is the fist step in preventing a problem later on. Underage drinking can result in hangovers, poor academic performance, risky sexual behaviors, car crashes, and other accidental injuries. Depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies have all been linked to alcohol abuse in youth, though the actual correlation is unclear.

What Parents Can Do

Keeping a child away from alcohol should be a parental priority. Parents can do several things to keep their children clean and sober.

• Communicate with children on a regular basis. Ask questions about where the children are going, who they are going with, and what their activities will be.
• Set clear boundaries and limits. Make sure children understand the consequences if they disobey any rules.
• Set a good example. Do not drink excessively in front of children.
• Provide fun, alcohol-free activities. This can be hosting slumber parties, signing children up for clubs and activities, or simply spending time together.
• Keep emotions in check when the subject comes up. Yelling at a child instead of calmly explaining one’s views on drinking does more harm than good. Children are less likely to confide in a parent who reacts with anger instead of understanding.
• Know children’s friends and their parents.

Parents are not the only line of defense when it comes to drinking. Grandparents, relatives, teachers, and close neighbors or friends can help provide good examples to underage youth.