What is, in your opinion, the cause of so much teen drinking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is so much worse now.

I live in the bar area of Clarendonand there are tons of adults 22-30 stumbling around completely incoherent—even in the middle of the day.

Ambulances came 3 times this weekend on our street for adults that wouldn’t stop throwing up, wandering in the middle of the street, etc., passed out on the curb. I saw one topple over in a driveway. My kids saw a 20-something woman fall off the drunk trolley and get dragged before her friends noticed and I’m yelling “man down” at 2pm on a Saturday in front of Whitlows. And this is not isolated event.

I am 50 and did bar crawls (they were a few times per year—not almost every month like now)—and parties in my youth and it was an incredibly rare occurrence for things to ever get that out of control.

I have College age nieces and nephews and the stories they have—kids in rehab are eye-opening.

I have read several articles that surmise it’s the helicopter generation lashing out, coupled with social media.

I tell ya, my tweens have been scared straight watching drunks handcuffed, drunk drivers wrestled to the ground. They don’t see it as glamorous. I remember thinking “oh that never happens as a teen” because I lived in the suburbs and didn’t see the negative aspects—just the fun. It’s easy to reinforce how bad it is when you watch it out your window.

I totally agree! I live near several bars. I've called 911 many times. I've also called moms and roommates if the person is coherent enough to talk. Last night about 7:30 I was sitting in my yard and heard "clickity clack, clickity clack, boom" college age girl maybe 21 sprawled out on the sidewalk. Alone. She sat up and asked me what street she was on and told me where her car was. I told her I could call the cops to give her a ride home or her sober mom/roommate/friend. She gave me her phone and kept slurring her words trying to give me the passcode. I called her dad. I got her up and on a chair. Dad came and was so upset and thankful.

This was no where near the first time I've done this.

I think the drinking culture in America; wine moms, bar crawls has gotten out of control. I saw myself becoming one
Of those "Chardonnay moms" I quit drinking altogether a month ago.

Yep. The people that say it isn't worse nowadays are completely clueless. I should have them come out to my house on the weekend and witness the unbelievable parade of 20-early 30 somethings weaving/wobbling down the street and sidewalks (and gasp! driving at times---and getting caught). It is of a level where they are banging on doors completely incoherent, passing out in front lawns with their iPhones and keys next to them in the middle of the afternoon. Police have confirmed (getting to know them on a first name basis) that alcohol and drugs and incidents have tripled in the last few years.

These aren't even college kids.

I did a lot of partying through college to early 30s. I have lived in DC. I live in Clarendon and what I have been seeing in the last year or so is unprecedented.

The people who are saying it isn't worse are people who understand data as opposed to annecdotal experience.

It sounds like you live near some problem bars. Complain --- bars that serve patrons until/after they are visibly intoxicated can lose their liquor license.

[Anonymous]

Kids in DC proper are more likely to smoke weed. Especially in private schools where you have more liberal parents. I have 2 teens at Wilson and drinking is not a thing really. I assume they may have tried pot--I don't know though we're a pretty nerdy bunch in our family--but I'd rather that than alcohol poisoning. Bonus: hardly any kids in DC drive.

YMMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is so much worse now.

I live in the bar area of Clarendonand there are tons of adults 22-30 stumbling around completely incoherent—even in the middle of the day.

Ambulances came 3 times this weekend on our street for adults that wouldn’t stop throwing up, wandering in the middle of the street, etc., passed out on the curb. I saw one topple over in a driveway. My kids saw a 20-something woman fall off the drunk trolley and get dragged before her friends noticed and I’m yelling “man down” at 2pm on a Saturday in front of Whitlows. And this is not isolated event.

I am 50 and did bar crawls (they were a few times per year—not almost every month like now)—and parties in my youth and it was an incredibly rare occurrence for things to ever get that out of control.

I have College age nieces and nephews and the stories they have—kids in rehab are eye-opening.

I have read several articles that surmise it’s the helicopter generation lashing out, coupled with social media.

I tell ya, my tweens have been scared straight watching drunks handcuffed, drunk drivers wrestled to the ground. They don’t see it as glamorous. I remember thinking “oh that never happens as a teen” because I lived in the suburbs and didn’t see the negative aspects—just the fun. It’s easy to reinforce how bad it is when you watch it out your window.

I totally agree! I live near several bars. I've called 911 many times. I've also called moms and roommates if the person is coherent enough to talk. Last night about 7:30 I was sitting in my yard and heard "clickity clack, clickity clack, boom" college age girl maybe 21 sprawled out on the sidewalk. Alone. She sat up and asked me what street she was on and told me where her car was. I told her I could call the cops to give her a ride home or her sober mom/roommate/friend. She gave me her phone and kept slurring her words trying to give me the passcode. I called her dad. I got her up and on a chair. Dad came and was so upset and thankful.

This was no where near the first time I've done this.

I think the drinking culture in America; wine moms, bar crawls has gotten out of control. I saw myself becoming one
Of those "Chardonnay moms" I quit drinking altogether a month ago.

Yep. The people that say it isn't worse nowadays are completely clueless. I should have them come out to my house on the weekend and witness the unbelievable parade of 20-early 30 somethings weaving/wobbling down the street and sidewalks (and gasp! driving at times---and getting caught). It is of a level where they are banging on doors completely incoherent, passing out in front lawns with their iPhones and keys next to them in the middle of the afternoon. Police have confirmed (getting to know them on a first name basis) that alcohol and drugs and incidents have tripled in the last few years.

These aren't even college kids.

I did a lot of partying through college to early 30s. I have lived in DC. I live in Clarendon and what I have been seeing in the last year or so is unprecedented.

The people who are saying it isn't worse are people who understand data as opposed to annecdotal experience.

It sounds like you live near some problem bars. Complain --- bars that serve patrons until/after they are visibly intoxicated can lose their liquor license.

Doesn't data back you both up though- teens are delaying onset and drinking less frequently but the instances of binging to hospitalization or black out drunk in ERs or getting arrested are way up as a proportion of drinking. ? I thought I have been reading both of those things in the last 5-8 years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids in DC proper are more likely to smoke weed. Especially in private schools where you have more liberal parents. I have 2 teens at Wilson and drinking is not a thing really. I assume they may have tried pot--I don't know though we're a pretty nerdy bunch in our family--but I'd rather that than alcohol poisoning. Bonus: hardly any kids in DC drive.

YMMV

Pot is not legal for minors in DC. My teen is not allowed to smoke pot. The consequences would be the same as though he were caught drinking, alcohol poisoning or not.

[Anonymous]

The drinking age is high, and kids binge when they can get their hands on alcohol. I did the same thing, but for me and most of my friends, the binging stopped when we turned 21. Some people can't seem to turn it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's because it's forbidden. Pure and simple. Teens drink because it's exotic and they want to try it. Lower the drinking age and teen drinking will go down. Not right away, but eventually, if kids learn to drink at home and responsibly, it wont be such a big deal.

I totally agree with this. I think the drinking age should be lowered, and we should share modest glasses of wine over family dinner with our teens in a responsible, adult like fashion to combat the forbidden-fruit aspect of drinking that kids experience.

[Anonymous]

WEAK.SPINELESS.PARENTS.

That's the answer to the question. The ones who provide the booze/drugs and have no boundaries and think they gave birth to their best friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is fun. Has everyone forgotten this? That is why there is so much teen drinking.

I don't think it's fun. I don't now, and I never have, including when I was a teenager.

You might not but most adults enjoy drinking because its fun!

Probably fewer people drink -- and the ones who do drink, drink less -- than you think they do.

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.4 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.1 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.0 percent reported that they drank in the past month.

In 2015, 26.9 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month ("binge drinking" = a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL, typically after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in about 2 hours). 7.0 percent reported that they engaged in heavy alcohol use in the past month (binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.).

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

If you're an adult out of college who gets drunk regularly, you may have a problem with alcohol.

Meh, disagree. I think there are plenty of people who live a certain lifestyle that could stop drinking at any time and have no problems but they choose not to. Look 4 drinks in a night is this- cocktail at the bar waiting for friends or table to be ready, 2 glasses of wine with dinner in which you eat apps, entrees deserts or combos of that, a night cap at a different bar or just ONE beer at a show/concert after dinner. That's not a problem with alcohol IMO.

[Anonymous]

I think young kids drink out of a desire to look cool and/or fit in with those they perceive as cool. It’s all social pressure. I think in most cases it has no bearing on whether they like it or not, it’s merely what they are supposed to do. Society has dictated that the cool parties involve drinking and the unpopular ones do not. It’s a shame because I do think most kids would have an equally if not better time at another activity, but as long as that activity runs the risk of being judged negatively by others, kids seeking social validation won’t do it.

As they get older I believe they start to model behavior of others. If parents drink socially all the time, a young adult equates all socializing with alcohol.

[Anonymous]

I don't think teen drinking is worse than it was when I was in HS(90s). It seems to me that adult drinking is worse. I did some crazy stuff in my 20s, made lots of bad decisions whilst drinking my entire paycheck, but it seems now that alcohol is everywhere and socially acceptable. People never grow up anymore. The movement of wine from a higher class drink to mommy's juice and its acceptance at any and all social events is telling. My mom and her friends chain smoked cigaretts and chugged Tab while covered in baby oil. These days people carry their "roadie" solo cup to the playground at 4 pm.

[Anonymous]

It's fun. It helps you lose inhibitions. Teenagers like to follow the pack and be "cool".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is so much worse now.

I live in the bar area of Clarendonand there are tons of adults 22-30 stumbling around completely incoherent—even in the middle of the day.

Ambulances came 3 times this weekend on our street for adults that wouldn’t stop throwing up, wandering in the middle of the street, etc., passed out on the curb. I saw one topple over in a driveway. My kids saw a 20-something woman fall off the drunk trolley and get dragged before her friends noticed and I’m yelling “man down” at 2pm on a Saturday in front of Whitlows. And this is not isolated event.

I am 50 and did bar crawls (they were a few times per year—not almost every month like now)—and parties in my youth and it was an incredibly rare occurrence for things to ever get that out of control.

I have College age nieces and nephews and the stories they have—kids in rehab are eye-opening.

I have read several articles that surmise it’s the helicopter generation lashing out, coupled with social media.

I tell ya, my tweens have been scared straight watching drunks handcuffed, drunk drivers wrestled to the ground. They don’t see it as glamorous. I remember thinking “oh that never happens as a teen” because I lived in the suburbs and didn’t see the negative aspects—just the fun. It’s easy to reinforce how bad it is when you watch it out your window.

I totally agree! I live near several bars. I've called 911 many times. I've also called moms and roommates if the person is coherent enough to talk. Last night about 7:30 I was sitting in my yard and heard "clickity clack, clickity clack, boom" college age girl maybe 21 sprawled out on the sidewalk. Alone. She sat up and asked me what street she was on and told me where her car was. I told her I could call the cops to give her a ride home or her sober mom/roommate/friend. She gave me her phone and kept slurring her words trying to give me the passcode. I called her dad. I got her up and on a chair. Dad came and was so upset and thankful.

This was no where near the first time I've done this.

I think the drinking culture in America; wine moms, bar crawls has gotten out of control. I saw myself becoming one
Of those "Chardonnay moms" I quit drinking altogether a month ago.

PP, good for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is so much worse now.

I live in the bar area of Clarendonand there are tons of adults 22-30 stumbling around completely incoherent—even in the middle of the day.

Ambulances came 3 times this weekend on our street for adults that wouldn’t stop throwing up, wandering in the middle of the street, etc., passed out on the curb. I saw one topple over in a driveway. My kids saw a 20-something woman fall off the drunk trolley and get dragged before her friends noticed and I’m yelling “man down” at 2pm on a Saturday in front of Whitlows. And this is not isolated event.

I am 50 and did bar crawls (they were a few times per year—not almost every month like now)—and parties in my youth and it was an incredibly rare occurrence for things to ever get that out of control.

I have College age nieces and nephews and the stories they have—kids in rehab are eye-opening.

I have read several articles that surmise it’s the helicopter generation lashing out, coupled with social media.

I tell ya, my tweens have been scared straight watching drunks handcuffed, drunk drivers wrestled to the ground. They don’t see it as glamorous. I remember thinking “oh that never happens as a teen” because I lived in the suburbs and didn’t see the negative aspects—just the fun. It’s easy to reinforce how bad it is when you watch it out your window.

I totally agree! I live near several bars. I've called 911 many times. I've also called moms and roommates if the person is coherent enough to talk. Last night about 7:30 I was sitting in my yard and heard "clickity clack, clickity clack, boom" college age girl maybe 21 sprawled out on the sidewalk. Alone. She sat up and asked me what street she was on and told me where her car was. I told her I could call the cops to give her a ride home or her sober mom/roommate/friend. She gave me her phone and kept slurring her words trying to give me the passcode. I called her dad. I got her up and on a chair. Dad came and was so upset and thankful.

This was no where near the first time I've done this.

I think the drinking culture in America; wine moms, bar crawls has gotten out of control. I saw myself becoming one
Of those "Chardonnay moms" I quit drinking altogether a month ago.

Yep. The people that say it isn't worse nowadays are completely clueless. I should have them come out to my house on the weekend and witness the unbelievable parade of 20-early 30 somethings weaving/wobbling down the street and sidewalks (and gasp! driving at times---and getting caught). It is of a level where they are banging on doors completely incoherent, passing out in front lawns with their iPhones and keys next to them in the middle of the afternoon. Police have confirmed (getting to know them on a first name basis) that alcohol and drugs and incidents have tripled in the last few years.

These aren't even college kids.

I did a lot of partying through college to early 30s. I have lived in DC. I live in Clarendon and what I have been seeing in the last year or so is unprecedented.

What kind of neighborhood do you live in? Gasp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Drinking is fun. Has everyone forgotten this? That is why there is so much teen drinking.

I don't think it's fun. I don't now, and I never have, including when I was a teenager.

You might not but most adults enjoy drinking because its fun!

Probably fewer people drink -- and the ones who do drink, drink less -- than you think they do.

According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 86.4 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime; 70.1 percent reported that they drank in the past year; 56.0 percent reported that they drank in the past month.

In 2015, 26.9 percent of people ages 18 or older reported that they engaged in binge drinking in the past month ("binge drinking" = a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels to 0.08 g/dL, typically after 4 drinks for women and 5 drinks for men in about 2 hours). 7.0 percent reported that they engaged in heavy alcohol use in the past month (binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.).

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics

If you're an adult out of college who gets drunk regularly, you may have a problem with alcohol.

Meh, disagree. I think there are plenty of people who live a certain lifestyle that could stop drinking at any time and have no problems but they choose not to. Look 4 drinks in a night is this- cocktail at the bar waiting for friends or table to be ready, 2 glasses of wine with dinner in which you eat apps, entrees deserts or combos of that, a night cap at a different bar or just ONE beer at a show/concert after dinner. That's not a problem with alcohol IMO.

Oh it so is. Pretty soon, that 4 will turn into 10. Or it's 4 in public, then at home another 5.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think alcohol has become socially acceptable in nearly all aspect of our lives and our kids are seeing it. It's no longer reserved for a certain time of day or special occasion. There is not as much stigma attached to getting "tipsy." I also think Americans today are incredibly stressed out, overworked and exhausted and alcohol is a convenient way to escape all of that.

I see these changes among my friends and peers - most get- togethers involve alcohol (brunch, dinner, book club (which is largely an excuse to drink wine), and even kids' parties), and we grew up in homes where our parents hardly ever drank. I see the changes in my extended family, too. These days there is plenty of alcohol at family parties and holidays - wine, beer, some fun cocktail - yet for the first 20 years of my life, only my uncle would drink a couple of beers.

If adults are having alcohol every time they get together for any reason, it's not a stretch to see where teens would get the idea that socializing = drinking alcohol.

+1