Teenage Drinking - A hard no? Or can this be done responsibly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow! There are some real problems with how people here are interpreting that Fairfax County report findings. In fact, they themselves seem to be reporting things incorrectly.

97% of students have not had any binge drinking episodes over the past two weeks.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a row in the past two weeks.
Ninety-three percent of 12th graders report not binge drinking. (This time they aren't qualifying it with every two weeks. But given how few freshman drink compared to seniors, there's no way that this can be reconciled so that the 97% number is correct.)

When you realize that they're lumping in freshman with seniors (and the info is only collected every two years) these numbers are not very informative.

The poor quality of this report makes me question how accurately they gathered this data.

It's not confusing you just didn't read the report. As accurately reported by a PP it says the following in the report if you would have read down a couple bullet points.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more
alcoholic drinks in a row in the past two weeks.
Ninety-three percent of 12th graders report not binge
drinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow! There are some real problems with how people here are interpreting that Fairfax County report findings. In fact, they themselves seem to be reporting things incorrectly.

97% of students have not had any binge drinking episodes over the past two weeks.

Binge drinking is defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a row in the past two weeks.
Ninety-three percent of 12th graders report not binge drinking. (This time they aren't qualifying it with every two weeks. But given how few freshman drink compared to seniors, there's no way that this can be reconciled so that the 97% number is correct.)

When you realize that they're lumping in freshman with seniors (and the info is only collected every two years) these numbers are not very informative.

The poor quality of this report makes me question how accurately they gathered this data.

What are you even talking about that it can't be reconciled?

[Anonymous]

But 50% of college students do..

[Anonymous]

Hard no for a sophomore. I don't condone it for older kids, but we very much stress nobody gets behind the wheel after a sip and you don't get in a car with someone that has has a sip. They can call us and we will come get them (and their friends if needed), no questions asked.

I have big problem with parents serving underage (HS kids) in their homes...or allowing it. That is insane. And, from a legal standpoint they can be responsible for any kid that gets behind a wheel and crashes.

[Anonymous]

First, I would discourage your daughter from hanging out with kids who get drunk. You are sending the wrong message if you don't. Of course you can't control your child, but you sure can have an influence on her. Second, I would call the police on the families supplying alcohol to underage drinkers. This is outrageous and they deserve to be sanctioned for it. In my neighborhood, a child dies in a frozen creek because he had imbibed with friends to the point that he passed out while walking home alone. Judgment becomes impaired. Those parents are asking for trouble. Children should not be encouraged to drink alcohol. Date rape is a scourge and it is mostly, I am positing, due to drinking beyond excess.

[Anonymous]

Numerous studies have come out that the earlier a kid has his first drink, the bigger issues they will have.

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk

Data from a survey of 43,000 U.S. adults heighten concerns that early alcohol use, independent of other risk factors, may contribute to the risk of developing future alcohol problems. Those who began drinking in their early teens were not only at greater risk of developing alcohol dependence at some point in their lives, they were also at greater risk of developing dependence more quickly and at younger ages, and of developing chronic, relapsing dependence. Among all respondents who developed alcoholism at some point, almost half (47 percent) met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence (alcoholism) by age 21.

It can affect the normal development of vital organs and functions, including the brain, liver, bones and hormones. Beginning to drink before age 14 is associated with increased health risks, including alcohol-related injuries, involvement in violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Numerous studies have come out that the earlier a kid has his first drink, the bigger issues they will have.

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/early-drinking-linked-higher-lifetime-alcoholism-risk

Data from a survey of 43,000 U.S. adults heighten concerns that early alcohol use, independent of other risk factors, may contribute to the risk of developing future alcohol problems. Those who began drinking in their early teens were not only at greater risk of developing alcohol dependence at some point in their lives, they were also at greater risk of developing dependence more quickly and at younger ages, and of developing chronic, relapsing dependence. Among all respondents who developed alcoholism at some point, almost half (47 percent) met the diagnostic criteria for alcohol dependence (alcoholism) by age 21.

It can affect the normal development of vital organs and functions, including the brain, liver, bones and hormones. Beginning to drink before age 14 is associated with increased health risks, including alcohol-related injuries, involvement in violence, and suicidal thoughts and attempts.

And sexual assault and other issues are also a bigger deal when alcohol is in the mix.

[Anonymous]

We were always a hard no. We explained that it is against the law ( so started with that), and also said addiction runs on both sides of family ( Irish) and they had to be really careful. Thank goodness both dc seemed to follow the rules.

I’m struggling ( don’t laugh) as my 20 yr old comes home from university abroad in June where the legal age is 16 or 18, can’t remember. However, he does not turn 21 until late August. I’m thinking can he drink? He drinks in Europe.

Not the same at all I realize as he’s older but it is still against the law!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hard no. Especially for a kid who said she likes drinking and has drunk to the point of alcohol-induced blackout. Have her talk to her pediatrician if you need backup.

I’m also a hard no on cannabis for teens. Both substances are horrible for adolescent brain development; there’s no “just alcohol” or “just pot” when it comes to teenagers and these substances. They may still try them, but you need to be clear as a parent that you expect them not to consume these substances. Yes, keep the lines of communication open, don’t be judgmental, etc., but FFS, do NOT supply your kids.

Weed has been shown to cause psychosis/schizophrenia in young teens/adults that heavily use.

There has been considerable debate regarding the causal relationship between chronic cannabis abuse and psychiatric disorders. Clinicians agree that cannabis use can cause acute adverse mental effects that mimic psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2811144/

Cannabis may increase the risk of schizophrenia, particularly in adolescents or young adults who use it frequently.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/weed-induced-schizophrenia-symptoms

[Anonymous]

Drinking regularly as a teenager is a common precursor to developing alcoholism later in life. There is so much going on neurologically in the teenage brain. Frequent alcohol consumption during those formative years will alter neural pathways and will increase the likelihood of developing alcohol dependency in later years. Alcohol is a dangerous and very addictive drug, particularly for young people with developing brains. Teenage drinking is a hard no in our family.

[Anonymous]

Hard no on underage drinking

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to just ignore all the dcum on their soap box. It’s honestly not worth engaging. Wait until their children go crazy in college because of the “hard no”

They are probably already doing it, to be honest. The strictest parents often, but not always, had the wildest kids. They just got very good at lying to their parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You have to just ignore all the dcum on their soap box. It’s honestly not worth engaging. Wait until their children go crazy in college because of the “hard no”

They are probably already doing it, to be honest. The strictest parents often, but not always, had the wildest kids. They just got very good at lying to their parents.

Sounds like you are rationalizing parents who have set boundaries. Strict isn't the same as being 100% clear on something that isn't tolerated for a child's wellbeing. Swap alcohol with cigarettes and over 50% of the parents who think it's important to "train" their kids on proper drinking would change their tune.

Also, better to start drinking in college than high school based on all the data. Overly permissive parents often struggle with setting their own personal boundaries and blur the lines for their kids in dysfunctional ways.

[Anonymous]

Permissive parents love to delude themselves that they're outsmarting "strict" parents by accommodating any and everything. Newsflash: You're only hurting yourselves and your kids.

Strict parents might not successfully prevent their kids from doing every harmful and dangerous thing that comes to their mind, but at least they can sleep at night knowing they didn't enable and participate in their kids' self-destruction.

[Anonymous]

I would be extremely concerned. Don't think that most kids are drinking like this, even in college. Most don't do this.