CITIZENS RALLYING FOR CHANGE ON ALCOHOL

It’s common--It’s risky--It’s a marker for other risky behaviors--It often goes undetected

IT'S COMMON

Alcohol is by far the drug of choice among youth. It’s often the first one tried, and it’s used by the most kids. (Johnston et al., 2010).

Over the course of adolescence, the proportion of kids who drank in the previous year rises tenfold, from 7 percent of 12-year-olds to nearly 70 percent of 18-year-olds (NIAAA, 2011).

Dangerous binge drinking is common and increases with age as well: About 1 in 14 eighth graders, 1 in 6 tenth graders, and 1 in 4 twelfth graders report having five or more drinks in a row in the past 2 weeks (Johnston et al., 2011).

Chances are your community has its share of youth at risk.

IT'S RISKY

In the short term, adolescent drinking too often results in

1. unintentional injuries
2. death
3. suicidality
4. aggression 
5. victimization
6. infections
7. pregnancies from unplanned and unprotected sex
8. and academic and social problems (Brown et al., 2008).
9. In the long term, drinking in adolescence is associated with increased risk for alcohol dependence later in life (Hingson et al., 2006; Grant & Dawson, 1997).
10. In addition, heavy drinking in adolescence may result in long-lasting functional and structural changes in the brain (Squeglia et al., 2009).

ITS A MARKER FOR OTHER BEHAVIORS

When adolescents screen positive for one risky behavior—whether drinking, smoking tobacco, using illicit drugs, or having unprotected sex—it’s generally a good marker for the others (Biglan et al., 2004).

For many kids, drinking alcohol is the first risky behavior tried. So an alcohol screen can alert you to youth who may need attention for other risky behaviors as well.

IT OFTEN GOES UNDETECTED

Most adolescents when being screened are willing to discuss alcohol use when they are assured of confidentiality

Remember as parents, teachers, counselors, youth serving professionals as well as health care providers, you are in a prime position to identify drinking-related risks and problems in youth and to intervene.