Teenage alcohol abuse data reveal scary story

Editorial by Jacksonville Daily News, September 20, 2013.

The numbers relating to binge-drinking high school students are horrifying.

Throw in the fact that the numbers might not even be the whole story, and they become a cautionary tale all parents must take seriously.

Here are some of them:

•  One in five high school seniors report consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in a row.
• One in 10 say they have consumed 10 or more drinks in a row.
•  More than one in 20 report having consumed 15 or more drinks in a row.

Those are the shocking numbers according to the students themselves. That might or might not be the whole story. One thing is certain, though: It is enough to give every parent of a high school student pause.

If it were just drinking, these numbers would be enough reason to worry. Unfortunately, we all know that too often, these numbers also mix with driving, creating a deadly combination.

Fortunately, the experts say there are things that parents can do to lessen the numbers.

For instance, parents can act as good role models. Don’t drink large quantities of alcohol in front of your children. It stands to reason that kids and teens who see a close role model engaging in activities such as binge drinking could be more likely to try it themselves.

They should also talk to their teens about the scary numbers and what they can mean, as well as alert their children to the dangers of simply following along with the crowd, which might be engaged in dangerous activities.

Parents should set and hold to firm policies against alcohol and tobacco use. These policies will not just be rules that affect their children during the teen years; they could set their children up for a lifetime of more healthy behaviors.

Finally, parents should not host parties where alcohol or drugs are available. Aside from the legal ramifications that can make hosting such a party unwise, the effects they can have on the teens who attend can be devastating.

There are some scary facts about what our teens do, and our best weapon against some of this behavior is simple honesty, good advice and serving as a good example.

At a certain point, our teens must make their own decisions. But we must do everything we can to arm them with good information and healthy instincts.

This editorial first appeared in the Thibodaux Daily Comet, a Halifax Media Group newspaper in Louisiana.