staff reports
Published: May 1, 2008

There are no quick fixes to solving the current underage-drinking epidemic. It is vitally important that we become more conscious of how we think, talk, and act when it comes to underage drinking. More than one-third of Americans report that alcohol has caused problems in their immediate family. To confront a problem of this size, knowledge is powerful and accurate information is vital.

Alcohol is teen America’s “drug of choice.” It is currently used more than tobacco and illicit drugs combined. Nearly 11 million youth, ages 12-20, are underage drinkers, and an estimated 3.3 million teenagers in the United States are alcoholics. These teenagers believe underage drinking is acceptable or even expected. This attitude is dangerous, and often lethal. When we condone, permit, or tolerate an environment that encourages alcohol use and downplays its potential for harm, we endanger the very kids we love and have a responsibility to protect.

Recent brain research tell us that the prefrontal cortex — the part of the brain responsible for planning, strategizing, judgment, and decision making — does not fully develop and mature until between one’s early and mid-20s. Alcohol impacts both behavior and brain function of teenagers differently than it does adults. It is also an extremely toxic substance and should be viewed as a poison for the teenage brain.

It is normal for teens to seek a thrill, take risks and make mistakes. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that a typical teenager is often self-centered, self-indulgent and unable to understand the outcomes of his attitudes, behaviors and decisions. The younger a child becomes involved with alcohol, the greater the danger the child will become an alcoholic. In his book, “High Society: How Substance Abuse Ravages America and What to Do About It,” Joseph Califano makes a powerful statement: “A child who reaches 21 without smoking, using illegal drugs, or abusing alcohol is almost certain never to do so.” Heeding his advice will encourage our youth to wait to make decisions about alcohol until they are older and more physically and emotionally ready.

There is tremendous confusion in our society about the need for and positive impact of our minimum-age-21 drinking laws. It is a myth that our teenagers pursue the “forbidden fruit” of alcohol only because it is against the law. Teens report drinking for various reasons, including peer pressure, stress, boredom, celebration, and ease of access. Eighty-four percent of parents are against lowering the drinking age because too many lives have been saved. Being law-abiding, honest, good citizens will help build self-respect and provide our youth with a necessary and important sense of civic responsibility.

A popular belief is that in Europe, where the drinking age is 16 or 18, alcohol abuse by teens is not an issue because they learn to drink moderately and safely in a family setting as well as out in the community. To the contrary, European teens drink more often, more heavily, and get drunk more often than American teens. Compared with U.S. statistics, the rate of teenage binge drinking is higher in every European country except Turkey.

There is also confusion among Virginians about our laws regarding underage drinking. The law in Virginia currently allows parents to provide alcohol to their own children in their residence or in another residence if they are present. It is therefore neither responsible nor appropriate to provide anyone else’s child with a “haven” for underage drinking; the liability and risks are simply too great.

Another common perception is that if young people are old enough to join the military (and therefore risk their lives), vote, and serve on a jury, they should be old enough to drink alcohol. Considering drinking a “benefit” is at the core of our country’s underage drinking problem. Many of our young people join the military for the vast array of opportunities available to them through their service and duty to our country. If we truly value and respect these older teenagers, we will continue to offer them skill training, health care benefits, travel experiences, educational opportunities, etc., rather than considering they have “earned the right” to a privilege that is not in line with their overall health and well-being.

The Surgeon’s General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking eloquently states that “as a nation and individually, we [can] commit ourselves to solving the problem of underage drinking in America. We owe nothing less to our children and our country.”

Stafford County Sun editorials represent the opinion of the managing editor. Other columns, letters and cartoons on thie editorial page express the opinions of the authors and not necessarily the Stafford County Sun.