Underage drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States. Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, and drinking by young people poses enormous health and safety risks.
Preventing underage drinking is a complex challenge. Any successful approach must consider many factors including genetics, personality, rate of maturation and development, level of risk, social factors, and environmental factors.
The good news is several of the following approaches have been found to be successful.
This approach makes alcohol harder to get, for example, by raising the price of alcohol and keeping the minimum drinking age at 21. Enacting zero-tolerance laws that outlaw driving after any amount of drinking for people under 21 also can help prevent problems.
This approach seeks to change the way young people think about alcohol so they are better able to resist pressures to drink.
These are programs that provide students with the knowledge, skills, motivation, and opportunities they need to remain alcohol free.
These are efforts to empower parents to set and enforce clear rules against drinking, as well as improve communication between children and parents about alcohol.
Parents and teachers can play a big role in shaping young people’s attitudes toward drinking. Parents in particular can have either a positive or negative influence.
Parents can help their children avoid alcohol problems by:
Research shows that children whose parents are actively involved with their lives are less likely to drink alcohol.
On the other hand, research shows that a child with a parent who binge drinks is much more likely to binge drink than a child whose parents do not binge drink.
Adolescence is a time of change and growth, including behavior changes. These changes usually are a normal part of growing up but sometimes can point to an alcohol problem. Parents and teachers should pay close attention to the following warning signs that may indicate underage drinking:
Screening young people for alcohol use and alcohol use disorder is very important and may avoid problems down the road. Screening by a health practitioner (e.g., pediatrician) provides an opportunity to identify problems early and address them before they escalate. It also allows young people to ask questions of a knowledgeable adult. NIAAA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend that all youth be regularly screened for alcohol use.
Some young people can experience serious problems as a result of drinking, including alcohol use disorder, which require intervention by trained professionals. Professional treatment options include:
Talk – They Hear You