While it’s been an issue for quite a while, the rise in underage drinking has hit an all-time high. So next time parents order a margarita on the rocks experts want them to know their kids may be drinking also.
“Underage drinking has been a problem for a long time,” said Randy Miller, executive director of Drug Free Marion County. “We were a little surprised to find that over 50 percent of young people said they prefer and tend to drink hard liquor as opposed to beer. Not only does the hard liquor have a higher concentration of alcohol but it’s also more expensive.”
While some think increases in alcohol consumption is among teens age 16 and 17, sources report approximately 20.5 percent of children age 12 and older participated in binge drinking in 2001. Binge drinking has become the most common practice among youth defined as drinking five or more drinks on the same occasion within a few hours.
Reports indicate numerous factors contributing to the increase of alcohol use with outlets on every corner, increased alcohol advertisement and parties becoming one of the most common places to get drunk. According to Miller, social networking sites such as Facebook play a factor in how children communicate with each other about when and where they can find alcohol.
“The culture is different now. They don’t drink to experiment, but they drink to get drunk. Teens have more dispensable income than their parents did and with all the technology they’re instantly connected to underage drinking parties,” said Lisa Hutcheson, director of Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking. “They think they are invincible and won’t be the ones to suffer the consequences.”
Eighteen -year-old Candace Hoosier, chair of the Drug Free Marion County Youth Advisory Board says teens are also interested in alcohol because it’s illegal.
“They wonder what is so bad about it, they’re curious. The choice is yours, but no one can make you do anything,” Hoosier explained. “Your choices not only affect you, but they affect others. You may be with your friends now, but will they be around when you have to deal with the consequences?”
While teen drinking is cause for concern, also popular among young adults is celebrating their 21st birthday by getting drunk. Some traditions call for the now legal drinker to consume 21 shots of alcohol, an extremely dangerous activity that has resulted in death, especially on college campuses.
“Many campuses are not approaching this the correct way,” Miller explained. “They are more like ‘Well, we know you’re going to drink so here is how you should do it.’”
Hutcheson states that very same approach is also popular among parents of underage drinkers.
“Some parents tend to think ‘I drank when I was younger and I turned out fine.’ We have attitudes like underage drinking is OK as long as they are safe and not driving,” said Hutcheson. “As long as we believe that, this problem is not going to get any better.”
Parents that have passive attitudes about underage drinking are warned to rethink their views. As of July 1, new alcohol laws went into effect that state the penalty for providing alcohol to a minor is 120 days in jail and can be charged up a $1,000 fine classified as a Class B misdemeanor. If they had prior offenses it results in a Class A and if injury or death is involved it’s a Class D felony.
Minors who attempt to use fake I.D.s to purchase alcohol will no longer be classified under a Class C infraction but will be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, which will go on their permanent record. Officials hope the new law, which raised the amount of previous punishment, will get society’s attention.
“I think parents don’t remember alcohol is a drug and they think it’s a harmless beverage,” Hutcheson said. “I think once we start hitting parents in their wallets they will pay more attention. So hopefully this new law will remind parents and other adults providing alcohol is not OK.”
Not only is underage drinking illegal, adults are warned about the health risks associated with underage drinking. Sources indicate some long-term effects of alcohol include liver damage, pancreatitis, certain cancers and literal shrinkage of the brain. Teenagers are also more likely to develop alcoholism based on their environment including where and how they live, family, friends and culture.
“There is a need for awareness,” Miller states. “We sort of let our guard down, we need to realize how in-your-face alcohol is. There are more things we can do as a community and as a whole to change the acceptance of alcohol.”
For more information about Drug Free Marion County call, (317) 254-2815 or visit www.drugfreemarioncounty.org.
