Underage Drinking Prevention
Underage drinking prevention is one of the most important things we can do as parents, caregivers, educators, and the community at large.
Why?
Because drinking (and other drug use) problems often begin in adolescence. According to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network,
Studies show that the earlier an individual starts smoking, drinking or using other drugs, the greater the likelihood of developing addiction. 9 out of 10 people who abuse or are addicted to nicotine, alcohol or other drugs began using these substances before they were 18. People who began using addictive substances before age 15 are nearly 7 times likelier to develop a substance problem than those who delay first use until age 21 or older. Every year that substance use is delayed during the period of adolescent brain development, the risk of addiction and substance abuse decrease.
Why Underage Drinking Prevention is So Important
There are three primary reasons underage drinking (and other drug use) is critically important.
- The first reason is the brain developmental processes occurring during puberty. These processes can make it difficult for a teen/tween to “just say ‘no'” and extremely difficult to “teach a teen to drink safely.” Check out these two very short videos for explanations:
- The second is adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), commonly referred to as childhood trauma. Experiencing adverse childhood experiences, which are stressful or traumatic events occurring before age 18, can actually change brain wiring and mapping, and these changes can make the brain especially vulnerable to the desire for alcohol or other drug use if drinking (or other drug use) is initiated at a young age.
Underage drinking prevention is one of the most important things we can do as parents, caregivers, educators, and the community at large.
To understand this ACEs/brain development connection, check out my post for ACEs Connection, “The Developing Brain & Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).”
To understand the ACEs / drinking problem connection, check out Robert Anda, MD, MS and Co-Principal Investigator Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study’s, article, “The Health Impacts of Growing Up With Alcohol Abuse and Related Adverse Childhood Experiences: The Human and Economic Costs of the Status Quo.” In his article Dr. Anda explains that the more ACEs a person experiences, the more likely they are to develop an alcohol (or other drug) use disorder, marry someone with an alcohol (or other drug) use disorder, have depression, or any of the other health problems identified in the ACE Study.
- The third reason is that the two conditions described above: 1) early use – drinking or using other drugs before age 21, and 2) childhood trauma / ACEs are two of the key risk factors for developing an alcohol (or other drug use) disorder. For more on this, check out “Want to Prevention Addiction? Assess Your Risk Factors.”
Resources to Help with Underage Drinking Prevention
Here are a few resources that may help you initiate underage drinking prevention conversations and activities:
- SAMHSA “Talk. They Hear You.”
- HSA.gov: Office of Population Affairs resources on “Substance Use in Adolescencence ” — for parents, educators, communities, and adolescents
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network > National Substance Abuse Prevention Month List of Helpful Resources for parents and caregivers, children and teens, mental health providers, child welfare workers, law enforcement professionals, educators and school staff, and policy makers
Lisa Frederiksen
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