Teenage drinking

While lurking in this thread, it struck me that statements like these usually bolster concerns about underage drinking. Why aren't they bolstering concerns about underage driving? Why not raise the legal driving age in America? Here in Europe, it stands at 18 years in most of our countries -- and our teenagers function anyway.

That leaves bicycles. That's how we usually got to our parties.

That leaves bicycles. That's how we usually got to our parties.

Types of Alcoholic Beverages Usually Consumed by Students in 9th--12th Grades --- Four States, 2005


Excessive alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 4,500 deaths among underage youths in the United States each year (e.g., from homicides, motor-vehicle crashes, and suicides) and an average of 60 years of life lost per death. However, little is known about the specific types of alcoholic beverages consumed by youths. These data are important because numerous evidence-based strategies for reducing underage drinking rates are beverage-specific, including increasing alcohol excise taxes and increasing restrictions on the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages. To examine types of alcoholic beverages usually consumed by students in 9th-12th grades, CDC analyzed 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data from the four state surveys that included a question on the type of alcohol consumed (Arkansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming). This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that liquor (e.g., bourbon, rum, scotch, vodka, or whiskey) was the most prevalent type of alcoholic beverage usually consumed among students in 9th-12th grades who reported current alcohol use or binge drinking. These findings suggest that considering beverage-specific alcohol consumption by youths is important when developing alcohol-control policies, specifically those related to the price and availability of particular types of alcoholic beverages.

This report describes the results of that analysis, which indicated that liquor (e.g., bourbon, rum, scotch, vodka, or whiskey) was the most prevalent type of alcoholic beverage usually consumed among students in 9th-12th grades who reported current alcohol use or binge drinking. These findings suggest that considering beverage-specific alcohol consumption by youths is important when developing alcohol-control policies, specifically those related to the price and availability of particular types of alcoholic beverages.

Several factors might play a role in students choosing liquor more than other types of alcoholic beverages. First, high school students have a high prevalence of binge drinking, which can lead to acute intoxication (5); liquor might facilitate this outcome because of the higher ethanol concentration. Second, liquor can be combined with other beverages such as soft drinks, possibly making concealment easier and providing a flavor that is more acceptable to younger drinkers. These same factors also might cause youths to unintentionally drink more alcohol and drink it in a shorter period (6), increasing the risk for alcohol-related effects (e.g., alcohol poisoning).

Last fall 2 local teens died as a result of a car crash. The teens were returning to a party at the time of the crash and the parents of the party's host were charged to the extent of the existing law. They were found guilty of obstruction of justice and child endangerment.

Quote:

Parents found guilty

Jury says couple allowed teens to drink in basement before fatal crash

By Courtney Flynn and Andrew L. Wang, Tribune staff reporters. Freelance reporters Barbara Bell and Andrew Schroedter contributed to this report
9:05 AM CDT, July 22, 2007

As the debate continues in courtrooms, at high schools and around kitchen tables across the country on who ultimately bears responsibility for underage drinking, a jury in Lake County weighed in with its own opinion Saturday, finding a Deerfield couple guilty of allowing their son's friends to drink in their basement one night last October.

Two teenage guests were killed in a car crash shortly after leaving the Deerfield home of Jeffrey and Sara Hutsell. According to testimony given during the five-day trial against the couple last week, the 18-year-old driver had consumed alcohol at the party.

The jury of seven women and five men deliberated seven hours before reaching its decision at about 7:40 p.m. They also convicted the Hutsells of one count of endangerment of a child and one count of obstruction of justice for lying to police officers on the night of the accident. The jury acquitted the couple of another obstruction charge for destroying evidence. The Hutsells showed no emotion as the verdicts were read.

"Parents need to be responsible and you cannot host underage drinking parties in your home," said Lake County State's Atty. Michael Waller following the verdict. "The consequences, as we unfortunately learned in this case, can be deadly."

With the convictions, each Hutsell could face penalties from probation to a year in jail. The Hutsells' attorneys declined to comment as they left court.

The Hutsells also declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Deerfield police reported Saturday night that three teens -- one who testified at the trial and two others who were on the witness list -- were arrested at a party Friday night for alleged alcohol-related offenses.

more on the trial

more on the new arrests

Teenage drinking is prevalent here. Since last fall's tragedy, the police dept and schools have been holding symposiums and town meetings for parents and teens to try to get the message across about the dangers of drinking (with or without driving).

The trial has been the topic of discussion in every grocery aisle, social gathering, and kitchen table. What are your thoughts? Should parents be held responsible if teens drink in their homes (they did not provide the alcohol and claimed they were unaware that anyone was drinking)? An amended underage drinking law has been passed by both the IL House and Senate making it a Class IV felony for parents to allow underage drinking in their home or provide access to the home for that purpose. The Bill is awaiting the governor's signature.

As to the new arrests, some of the kids involved were at the party last fall. One of those arrested is a survivor of the fatal crash. There were six arrest total including trespassing charges because the party was hosted by the homeowner's daughter without their permission (they are out of town). It seems the efforts of the past year haven't been effective. Is it simply a matter of kids being kids? If nothing else, this trial has changed the 'wink, wink' mentality that many local parents had about drinking in their homes.

Thomas wrote:

While lurking in this thread, it struck me that statements like these usually bolster concerns about underage drinking. Why aren't they bolstering concerns about underage driving? Why not raise the legal driving age in America? Here in Europe, it stands at 18 years in most of our countries -- and our teenagers function anyway.

Drinking laws and driving laws derive from two different cultural threads in American life. Drinking laws come from the Protestant tradition that holds alcohol (and all other forms of fun) to be sinful, and therefore our drinking laws reflect that repressive heritage. Driving laws, in contrast, come from our frontier mentality, where everyone with enough gumption should be able to "light out for the territories." Our driving laws, therefore, reflect that far more expansive heritage. Plus, parents just don't want to be bothered with chauffeuring their kids around, and kids won't take public transportation because it's not "cool" (and, in the suburbs and rural areas, it's often non-existent).

Walter Hinteler wrote:

I was really shocked by this:

Quote:

Funerals for teenagers who die while driving drunk are as all-American as football.

While lurking in this thread, it struck me that statements like these usually bolster concerns about underage drinking.
Why aren't they bolstering concerns about underage driving?
Why not raise the legal driving age in America?

Here in Europe, it stands at 18 years in most of our countries -- and our teenagers function anyway.

Walter - He is in Austria. Is it the same there?

squinney wrote:

Walter - He is in Austria. Is it the same there?

No, in Ausria you may drink any alcohol above 16.

How about France ?

Walter Hinteler wrote:

squinney wrote:

Walter - He is in Austria. Is it the same there?

No, in Ausria you may drink any alcohol above 16.

How about France ?