Opinion | A problem with underage drinking

By the Board of Directors, ALL IN MOUNTAIN BROOK

Mountain Brook has a problem with underage drinking. Every community in the U.S. struggles with this serious concern, but student surveys show that we have a problem that is even more serious than most communities. In September, students in ninth through 12th grade at Mountain Brook Junior High and Mountain Brook High School participated in the Pride Survey, an anonymous survey about alcohol and drug use, and the results are concerning. As has been true for years, a greater percentage of Mountain Brook teens report they engage in underage drinking, compared to state and national survey averages. 

Fourteen percent of ninth-graders, 28 percent of 10th-graders, 42 percent of 11th-graders and 60 percent of seniors reported they had consumed alcohol in the year prior to the survey. Even more disturbing, 50 percent of seniors and 34 percent of juniors said they had drunk alcohol during the month prior to the survey. These percentages exceed national averages by significant margins. These numbers tell us Mountain Brook has more teenagers who report they drink, and more who report that they are regular drinkers.

Underage drinking contributes at powerful levels to the most common causes of death among teenagers:  motor vehicle accidents, recreational accidents, accidental overdoses (acute alcohol poisoning), suicide and homicide. Drinking is a major factor in sexual assault and other crime. It is a major source of disabling injuries. Much research demonstrates a correlation between early introduction of alcohol use and the likelihood that an individual will later become an alcoholic. Compelling evidence confirms that underage drinking puts our youth at grave risk. 

In light of the data, what can parents and adults in our community do to help stem the tide of underage drinking that puts our children at risk? It is time for each of us to take stock.  

First, parents and other adults sometimes refer to “responsible drinking” by teenagers. This is an oxymoron. The use of alcohol by a person under 21 is a violation of criminal law in all 50 states. The legal consequences of arrests related to underage drinking constitute a substantial risk to the young drinker. In addition, the idea that teenagers drink “responsibly” is contrary to the data.  Studies tell us that when a teenager admits to drinking any more than just “tasting” alcohol, they also report they engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking is defined as consuming at least five drinks within a few hours and, of course, a single incident of binge drinking can potentially be deadly. According to our survey results, 46 percent of seniors and 33 percent of juniors at Mountain Brook said they engaged in binge drinking at least once in the last year. 

Second, parents and other adults often regard underage drinking as inevitable and accept teenagers’ claim that “everyone drinks” as truth. Some parents fear that teenagers who choose not to drink will not have a social life. In spite of the clear data that more Mountain Brook teenagers say they drink than the national averages, our anonymous survey also reveals that a substantial number of our teens are not drinking. Forty percent of seniors, 58 percent of juniors, and 72 percent of sophomores said they had not consumed any alcohol in the past year. This is good news for our teens who choose not to drink. They are not alone.

Third, for many adults in Mountain Brook, alcohol is routine at almost all social and recreational events. This is often the social environment in which our children live, grow and learn. What messages do we unknowingly send about alcohol use to our children with our words and actions? It is vital for each of us as adults to objectively consider our attitudes, how we speak to our children about alcohol and how our patterns of alcohol use may send unhealthy messages to our children.

Do we talk to our kids about drinking? Are we clear with them about our expectations regarding underage drinking? Do we make our rules and restrictions clear? Is our lack of a clear position taken as tacit approval of a choice to drink?

Do we send the message that alcohol is necessary to having a good time?  Is alcohol always a part of our social events and recreational activities?

Do our children see us using alcohol to cope with stress? Are there healthier coping methods we could model for our children? 

Do we believe that by condoning underage drinking in a “safe environment” we will discourage drinking elsewhere, even though research demonstrates that “supervised drinking” leads to more underage drinking?

Yes, we have a problem with underage drinking in our city, but we are not helpless. Research also reveals that, in spite of the growing importance of peer influences as children become teens, parental influences remain powerful. Our teenagers want and deserve to know what we expect from them. They care what we think, even if they don’t always act like it. We must not underestimate the power our voices and actions have in supporting our children’s choice to avoid the pitfalls of underage drinking and risky behaviors.  As a community, we can all agree that the ultimate goal is to help our children stay safe and healthy on the road to adulthood.