Multiple surveys conducted all across the country were interpreted into a range of estimates. Youth from grades 7 to 12 were surveyed, but the most notable abuse of alcohol and cannabis was seen in those in Grade Twelve. Forty-one percent to 52 percent of 12th grade students reported having five or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion within the last month. Twelve percent to 20 percent reported having two or more drinks within an hour before they got behind the steering wheel.

The statistics for the use of cannabis are only slightly lower, but still excessive and dangerous. In the last month, 15 percent to 27 percent of those surveyed used cannabis, and 3 percent to10 percent of those youth used it every day or close to every day. Fourteen percent to 21 percent reported using cannabis within the hour before they got behind the steering wheel – a higher percentage than those who used alcohol within an hour before driving.

The author of the study, Dr. Matthew Young, a Senior Research and Policy Analyst at the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, is concerned that some teens have a false sense of security that their driving is not impaired after they have used cannabis. This lack of knowledge could lead to more lives lost in automobile accidents. From 2000 to 2007, over half of drivers age 19 and younger who were fatally injured had drugs and/or alcohol in their system. Cannabis was one of the most common psychoactive substances found in these drivers.

Driver fatalities aren’t the only concern surrounding teen abuse of alcohol and marijuana. Dr. Young posed concerns that the abuse of these substances could lead to poor academic performance and a higher risk of mental health disorders.

Some interesting and encouraging information from the report: A large percentage of youth in grades 7 through 9 aren’t using drugs or alcohol at all. This information will hopefully influence teens in junior high, letting them know that their peers aren’t using these substances and there is no peer pressure to start substance abuse. Rather, by drinking and using cannabis at this age, they will be seen as the odd one.

This national picture of alcohol and cannabis use among Canada’s youth will help to serve the country in finding out the realities of alcohol and cannabis use among those in junior and senior high. This information can help map a plan to get knowledge and support to the age groups in need the most. Besides helping students and their families, the CSA and SDUS Working Group hopes that this report will help guide jurisdictional and national policy as well as initiatives in treatment, prevention and further research.

The Facts About Kids and Alcohol Consumption

If you think your adolescent son or daughter is immune to the influence of peers and drinking alcohol, think again. The fact is that about 40 percent of adolescents have tried alcohol by the time they reach eighth grade.

In fact, natural curiosity leads children to start to think about alcohol differently when they’re between the ages of 9 and 13. That’s when many of them start to believe that drinking alcohol is okay even at their age, and begin to experiment with it in various forms. Whatever’s around the house is the first and easiest route.

Children who start drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are seven times more likely to experience problems with or abuse alcohol as adults. While about 10 percent of 10-year olds say they’ve tried drinking, that number skyrockets to 50 percent by age 15.

Why Start Talking About Alcohol Early?

Ideally, you want to begin talking to your kids about alcohol around the age of nine. Before that time, generally speaking, children view alcohol in a negative light. By the time they’re nine, however, their natural curiosity kicks in and they branch out into different types of exploration – which may include experimenting with alcohol. They begin to look at drinking in a more positive light.

Not only that, but between 9 and 13, children start observing the drinking behavior of their parents and other adults. They often question their parents about alcohol at this time.

This is a perfect opportunity to have an intelligent and much-needed conversation about underage drinking. Why is that? Research shows that it’s more effective to start talking to children about drinking before they actually begin drinking. If you, as the parents, start having a discussion with them about alcohol early enough, you could actually stop them from making a decision that could potentially harm not only their health, but jeopardize their (and others) future.

Remember that 50 percent statistic? The longer you wait to talk to your kids about underage drinking, the more difficult it will be for them to make the right choices. Talking to them early and often gives you a greater chance of impacting their decisions about drinking.

Of course, not talking to your kids about alcohol is also saying something about you. It may give them the impression that underage drinking is actually acceptable behavior. That’s not something you want to happen.

Understand Why Kids Drink

Key to having a conversation with your children about underage drinking is to understand why it is that kids drink in the first place. Besides curiosity, which begins at a young age, there are several reasons why kids turn to alcohol – usually in their teenage years.

Remember that teens are experiencing a lot of physical and emotional changes – many of them painful and frightening and not particularly easy to handle. They need a lot of support and encouragement during this confusing time just to navigate the turbulent teenage years. The challenges they face may result in even good children experimenting with alcohol.

It’s also important to note that children turn to drinking not for a single reason, but usually as the result of a combination of reasons.

• Transitions – When your child moves from middle school to junior high, there’s a lot of stress surrounding the transition. Other important life events that can trigger alcohol experimentation include the breakup or divorce of parents, and moving the household to a different location. What’s needed: Reassure your children that this tough time won’t last forever, that things will get easier, and you’ll be there for them. Make sure to say that drinking isn’t the solution to any problems.
• Escaping Stress- Children worry about getting good grades, taking the right classes, participating in the right mix of extracurricular activities and sports, about fitting in, and how they look. Any of these stresses may cause them to use alcohol as a means of escape. What may help: Encourage your child to get actively involved in sports and/or extracurricular activities as a healthier means of coping with stress. Let them know that alcohol won’t alleviate stress. It may dull it for a while, but stress will roar back even worse.
• Reacting to Environment – If children are exposed to excessive drinking by parents or other siblings or adults in the home, they are much more likely to engage in drinking themselves. If you, as parents, do drink, make sure you do so responsibly. Set a good example by drinking in moderation. And make sure your children know that underage drinking is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.
• Genetics – Research studies have shown that children who come from families with a history of alcoholism are at an increased risk for alcohol abuse or dependence. Alcoholism may very well run in your family. If so, the responsible thing to do is to have a candid discussion with your children about the seriousness of the disease.
• Increased Curiosity – While curiosity begins young, it only intensifies as your children reach their teenage years. They begin taking chances, trying new things – which may include experimenting with alcohol. You need to remind your children about the risks and dangers of underage drinking. In addition, make sure they know how you feel about underage drinking: it’s not allowed.
• Peer Pressure – Most kids face peer pressure at one time or another. They’re trying hard to fit in, to have others like them, to be popular and accepted. They feel if they aren’t part of the "in" crowd, they’re losers. Many times, when children are in social settings where other teens are drinking alcohol, they feel pressured to do the same. After all, "everyone else is doing it." Help your teens by giving them the self-confidence they need by learning different and effective ways to say no to such invitations. You might also stress that any person who’s a real friend will never pressure them to drink.
• More Freedom Outside the Home – As your children enter their teenage years, they start spending more time outside the home and away from parents and other family members. Much of the time they’re with their friends. This increased freedom may lead to situations where your children are exposed to alcohol use – and are tempted or pressured to drink. Yes, you do need to give your children the space they require to grow, but you also need to know where they are at all times. Keep track of their whereabouts as well as who they’re with. If they’re at a friend’s house, for example, make sure that a responsible adult is in attendance. You don’t want idle hours without adult supervision (or at least adults in the home) where your kids may start drinking.

Know the Risks of Underage Drinking

Years ago, the only research studies on alcohol consumption, abuse, and dependence involved adult males. Gradually, researchers began to include women in those studies. Not much was known about underage drinking at the time – nor was it considered a problem.

Today, we know a great deal more about the subject. Based on new scientific findings, we also understand a lot more about underage drinking. For example, we know that when children drink, they tend to drink a lot. As a matter of fact, on average, that equals about five drinks on a single occasion. This behavior is known as binge drinking, and it can have serious consequences.

News stories about high school kids engaging in drinking games (binge drinking to the extreme) are common. Drinking too much alcohol by children of any age puts them at risk for short- and long-term physical and emotional problems. It also can have a profound affect on and endanger the lives of those around them.

Some of the risks include:

• Addiction – More than 4 in 10 children who begin drinking before the age of 15 eventually become dependent on alcohol.
• Drug Use – Statistically speaking, more than 67 percent of those who start drinking before age 15 will also try an illicit drug. This includes street drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine (including crack), marijuana, LSD, Ecstasy, heroin, and nonmedical use of prescription drugs – barbituates, painkillers, tranquilizers, and sedatives.
• Grades Suffer – Compared to nondrinkers, children who drink tend to have higher rates of poor performance at school and problems with their grades.
• Early and Risky Sexual Activity – Teens who use alcohol are more likely to be sexually active at an earlier age, to have sexual intercourse more often, and to engage in unprotected sex than teens who don’t drink.
• Become a Victim of Sexual or Violent Crime – Date rape, gang rape, beatings, or other violent crimes are more likely to happen to children who drink.
• Health Problems Increase – Children who drink are much more likely to have health issues than their nondrinking peers. Depression and anxiety disorders are common among young people who drink. Research shows that even low levels of alcohol consumption by young people may contribute to behavioral, emotional, and health problems during their adolescence and later on in life.
• Bad Decisionmaking – When teens drink, they don’t make wise decisions. That’s because alcohol lowers inhibitions and increases the chances that they’ll engage in risky behavior – or do something that they will regret once they’ve sobered up. But by then, it may be too late.
• Injury or Death – By far, the most serious consequence to underage drinking by our children is to become injured or die (or injure or kill others as a result of their drinking). In the United States each year, an estimated 5,000 people die as a result of injuries caused by underage drinking. This includes deaths from car crashes, suicide, and homicides, as well as injuries such as burns, falls, and drownings.

Create an Action Plan to Talk to Your Children

You already know that you should begin talking to your children early about underage drinking. But what are some more specifics about what to do when? While there’s no single plan that’s appropriate for everyone, there are some general tips you can follow. A lot depends on the age and sex of the child.

Let’s take a girl of nine as an example. And, let’s say that you haven’t yet had a discussion with her about underage drinking. Here are some things to put in your action plan:

• Make it a series of little talks, instead of one big one.
• Encourage your daughter to talk with you anytime.
• Choose an informal time to have your discussion – maybe while you’re in the car, watching TV, or having dinner.
• Make sure you continue to talk with your daughter throughout her adolescence.
• Let your daughter know that if she ever has any questions, concerns, or needs advice about alcohol, she can always come to you.
• Be honest, give the facts, your opinions, and ways to say no.
• Tell her the short- and long-term effects of drinking and why it’s bad for growing bodies.
• Other things to do include being a good role model, setting a good example, showing that you care, always knowing where your alcohol is in the house, getting to know her friends, promoting a healthier lifestyle, talking with others, and joining community efforts against underage drinking.

Now, let’s take the example of a 12-year old boy. You haven’t yet talked with him about underage drinking. The first four parts of your action plan here can mirror that for the 9-year old girl – except it’s your son involved in the discussion. Having a conversation while you’re doing other activities can sometimes take the pressure off, making it easier for you to segue into the talk about alcohol.

In this case, when your son is almost a teen, you need to:

• Be honest and real with him, and give him good reasons not to drink.
• As parents, jointly develop family rules, and be ready to enforce them. Talk about the law and underage drinking, what the rules of the household are, and the type of behavior that you expect. Don’t just make this a one-time discussion. Review the rules and boundaries with your son often.
• Renegotiate the rules as your son gets olderl, ideally on a six-month basis. The reason for this is that the rules and boundaries may change as your son has more freedom.
• Avoid scare tactics, but do state your own expectations about your son’s drinking.
• Be sure to let your son know you’re always there for him. If he’s out at a party that got out of control and needs to be picked up, even if it’s after midnight, you’ll do so without questions. His safety is your main concern.
• Monitor his activities and make sure that he checks in with you on a regular basis. Know who his friends are and where he’s going (it has to be pre-approved).
• If you do keep alcohol in the house, be sure it’s locked up. And make sure your son knows it’s off limits.

Tailor your action plan for your son or daughter based on his or her age. Do what works best for you. Enlist the support of other parents and get involved in organizations like the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America or the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Parent with Love – and be Consistent

As parents, you can’t be with them 24/7. You won’t always be around to protect them from harm. But you can and should do the best you can to prepare them to be able to handle pressure and temptations to use alcohol while they’re children. It is your responsibility. In fact, you have the best chance of helping shape their attitudes and beliefs about alcohol by virtue of your own behavior.

Above all, be loving parents. Keep the lines of communication open and honest. You’re in this together with your children. You want the best for their future. Give them the solid foundation they need to grow up with self-confidence, to be able to face life’s challenges and stresses and opportunities – without turning to alcohol.

Keep your conversations going from their early childhood through adolescence and teenage years. Be consistent, stay on message, and always be there for your children.

It’s the best thing you can do to prevent underage drinking.

When it comes to drinking, however, experts are finding that the more parents are involved, the better for teens. When parents have a hands-off approach to guiding their children when it comes to choices about alcohol, it is becoming clear that the teen suffers from a lack of guidance.

A recent study has documented some of the ways that parental involvement affects drinking decisions among adolescents. The study, conducted at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, shows that parents who are available and engaged with their kids are the most effective at preventing their children from participating in binge drinking.

The study also highlighted some factors that indicate a teen at risk for binge drinking. Those teens that smoke, stay out with their friends and have access to alcohol at home, even at a very young age, are at a greater risk for heavy alcoholic consumption as they progress to their late teen years.

Anna-Karin Danielsson, of the Department of Public Health Sciences and lead author of the study, explains that limiting the risk of heavy drinking among teens can be effectively accomplished through initiatives that focus on improving and strengthening parent-child bonds. Limiting the alcohol that teens obtain through their parents also limits the risk of the child becoming a binge drinker.

Danielsson recruited 1,200 students aged between 13 and 19 years between 2001 and 2006, and assessed risk factors for heavy alcohol consumption among them. The results of the analysis showed that when teens exhibit risky behaviors in early teen years, they are at greater risk of heavy alcohol consumption in later teen years.

Danielsson explains that it is during the early teen years when parental input can make a significant impact. For boys, the risk of binge drinking among boys who smoke and have friends who drink is lowered when parents are involved and engaged with their teen. Girls who are at an elevated risk in early teen years, however, benefit most from having a close parent-child relationship.

Danielsson’s analysis noted the difference in gender and drinking among Nordic teens and those of other European countries. In most European countries, boys typically drink more heavily than girls, but in the Nordic countries and the UK, girls commonly drank the same amount in one session as was typical for boys.

The results of the study indicate that there is an important role for parents when it comes to encouraging responsible decisions about alcohol by their teenager. Those who receive intervention early by positive involvement from their parents may avoid more serious problems as they move into later teen years.

To learn ways to help young people avoid the long-term consequences of addiction to drugs and alcohol, researchers must first understand why teens are so susceptible to addiction. A new study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh had identified neuron activity in adolescent rat brains that may provide insight into how teens get hooked on drugs.

The study is published in the Journal of Neuroscience and shows how electrode recordings of adult and adolescent brain-cell activity during a task differ in their responses to rewards.

The researchers, led by Bita Moghaddam, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Arts and Sciences and coauthor David Sturman, a University of Pittsburgh doctoral student, observed that adolescent rat brains showed a flurry of activity throughout the study and had more evidence of disorganization, while adult rats displayed a more balanced reaction of excitation and inhibition when responding to a reward.

The researchers examined activity in the rats’ brains in response to rewards, specifically monitoring the individual neurons in the orbitofrontal cortex, an area of the brain dedicated to making decisions based on expected rewards or punishment.

The researchers believe that the reactions in the rat brains may offer insight into human adolescent behavior, especially relating to areas like substance abuse or their heightened emotional reactions to both positive and negative experiences.

The study also may give scientists an understanding of the development of some psychological disorders such as schizophrenia and mood disorders that often appear during adolescence. The researchers believe that the erratic patterns exhibited in the orbitofrontal cortex during adolescence may trigger the symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of a mental disorder.

The study’s findings are significant because it is the first time that individual neuron activity has been observed during the task performance. The researchers believe that the findings may be duplicated in further research, examining human adolescents and adults in the same way.

The findings are very helpful to those attempting to understand why adolescents are so susceptible to drug and alcohol addiction. Preventing young people from initiating use is very important because their reactions to the pleasure experienced by such substances is heightened and may lead to long-term addiction problems.

According to this report in The Med Guru, it is often assumed that binge drinking is only a problem among men and teen boys. In fact, the perception for years has been that drinking is a man’s game and women can’t and don’t compete.

The reality, however, is very different. Beverage companies are designing drinks specifically for women, clubs are creating events to encourage women drinkers to attend, and women seeking equality and the opportunity to “prove themselves” are engaging in dangerous drinking habits.

Figures released by the NHS suggest that teenage girls are now engaging in binge drinking activities nearly as often as their male counterparts. While definitions vary between the NHS website and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in terms of the number of drinks that must be consumed to qualify as binge drinking, the reality is that females are engaging in more risky behavior.

The NHS figures suggest that more girls are now drinking hazardously, and this figure is expected to overtake boys in the next couple of years. In the survey, half of the girls claimed to have had a drink, just behind the 52 percent mark for boys.

Even more alarming is the trend emerging among females in terms of their binge drink of choice. Wine and beer are being replaced by hard liquor. This quick rush, combined with the cheap price of alcohol, is contributing to a growing crisis. Until perception changes to recognize the level of risk females undertake, this trend is likely to continue.

The LA Times posted a piece that highlights changes to the Monitoring the Future survey. This annual survey of drug, alcohol and tobacco use asks 8th, 10th and 12th graders about binge drinking. In recent years, the questions have changed to ask about rates of extreme binge drinking.

According to the University of Michigan’s Lloyd Johnston, who oversees the yearly survey, in the two weeks before completing the survey, 11 percent of high school seniors said they had consumed more than 10 alcoholic drinks in a single sitting. Some 6 percent of seniors said they had consumed more than 15.

In the years since the survey began, binge drinking has come down – especially since its peak in 1983. Johnston noted the same is not true for extreme binge drinking which seems to have not budged for the years it has been followed.

While high school students may find such a pastime appealing, it is also extremely risky. Alcohol poisoning can be one of the potentially fatal outcomes when alcohol saturation levels in the blood reach well beyond the .08 level.

As severe inebriation can compromise the gag reflex, a person who passes out from too much alcohol could choke on their own vomit, or aspirate it into the lungs, causing serious infection. A person who is gurgling or even snoring may be in respiratory crisis. Despite these potential effects, extreme binge drinking is a growing problem.

Among the 1611 college students participating in the new research, both men and women reported depression after a relationship ended or got into trouble; however, men were more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol. Study author Robin Simon said that men missed the support they received from their romantic partners, but that women emphasized simply being in relationships.

"Having a relationship is something that is emphasized constantly for women," she said. "Part of our emotional culture is that men should not feel sad. While women are free to feel and express emotion, men turn to mood-altering substances to get rid of culturally inappropriate feelings."

An adolescent whose family has a history of alcohol abuse is at a significantly higher risk of developing an alcohol dependence problem. A recent study looked at the brain function differences between adolescents with a family history of alcohol abuse compared with adolescents with no family history. The results will appear in the February 2011 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The study compared adolescents that had not yet begun to drink, but had a family history of alcohol abuse with those adolescents who had no family history, so that brain activity could be observed during a challenging exercise.

Marisa Silveri is one of the authors of the study and an assistant professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a neuroscientist at the Brain Imaging Center within McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. She explained that examining adolescents who have not yet begun drinking eliminates a possible effect coming as a direct result of consuming alcohol. The study wanted to examine whether functional brain differences were observable before alcohol use begins.

The researchers administered the Stroop Interference test while using an MRI scanner to collect fMRI BOLD (blood oxygen level dependent) data. The Stroop test requires participants to prevent themselves from automatically reading out loud a color word, and instead focus on a less automatic response of stating the color of the ink that the word is written in.

The MRI was used to indicate activation levels within the brain during the administration of the Stroop test. The researchers recruited 32 adolescents to participate, of which 18 were designated as family history positive (FH+), and the remaining 14 were designated as the family history negative (FH-), or control group.

The results showed that there was a higher level of frontal lobe activation during the Stroop test for FH+ participants. The increased activation reflects that the FH+ group exhibited a decreased neuronal efficiency. In order to maintain an acceptable performance on the Stroop Interference test, they required increased neural recruitment.

The results suggest that those adolescents with a family history of alcohol abuse may exhibit a subtle vulnerability that requires additional effort for the Stroop test. The authors of the study believe that these results indicate that those with a family history of alcohol abuse may be less equipped to manage real-life situations, including possibly the decision whether to consume alcohol.

The authors believe that the information found in this study may be useful in education programs, helping those with a family history of alcohol abuse understand why they may be at a higher risk for developing problems with alcohol use.

The report says that the number of emergency room visits by underage drinkers was significantly higher on New Year’s Day in 2009 than on several other holidays and average days during the year.

According to the report, there were 1,980 emergency room visits involving underage drinkers on New Year’s Day in 2009. This was more than twice the daily average over the Fourth of July weekend, which was 942.

Underage drinkers also made more than three times the number of emergency room visits on New Year’s Day in 2009 than the daily average over Memorial Day weekend.

Compared to an average day during the year, the number of emergency visits by underage drinkers was 263 percent higher on New Year’s Day in 2009.

Pamela S. Hyde, JD, SAMHSA administrator, said that the findings should be a wake-up call to parents and other adults, who should pay more attention to young people’s drinking activities, especially during this time of year.

Kenneth R. Warren, PhD, acting director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, said that two to three times more people die in alcohol-related crashes during the period between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and 40 percent of traffic fatalities during this time involve a driver who is impaired by alcohol, compared to 28 percent in the earlier weeks of December.

SAMHSA says that parents should talk with their children early and often about the dangers of drinking alcohol, and that parents, teachers, and other influential adults should talk to children about how alcohol impacts physical and mental health. Parents should also be aware that young people tend to drink more on New Year’s than other times of the year.

Source: WebMD, Bill Hendrick, Underage Drinking Soars on New Year’s Day, December 30, 2010

This study is the first to identify an underlying mechanism for one of the major behavioral differences between adults’ and teens’ responses to alcohol. Dr. Doug Matthews, lead author of the study and a research scientist at Baylor, said that the study is an important advancement in understanding why teens are less sensitive to alcohol and might, as a result, drink to dangerous levels.

Matthews said that the different effect is not due to different blood-alcohol levels, and that the reduced sensitivity in teens is troublesome because teens often binge drink, increasing their alcohol consumption throughout adolescence. Because of this, it’s important to understand why the teenage brain is less sensitive to the effects of alcohol.

The researchers found that in adolescents, the firing rate of the cerebellar Purkinje neuron was insensitive to high alcohol doses, while the firing rate of the same neuron was significantly lower in adults. The firing rates in adults dropped by 20 percent, which indicates potential motor impairment. The firing rates in adolescents did not dramatically change in response to alcohol, showing a five percent increase.

The researchers said that the reduction of the neuron firing rates in adults could explain the increased sensitivity of adults to alcohol’s motor-impairing effects. They added that there are likely other contributions from other systems to cause the behavioral differences.

Science Daily, Molecular Mechanism That Causes Teens to Be Less Sensitive to Alcohol Than Adults Identified, December 3, 2010