It doesn't have to be this way

I love the late spring in virtually all its manifestations, except for one thing. Maybe it's a carryover from when I taught high school, but late spring means the end of school. The end of school means parties -- lots and lots of parties -- in homes, at the beach, in the woods, and anywhere else a bunch of young people want to gather with their buddies, drink lots of beer, puke on their shoes, and maybe, just maybe, get lucky.

But that's where my antipathy comes in. No, not with the partying -- I did lots of that myself --but with any subsequent driving. Why must school ending be punctuated by tales of horrendous road crashes that decimate one, two or more teens just at the point they are entering 'real' life?

In my esteem it doesn't have to be, and if those a little older or a lot older would wake up to a few realities, maybe it doesn't need to be.

I only offer my thoughts based on feelings that arose when I taught teens, and liked them very much, as well as from my experiences of having covered the drug scene as a journalist, and interacting with cops, parents, social workers, ER personnel, etc. What follows was included in a series on drug abuse in the community I wrote a few years ago.

Parents are justifiably frightened by the possibility of a child becoming involved with illicit street and party drugs, but they often neglect to consider that alcohol remains the drug of choice for many young persons.

Furthermore, health care providers, not only in this country, but worldwide, are becoming increasingly distressed by the ubiquity of alcohol consumption among the young. Indeed, the United Nations recently decried the fact that the alcohol industry seems increasingly geared towards enticing the young with its beer advertising especially, and the proliferation of so-called 'pop' beverages, which are especially favored by young females.

Likewise, a British survey polling young females on vacation found it to be common practice for them to consume on a seven day jaunt, the same amount of alcohol that might (by a normal drinker) be imbibed in a five-week period. Remember, even though we consider alcohol to be a 'legal' drug, it is still a hugely addictive drug, and for minors it is not legal for consumption in
any other form than sacramental wine.

Booze, by the same token, is not going to go away. But there are steps that can be taken to put the matter of liquor consumption into healthy perspective with the young. I offer the following, in my best Rod Serling voice, for your consideration:

1. Drastically increase the penalties for bootlegging offences to at least a $1,000 fine for a first offence, and significant jail time for subsequent offences.

2. Return the legal drinking age to 21, as has been done in all states of the U.S. but has not been done in Canada, primarily because governments don't want to lose that juvie-boozing revenue.

3. Render the providing of alcohol to minors, including by the parents within the home (except for religious or ceremonial purposes) as subject to the same laws as bootlegging.

4. Any minor involved in an accident, regardless of how minor, where alcohol consumption has been a factor should lose his or her license until age 21.

5. Make alcohol less of a feature in the home environment. Not all festive occasions need to involve alcohol consumption, even by adults. Set an example.

6. If a parent or parents have a drinking problem, then address that problem. Either get outside help (if the problem is severe enough), or drastically limit consumption. Parental example has a significant role in influencing youthful attitudes to intoxicants.

7. Parents or guardians should never regard youthful abuse of alcohol as 'unimportant.' If a child is abusing alcohol, then the matter is 'always' serious. And never fall into the trap of feeling a sense of relief because the substance was "just booze, and not drugs." Alcohol is a drug.

8. If alcohol is a problem in the home, and a young person expresses his or her concern to you -- as a friend, relative, teacher, pastor or counselor -- then encourage the young person to address the concerns to the parents (if possible), and to also to maybe get involved in Alateen. Keep in touch with the young person.

9. Any school programs that look to discussions on drugs should also address alcohol abuse in a frank and candid manner. Teachers and counselors should make available to students complete information on alcohol abuse and its consequences. And be as draconian as hell in any discussion on drinking and driving.

10. Don't pussyfoot! Be frank and graphic in your discussions. There is nothing wrong with drinking in moderation (once the young person is of legal age to do so), but booze kills our kids by the score everywhere, and it's horrifying to think that a young person on the verge of adulthood should make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of having made a terrible judgment call, getting loaded with a bunch of friends at a summer beach party, and then driving home. Your role, by the way, is to never-ever drink and drive yourself.