Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Is everybody having a real good time?



“Sumer is icumin in” and that means lots of good times, especially for kids. Once the warm days come, the beaches beckon and so do, in these parts, the big woods, the tall timber, the back and beyond.

Why the woods? Simple. Kids who are inclined to want to do this head to the trees to get shitfaced, puke on your shoes drunk, without hassles from parents, and especially cops. It’s the wide world of teenage binge drinking without impediment, and such practices are very much the vogue today.

Of course the manufacturers and purveyors of potent potables, not to mention governments that glean huge tax revenues from alcoholic beverages are delighted with such behavior by youngsters as they head off on a course towards chronic alcoholism, rape, violence, sometimes murder, and they have to be lying if they deny it. If the fashion of teenage binge drinking were a source of distress, they’d do something about it. At least I think they would.

The only people who seem to hate the way this is going are parents (sometimes), cops, medical practitioners, emergency personnel and those who happen to inadvertently cross the path of a gang of out-of-control boozed up kids late on a Saturday night.

In the context of the above, I wish to share some thoughts that have arisen from my experiences as a member of the Comox Valley Community Drug Strategy Committee, as an addictions counsellor, and as a long-time journalist. Currently the Drug Strategy Committee has come to realize we have been negligent in not devoting sufficient direction to what is statistically the most lethal drug of all. As follows are some suggestions that arise from my own professional and community service experience.

While parents are justifiably frightened by the possibility of a child becoming involved with illicit street and party drugs, they often neglect to consider that alcohol remains the not only the drug of choice for many young persons, but that juvenile alcohol abuse is a distressingly growing phenomenon.

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 favoured by young females.

Likewise, a British survey polling young females on vacation found it to be
common practice 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. Nor should it for the 80 percent of those who indulge who are reasonable drinkers. But there are steps that might be taken to put the matter of liquor consumption into healthy perspective with the young. I suggest the following:


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. Consider returning the legal drinking age in the province to 21, as has been done in all US states.

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 insignificant, where
alcohol consumption has been a factor should lose his or her licence 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 they must 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 transgressions with 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."

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 counsellor -- then encourage the young person to address the concerns to the parents (if possible), and to also 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. 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. Booze kills kids by the scores in this province and country, and it's horrifying to think that a young person on the verge of adulthood should make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of making 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.





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10 Comments:

Blogger Jazz said...

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.


I agree that alcohol consumption among the young is out of hand. At the same time, my nephews and nieces were allowed a taste of wine when they were kids and a glass of wine with dinner as teens. None of them ever became problem drinkers.

I don't think putting the legal age for drinking at 21 will change much, kids imbibe copious amounts in the US.

And how would you enforce bootlegging laws inside people's homes?

I think the biggest deterrent is example. If adults drink reasonably, even in all festive occasions, kids will tend to do the same, at least that's been the case in my experience.

2:02 PM  
Blogger Tanya Brown said...

Excellent. Item number 5 particularly spoke to me, but I will spare you the reasons why.

6:55 PM  
Blogger meggie said...

A very good post.
I think it is very hard to teach teenagers the real dangers of alcohol, & I am not sure what the answer is. We just have to keep trying.

6:58 PM  
Blogger laughingwolf said...

agreed, and add to that: canada should follow the states and enact a 'vehicular homicide' statute in the criminal code, then have the balls to enforce it... a lifetime ban for even first time drunk driving, would help, too....

6:39 AM  
Blogger Rositta said...

Many years ago if you wanted a bottle of booze you had to go to the LCBO (In Ontario), choose your hootch from a list, fill out a form and go to the counter to get your order filled. No bottles were visible. Since June 1 we now have a similar (sans filling out form) system for buying ciggarettes here. None are visible any more, they are hidden behind steel doors (power walls). Maybe we need to go back to that system?...ciao

8:37 AM  
Blogger Chase March said...

This is a problem that is too big for us to confront. There is no real effective way to police any of this. Anyone that wants to get a hold of alcohol or drugs seems to have little difficulty doing so. And for those that can’t, they make homebrew. I’ve seen it way too much.

I don’t drink but I don’t feel like I can impose my beliefs on anyone. And short of prohibition, what can truly be done about this?

I do agree that parents have huge role to play. Frank discussion and role-modeling will help to some extent. But peer pressure and society can sometimes override the best intentions.

9:18 AM  
Blogger Dita said...

As a mother, I commend you for your stance. It is unfortunate that there are so many irresponsible parents allowing teenagers to drink. :(

Lead by example people!

11:11 AM  
Blogger Laura Jane Williams said...

I think the problem we have here in the UK is not understanding alcohol properly. Have a great glass of wine with dinner to enhance what you experience, but do it for the sake of the taste of the wine. The Italians take planty of sparkling water down with it and don't get shit faced. That's just not chic. Y'know?

2:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree whole heartedly that underage binge drinking is a problem. But my hackles rise a bit with the idea that someone might legally prohibit me from allowing older teenage children of my own to drink a little. In my own family, we were allowed a little wine on occassion starting around 16. I am one of those 80% who is a sane drinker and I want to model that for my own kids. There is a danger, I think, it making it a forbidden fruit.

6:03 PM  
Blogger Marianne said...

France has always seemed to have a good attitude to drinking, the French are horrified by the English "binge-drinking" phenomenon. Although apparently the new generation are starting to drink more like the English, as they are working harder and not drinking wine at lunch and every evening like they used to, so now when they go out on the weekends, they drink to get drunk. What have we created?!

4:09 AM  

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