for Children and Youth - Ventura County Star

4 Creating Asset Rich Environments for Children and Youth
Binge drinking is both prevalent and dangerous
◆◆ Binge drinking is common among high school students in the United States and is strongly associated
with sexual activity, violence, and other risky behaviors. Researchers found that the likelihood
of engaging in other risk behaviors - including sexual activity, smoking, and physical fighting - was
greater for binge drinkers than for drinkers who did not binge and for nondrinkers (Miller, Naimi,
Brewer, & Jones, 2007)
◆◆ Among the disturbing long-term effects is that teenage binge drinkers are more likely to abuse alcohol
as adults and are less likely to finish their education, get married, hold a job and be financially independent
(Miller, Naimi, Brewer, & Jones, 2007)
◆◆ Binge drinking is particularly dangerous for young people since they often combine alcohol with other
high-risk activities, such as impaired driving
◆◆ Binge drinking is also strongly associated with poor school performance (Miller, Naimi, Brewer, &
Jones, 2007)
Alcohol permanently damages the developing brain
◆◆ The effect alcohol has on the developing brain is more devastating than it would be on the adult
brain. This is due to the teen brain’s immaturity and the damaging effect of alcohol on the rapidly
growing frontal cortex. (American Medical Association, 2007; White, 2007)
◆◆ Binge drinking seriously damages the brain’s frontal lobe, which continues to mature through age 20.
This area of the brain is responsible for planning, impulse control and decision-making, among other
functions (Spano, 2003)
◆◆ Additionally, both short-term and moderate drinking impairs learning and memory in youth far more
than it affects adults. Long-term damage to a teen’s brain from early alcohol consumption can be irreversible.
Alcohol can permanently damage the hippocampus, a part of the brain important in forming
memories (AMA, 2007; Spano, 2003)
Alcohol and other risks
◆◆ Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile accidents – the leading cause of
death among teenagers (American Medical Association, 2004)
◆◆ Alcohol use contributes to youth suicides, homicides and fatal injuries – the primary causes of death
among youth after car crashes (AMA, 2004)
◆◆ Underage drinking is linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual assaults and date rapes of teens
and college students (AMA, 2004)
◆◆ Alcohol is a major factor in unprotected sex among youth, increasing risk of pregnancy and contracting
HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. (AMA, 2004)
What the Data Tell Us
Whether we like it or not, teenage drinking is widely accepted by adults. An American Medical Association
(2005) report revealed that one out of three young people surveyed said they were able to get alcohol
from a consenting parent. If we wink at under-aged drinking and say, “Kids will be kids,” we are doing a great
disservice to our young people.
The National Picture
Alcohol and other drug use are linked to poor attendance, lower grades, and lower scores on the Academic
Performance Index (API). The API is an indicator of the achievement level of the students in a subgroup
or school. Studies found that 66% of ninth graders and 68% of eleventh graders who used alcohol or other
drugs received grades of “C” or lower (Austin & Skager, 2004).