reso
the Parent	urce

Information For Parents Of
Teens & Preteens

	3 

Most parents talk to their kids about drinking two years too late. Age 8 is not too early.

What parents may not realize is that children say parental disapproval of underage drinking is the key reason they have chosen not to drink

alcohol
Teen brain development and

R
ESEARCH SHOWS that alcohol affects a developing teen brain
differently than an adult brain. “The brain goes through dynamic changes during adolescence, and alcohol can seriously damage long- and short-term growth processes”
(American Medical Association Fact Sheet, 2003).
Alcohol use may impair memory, learning, decision-making and impulse control; and it greatly increases the risk of addiction. In addition, alcohol use can cause young people to develop social problems, have poor judgment, get into trouble, do poorly in
school and experience failure in achieving lifelong goals.
To compound this problem, research shows that parents generally underestimate the extent of teen drinking and its negative consequences. Thirty-one percent of youths who said they had been drunk in the past year were said by
their parents to be non-drinkers. Others may view underage drinking as inevitable, but it isn’t. To be alcohol-free, a teen
in BONDING (creating a warm
BOUNDARIES (clear, firm rules
Alcohol affects a teen brain differently than an adult brain.            needs parents who are trained , The brain’s hippocampus (responsible for learning and memory)            loving relationship), setting

can be 10% smaller in underage drinkers.	about no-underage alcohol use)

and MONITORING (knowing
sure they stay in an alcohol- and
It can actually cause serious damage to the still-developing                    where your kids are and making adolescent brain (10-21 years).                                                                   drug-free social environment at
all times).

P E R C E N T P R E VA L E N C E
4	UNDERAGE DRINKING

T
dicti
adIncreased risk ofon

HE BRAIN REWARDS positive actions with feelings of pleasure so we want to repeat them. We remember “feel-good” brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, which connect the pleasure to the
thing we enjoyed. Alcohol hijacks our brain’s pleasure-reward system by tricking the brain into generating pleasure-reward feelings from a harmful chemical instead of a real experience.
• If teens continue drinking, the brain changes and adapts to the presence of alcohol and soon they need more and more alcohol to create the same amount of pleasure.
• Because the teen brain produces an

abundance of dopamine, it can go rapidly from liking, to wanting, to needing alcohol, programming it for alcoholism, also damage the brain’s ability to sense pleasure from normal, healthy things and experiences — leaving a young person feeling “flat” about things he/she previously enjoyed.
• The brains hippocampus (responsible for learning and memory) can be 10% smaller in underage drinkers.
• Youth who drink before age 15 are 4x more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who begin drinking at age 21.
• Children say parental disapproval of underage drinking is #1 reason for
not drinking.

Alcohol-dependence BASED ON AGE DRINKING STARTS
50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

AG E ( Y E A R S )

SOURCE: Grant, BF and Dawson, DA. Journal of Substance Abuse 9:103-110,1997

If your family has a history of alcoholism, your children need to know that they are at a greater risk for problem drinking.

2
7
8
9
E
BEFORE THEY

Parents are the #1 reason kids don’t drink

DUCATION ALONE is not enough to deter teens from drinking as they enter difficult social transitions to adulthood, because there are many pressures and opportunities to drink. Parents who are actively involved can have a powerful
influence on their child’s decision to remain alcohol-free.
Teen perceptions of parental disapproval are great deterrents. What parents may not realize is that children say parental disapproval of underage drinking is the key reason they have chosen not to drink.
Research indicates that children are less likely to drink when their parents are involved in their lives and when they and their parents report feeling close to each other. Family conflict and lack of bonding are associated with an increased risk of drinking. Mixed messages, and unclear rules and expectations also leave children more vulnerable to underage drinking.

How parents can help their children remain ALCOHOL-FREE

1	5
Explain the risks	Monitor children’s Learn and explain the risks of un-	activities
derage drinking. Emphasize that drink-	Always know where your children are, whom ing alcohol is not a “rite of passage” but	they are with and what they are doing. For
a dangerous drug for a teen brain.	example: “If alcohol is at a party, call me and Talk early and often	I’ll come and get you.”
6
In Orange County, surveys	Make alcohol unavailable indicate some youths binge drink in	Ensure that alcohol is not available to your the sixth grade, and a few may start                child at home or from others when your child even earlier.                                                   is away. Ensure that your children’s social
3
Set clear rules	environment is alcohol-free. Set clear rules about no alcohol             Be involved
use. Be specific: “Absolutely no under-	Develop close bonding experiences and have age drinking in our family.”                             daily positive interactions with your child.
4
Know your	Express love often. children’s friends	Stay in contact
Get to know your children’s friends	Studies show children are more likely to drink and their parents. Help them choose	between the hours of 3:00–6:00 pm, when friends who support your family rules.	unsupervised by parents. Give your kids a call.

Eat dinner together
Studies show that kids who eat dinner with their family 5-7 times per week are 33 percent less likely to drink alcohol underage.

5

START TALKING

START DRINKING

Most parents talk to their kids about drinking 2 years too late. Age 8 is not too early.

Sharing values and family history regarding alcohol will create an environment of trust and understanding.

If parents drink, they should:

Be clear that they do not want their children to drink alcohol until they are 21 years old and then only in moderation.

Tell their children that some people should not drink alcohol beverages at all. These include:

Children and adolescents

Individuals of any age who cannot restrict their drinking to moderate levels.

Women who are pregnant.

People who plan to drive or take part in activities that require attention
or skill.

People using prescription and over-the-counter medications.

If parents don’t drink, they should

Explain their reasons for not drinking, whether they are religious, health-related or due to family history.

Encourage children to talk about concerns and questions about drinking.

Be clear that they do not want their children to drink.

Explain that when their children are 21, if they should decide to drink, they should do so in moderation.

6	UNDERAGE DRINKING	7

brain research

	Neural plasticity refers to the ability of circuitry in the brain to physically change and grow new dendrites as a result of new learning and experiences.

Peaks of brain Drinking alcohol during times of peak

growth
growth can damage brain wiring.

					

								
								
	Birth	5 years	10 years
	15 years	21 years

htful, responsible adult.
		
	Frontal lobe

The brain is the major organ of the central nervous system and the control center for all the body’s voluntary and involuntary activities. It is responsible for everything we think, feel, see, say and do.
and the effects of alcohol
The brainstem controls vital body functions, such as breathing and digestion. The cerebellum maintains posture, coordination of body movement and provides long-term storage for memories of
A
how to do things that involve our body — like riding a bike. The cerebrum, which consists of the right and left cerebral hemispheres, is the site of most
SAGITTAL SECTION	conscious and intelligent activities.

How neurons communicate
Brain
plasticity
lcohol affects a teen brain differently than a mature adult brain. The brain
1
3
goes through rapid development and	Cerebral cortex	Dendrites	Axon terminals
• During
a chemical message
(neurotransmitter)
“wiring” changes during the ages of 12
Hypothalamus	Receive a message from the body and send	Axon terminals give out it to the soma (electrical generator)

adolescence
Fornix
Axon (trunk)
White matter
through the early 20s. Teen alcohol use can	Pineal gland the brain	damage this brain wiring, which is essential to
must make	become a mature, thoug	Corpus	Septum
connections
key neural	callosum	Thalamus
2	4
to wire itself	Occipital lobe

Mid-
to become	Soma

a responsible,
Olfactory bulb
brain
connection is hen made.
Sends an electrical impulse down
Dendrite receptors pick up the message thoughtful adult.	Cerebellum	the axon to the axon terminal	and forward ittto the soma. A neural

Pons
• Alcohol, a depressant,	SpinalPituitary gland
and hinders development.
Hippocampus
Medulla
slows down brain activity	cord	Our brain is more complex than the world’s most	of one neuron to the “branches” of another. If a powerful computer. It is responsible for everything     thought or action is repeated often, the “roots” of
Brainstem
oblongata	we think, see, hear, feel, smell or do. It even	one neuron send more chemical, and the receiving • The brain’s hippocampus,	creates and directs all of our emotions. The brain	neuron makes more “branches” to receive it. The
responsible for learning and
is divided into different areas that direct different	neural connection is strengthened until it begins

memory, can be 10% smaller
parts of our body. Like a complex computer, all the	to look like a bushy tree instead of a spindly tree.

1	2	3
in underage drinkers
Brain white
different parts of the brain work at the same time	It becomes a dominant neural pathway. Alcohol can damage three key brain areas:	– like parallel processing.	Forty percent of our neurons are “wired” at

and memory) suffers the worst alco-
for planning, good judgment, deci-
matter damage
“The prefrontal area (responsible	“The hippocampus (involved in learning	It does this through more than 100 billion brain	birth. They perform automatic functions such as cells called neurons. A neuron looks sort of like a	breathing, heart and lung functions, digestion, etc.

hol-related brain damage in teens. Those
who had been drinking more and for lon
-
sion-making and impulse control)
undergoes the most change during
The brain is made up of gray matter
(neurons) and white matter. Because
tree, with “branches” called dendrites, a “trunk”	The other 60 percent are waiting to be stimulated called an axon, and “roots” called axon terminals.	by our learning and experiences to make
ger had significantly smaller hippocampi
adolescence. Researchers found
alcohol suppresses brain activity,
The tip of each “root” contains tiny sacks of	connections or “wiring.” When we learn new

it prevents the teen brain from
properly developing its essential
powerful chemicals called neurotransmitters. At	things, new “NEURAL CONNECTIONS” are made in that adolescent drinking could	(10 percent). In addition, short-term or	the top of the “trunk” is a tiny electrical generator	our brain. This is referred to as “wiring” our brain.
“white matter” — the fatty-waxy
coating which insulates the part
of neurons that send electrical
cause severe changes in this area...	moderate drinking impairs learning and	called a soma.	It is like loading new software into a computer so it which plays an important role	memory far more in youths than adults.                                                                                                                                                                                     can do more things. The more neural connections in forming adult personality and	Frequent drinkers may never be able	The brain neurons communicate by sending	we make, the smarter and more capable we

signals. Impaired white matter
behavior. Damage from alcohol	to catch up in adulthood, since alcohol	electrical and chemical messages from the “roots”	become. Alcohol suppresses brain development.

can negatively affect thinking and
at this time can be long-term and	inhibits systems crucial for storing new
memory skills. — Dr. Susan Tapert
(ref: http://www.npr.org/templates/
irreversible.”	information.”	“… it has become clear that, during adolescence… the brain is highly plastic American Medical Association Fact Sheet, 2003	and shaped by experience…. Alcohol appears to interfere with the changes in
story/story.php?storyId=122765890)	circuitry that occur during learning.”	—Dr. Aaron White, Duke University

A
Monitoring
the hours of 3
when you are not around, either
judgment
Costs
associated
Underag
8	UNDERAGE DRINKING

Alcohol and

The teenage brain is still developing. Alcohol can impair the parts of the brain that control the following:

Motor coordination This includes the ability to talk, drive and process information.

Impulse control Drinking lowers inhibitions and increases the chances that a person will do something they will regret when they are sober.

Memory

Impaired recollection and even blackouts can occur when too much alcohol has been consumed.

Judgment and decision-making capacity
Drinking may lead young people to engage in risky behaviors including getting into a car with someone who has been
drinking. These behaviors can result in illness, injury
and even death.

Risks

drink
with underage ing lcohol use among children

is strongly correlated

with violence, poor	Be aware that studies academic performance             show kids are more at

and other harmful	risk for drinking behaviors. Education alone will not	alcohol between

keep your kids from using alcohol	p.m. and 6 p.m., because there are constant pressures	while many parents

and opportunities to drink.	are still at work.
Further, the areas of the brain that	Find ways to check on your kids

encourage impulsivity and risk-taking	with phone calls, text messaging or develop early in a teen, while the	through a neighbor dropping by.

areas that improve self-control don’t	Visit ParentsEmpowered.org to send develop until the very late teens or                  a text message to your kids.

early twenties. You must stay actively

involved as a parent in bonding with your teen, setting boundaries and

monitoring to help your teen remain alcohol-free.

Drinkinge

Everyone

• Violence
Children who start drinking before age 15 are 12 times more likely to be injured while under the influence of alcohol and 10 times more likely to be in a fight after drinking, compared with those who wait to drink until they are 21.

• School failure Teens who use alcohol have higher rates of academic problems and poor performance than
non-drinkers. Among eighth graders, higher truancy rates are associated with greater rates of alcohol use.

• Promiscuity According to a new study published in the Journal of Alcohol and Drugs, early sipping of alcohol by young students is associated with risky alcohol behaviors when they enter high school. In addition, offering young people just a sip of alcohol may undermine prevention messages focused toward youth.

• Alcohol-Related Crashes
Compared with adults, young people who drink and drive have an
increased risk of alcohol-related crashes because of their relative inexperience behind the wheel and their increased impairment from similar amounts of alcohol.

ALCOHOL POISONING CAN CAUSE DEATH Unlike adults, most kids’ brains haven’t yet developed the internal
“cut-off” switch that makes them go to sleep or pass out from drinking too much alcohol. They can consume dangerous amounts of alcohol before they realize it’s too late. This can result in alcohol
poisoning which can cause dificulty breathing, unconsciousness and death. If a young person ever passes out from drinking, 911 should be called for immediate medical attention.

UNDERAGE DRINKING COSTS EVERYONE • There are approximately 4,300 deaths every year in the US

due to underage drinking.

• The cost of underage drinking in Florida is $3.1 billion. This is attributed to youth violence, trafic crashes and property crimes.
• Local hospitals report approximately 9,700 alcohol-related emergency department visits from July 2013 -June 2014; of these, 12-17 year olds accounted for 323 emergency department visits.

S

UNDERAGE DRINKING

Peers’ influence on alcohol use

tudents with high-refusal-assertiveness skills are less likely to drink underage. Decide on good ways to say “no” and practice them often in role-play situations. Some ideas are:

“No thanks. Drinking is not my thing.”

“No thanks. I need all the brain cells I’ve got.”

“No thanks. I’ve only got one brain. Why would I want to trash it?”

9

Children often think that other people their age are drinking regularly, but most are not.

The single most predictive risk for underage drinking is if your child’s peers drink. Encourage your kids to choose friends
who support your family values and
no-alcohol rules.

If there is alcohol at a party, LEAVE.
Keep your social environment alcohol-free.

The law
Possessing, purchasing or drinking alcohol before age 21 is illegal. The minimum legal drinking age of 21 has saved thousands of lives.

It is illegal for anyone to furnish or supply alcohol to a minor – punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail.

1
2
3
undera
drinking
10	UNDERAGE DRINKING Preventing ge

1-2-3
is as easy as

Start early and stay involved.

Like many parenting skills, monitoring your children’s online activities is easiest when you establish policies and expectations early. Although the tendency is for parents to become less involved as their children age, even older teens need their parents’ help to stay alcohol-free.

Parents: Increase Your Knowledge About Alcohol

View the Parent Program at
http://ecalc.ucfretrolab.org/parent/

BONDING

Developing a strong relationship with your child is important. Research shows that family conflict and a weak parent/child bond increases a child’s risk of drinking underage.
Bonding can be as simple as going out and having fun together, talking about school, and making time each day to listen to your child’s concerns. Studies show that even making the effort to eat dinner as a family five times each week reduces the chance that a child will use alcohol or drugs by as much as 33 percent.

BOUNDARIES

Parental disapproval is the number one reason why teens say they don’t drink. When parents set clear rules about not using alcohol, kids usually follow them.
It’s important, however, that your kids know why you don’t want them to drink. Explain how underage alcohol use can change how their adolescent brains develop—imparing memory and learning capabilities while increasing their risk of addiction. Also, make sure to establish consequences for breaking the rules, and consistently enforce them.

MONITORING

Having friends who drink is the single greatest risk factor for underage alcohol use. As a parent, it’s imperative that you know whom your child is with, where they are, and what they’re doing.
Make it a habit to ask questions as your child leaves the house. Get to know his or her friends, and ensure that alcohol isn’t available to them at your house or their friends’ homes. Checking in with your child can be as easy as sending a text message, and if alcohol shows up at a party or event, being ready to pick your child up.
Don’t forget to monitor your child’s online activities, too. Today, teens spend more time interacting with each other on social media sites like Facebook than they do
talking on the telephone.

11

	
Dinner Time
A perfect moment to talk about alcohol.
An alarming number of pre-teens are drinking alcohol – which makes it urgent to find every opportunity to talk to your kids about the dangers of underage drinking. For tips on how and when to
begin the conversation, visit: www.drugfreecoalition.org

Facts for Drug Quiz	LEARN MORE

Q. In Orange COunty, what perCentage Of hIgh sChOOl students repOrted drInkIng alCOhOl In the past 30-days?
1) 10%	2) 24%	3) 35%	4) 49%	www.drugabuse.gov

Q. In Orange COunty, what perCentage Of

mIddle sChOOl students repOrted drInkIng alCOhOl In the past 30 days?

1) 5%	2) 8%	3) 10%	4) 16%

Q. amOng hIgh sChOOl drInkers, what was the hIghest rated drInkIng lOCatIOn In the past 30 days?

1) Another Person’s Home	2) My Home 3) Restaurant, Bar of Club	4) Car

Q. what perCentage Of mIddle and hIgh sChOOl students thInk It Is wrOng tO drInk alCOhOl On a regular basIs?

1) 50%	2) 63%	3) 76%	4) 80%

CREDITS

This educational section from the Deseret News’ Newspapers in Education program was designed by Lou Ann Reineke with assistance from Steve Wright and Lisa May, R&R Partners. The project was under the direction of Cindy Richards, News-papers in Education director, with special thanks to Doug Murakami, Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control; Craig Povey, Utah Division of Substance Abuse & Mental Health; Verne Larsen, Utah State Ofice of Education/Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Art and Jaynie Brown, Utah Chapter of MADD; and Teri Pectol, Utah Highway Safety Ofice for their sponsorship of this publication. Special credit to Jill Rhead, LDS Hospital, for the use of her medical illustrations on pages 6 and 7. Stock photos by Shutterstock.com and photodisc.