Youth who consume alcohol face unique dangers because of their undeveloped brains and the loosening of inhibitions that can lead to more dangerous experimentation with drugs. Alcohol is the most used substance by adolescents. In a 2023 SAMSHA study, nearly 15 percent of teens ages 12 to 20 reported using alcohol in the past month. Just over 13 percent reported using tobacco or nicotine vaping products, with just over 11 percent using marijuana.
The age of first use is critical because nine out of 10 people with substance use issues started using before the age of 18, according to the SAMHSA 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Youth. Youths who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely to develop an addiction. Disturbingly, 91 percent of alcoholic beverages consumed by youths (ages 12 to 20) are consumed by those engaging in binge drinking.
Because of their age and continuing brain development, youths have an increased sensitivity to the rewarding effects of alcohol and have decreased sedative and hangover effects. Because the negative alcohol effects are decreased, teens are significantly at risk of alcohol poisoning and death.
Some alcohol brands intentionally retail and market their products to target youth, associating drinking with good times with friends, popular cultural characters, and youth-appealing themes.
Advertising that is appealing to teens also increases youths’ consumption of those products. Popular soft drink companies, including Mountain Dew, Coca-Cola, Arizona, and Simply, are now also creating alcoholic versions of their products with cans that are very similar to the non-alcoholic version.
The SAMSHA study indicated that just over 84 percent of adolescents ages 15 to 17 who reported drinking in the past month got their alcohol for free the last time they drank.
Many campaigns encourages parents to talk to their children about the dangers of underage drinking because they have the most critical role in shaping the habits of the children in their care. Research indicates that talking to teens about underage drinking, discouraging the behavior, and taking actions to prevent access to alcohol are the biggest factors in whether or not the teen will use alcohol before age 21.
Securing the alcohol at home is very important to limit access. Parents can lock up the area where alcohol is kept and keep track of the alcohol that is purchased. They should store alcohol in places that are not seen by or accessible to children or teens.
The campaign (talkituplockitup.org) also suggests keeping no more beer in the refrigerator than is consumed by the parent in one sitting to limit teen access. Research indicates that scare tactics that focus on exaggerated dangers and dramatize the effects of substance use do not work.
Resistance or abstinence based programs have also not proven very effective unless the programs also deliver education, protective skills-based strategies, or skill building. One time events that target youth may capture the attention in the moment but do not lead to long-term behavioral change.
Focusing on the long-term consequences of alcohol or drug use is also less effective because teens do not think long term. Focusing on more immediate outcomes such as poor relationships or academic or sports challenges because of alcohol or drug use is more impactful to teens.
Instead, comprehensive skill-building programs that focus on learning skills such as self-regulation and social resilience are important. Skills that target risk-taking and protective factors in multiple sessions also allow for more practice and skill development in avoiding alcohol and substance use.
Multi-session family-based programs that emphasize the importance of caregivers and their influence on children’s substance use are also effective. These programs work to modify and manage the emotions and behaviors within the family to improve their interactions and develop positive parental monitoring.
The family support programs also help everyone develop problems-solving skills that build the family support structure and lower the risk of adolescence substance misuse. School intervention programs can help provide students with the knowledge, skills, motivation, and opportunities to help them remain alcohol-free.
