Underage Drinking Facts and Tips for Parents

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1 Underage Drinking Facts and Tips for Parents Officer Michael Markunas Nether Providence Township Police Department A.S.D.S., Y.D.P. Instructor, Delaware County Delaware County Heroin Task Force / N.O.P.E.

2 Overview Why do teens use? Facts Signs of alcohol and drug use? Getting to know your child better Programs and help for the parent of children having substance abuse

3 Why do teens use? Peer Pressure Teen peer pressure often comes from within. They often feel internal pressure to do things that they think their peers are doing. Most kids wildly overestimate the prevalence of alcohol and drug use. Social Just like adults, our children will drink to socialize with their peers. Unfortunately this can be dangerous on numerous levels. Facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state that youth that drink alcohol are more likely to have a higher absence rate and poor or failing grades.

4 Why do teens use? Social There s also a higher percentage that will be involved in fighting and lose interest in youth activities Unwanted, unplanned and, unprotected sexual activity Emotional Use of alcohol in an altered emotional state, (depressed or suffering from a diagnosed mental health issue), can have far reaching and dangerous effects

5 Why do teens use? Emotional Alcohol use can cause or mask emotional problems such as anxiety or depression. It can also increase the severity of these emotional problems.

6 Why do teens use? Transitional Period According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as children move from adolescence to young adulthood, they encounter dramatic physical, emotional and, lifestyle changes. Developmental transitions, such as puberty and increasing independence, have been associated with alcohol use. So, in a sense, just being an adolescent may be a key risk factor not only for those just starting to drink but, develop dangerous drinking habits.

7 FACTS AND TRENDS Smoking Alcohol 3 METHODS 1. Add dry ice to the alcoholic beverage and inhale the vapors as they are released 2. Heat the glass containing the alcoholic beverage. This releases the alcohol vapors into the bottle which subjects subsequently use a straw to inhale the vapors. 3. Pressurize the bottle using a cork and bicycle pump. Once pressurized, cork is rapidly removed. The sudden change in pressure vaporizes the alcohol in the air space of the bottle and the user inhales the vapors.

8 FACTS AND TRENDS People that smoke alcohol do so for different reasons. Lack of caloric values based on the fact that the alcohol is absorbed directly into the bloodstream and not metabolized in the stomach and small intestines. Others do it for the instant high they get. In fact, smoking alcohol is extremely dangerous. When a person inhales alcohol, they are at a greater risk of getting alcohol poisoning and potentially overdosing. Usually, when people drink too much alcohol they tend to vomit, usually preventing alcohol overdose.

9 FACTS AND TRENDS Smoking alcohol causes large amounts of alcohol to be directly absorbed into the bloodstream and move directly to the brain causing alcohol poisoning, (toxicity). Because alcohol depresses normal bodily functions, symptoms of overdose can include: 1. Confusion and stupor 2. Seizures 3. Slow breathing, (less than eight breaths a minute). 4. Irregular breathing, (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths). 5. Blue tinged or pale skin. 6. Low body temperature 7. Unconsciousness, (can t be awakened). 8. Vomiting and inhaling the vomit because of a lack of gag reflex

10 FACTS In 2012 the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 24% of youth aged 12 to 20 years of age drink alcohol. Out of the reported 24%, that same group reported that 15% was involved in binge drinking In 2013, another survey reported that 28% of 8 th graders had tried alcohol. 10% of that group had tried alcohol in the past month

11 FACTS Parents who want to dispel the myth that drugs and alcohol are an adolescent rite of passage can simply cite facts. Many of the current typical teen behavior is actually losing popularity. 71% of teens have tried alcohol by the end of high school, far fewer are drinking to get drunk. In 2010, 27% of students said they got drunk last year. This is down almost 40% from 1997.

12 FACTS Alcohol is the most common gateway drug used by teens According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a gateway drug is defined as: A drug, (as alcohol or marijuana), whose use is thought to lead to the use of and dependence on, a harder drug, (as cocaine or heroin).

13 FACTS 45% of students who begin drinking before the age of 14 become alcohol dependent at some point in their lives as compared to 10% of those who wait until they are 21! The average brain does not fully develop unit the age of 24 Young drinkers, ages 12-14, are more likely to get their alcohol from FAMILY OR HOME!

14 FACTS According to studies done by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, teens who drink with their parents are more likely to: DRINK MORE DRINK MORE ELSEWHERE SCORE HIGHER ON A MEASURE OF PROBLEM DRINKING Set the example and never drink with your child! Enabling your child by letting them drink at an early age is a precursor for possible health, developmental and mental health issues as they get older!

15 Signs of Alcohol Use In addition to the usual signs of intoxication, teens who abuse alcohol will exhibit some of the following signs: Lying or making excuses Breaking curfew Hiding in their room Becoming verbally or physically abusive toward others Mood swings Stealing Poor hygiene

16 Signs of Alcohol Use Frequently feeling ill Changes in sleeping patterns Changes in friends

17 Getting to know your child better Take the time to connect with your child. Dealing with a pre-teen or teenager is often a dance of push-n-pull! Understand that your teen may not want to talk much at all. The more that we understand what our children are going through, the more empathic we can be toward them.

18 Getting to know your child better Don t be afraid to be the bad guy. Your rules and structure give your child a framework for understanding the world, even if they protest. Talk to them a child wants to know what their parents think and how they make decisions Punish the child Teens who break rules typically wait to see what happens. If there are no consequences, the rules don t matter! Limit overnight visits Not having to go home can be too much freedom to handle. Wait up for us Knowing they have to face mom or dad, or both, in a few hours makes most teens think twice about the shape they ll be in when they get home!

19 Getting to know your child better Encourage your child s opinions. Raise your child to have opinions, even if they drive you mad. Over time it will allow them to understand that they re not always right! Encourage your child to strive to be the best they can be, no matter what the outcome may be. Give them the understanding that they are important and always will be! Always be there for them! We all live busy lives. Take the time to speak with your child every day even if it s for a short time. Let them know you re interested in their lives and always will be!

20 Programs and help for the parent of children having substance abuse

21 Programs and help for the parent of children having substance abuse REHAB AFTER WORK - MEDIA OFFICE 107 CHESLEY DRIVE, UNIT #5 MEDIA, PA (610) FACILITY DIRECTOR: DAN RODGERS FACILITY NUMBER: MIRMONT TREATMENT CENTER 100 YEARSLEY MILL ROAD LIMA, PA (484) FACILITY DIRECTOR: THOMAS CAIN FACILITY NUMBER:

22 Programs and help for the parent of children having substance abuse Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems Prevention/Education Dept. 126 E. Baltimore Ave. Media, PA Phone: Fax:

23 Programs and help for the parent of children having substance abuse National Capitol Poison Control Center WEBSITE: OR webpoisoncontrol CALL 911!

24 THANK YOU! Officer Michael Markunas Patrol Division 214 Sykes Lane Wallingford Pa WORK: (610) FAX: (610)

Link: http://www.drugpolicy.org/departments-and-state-offices/new-york/implementing-new-yorks- 911-good-samaritan-law

Link: http://www.drugpolicy.org/departments-and-state-offices/new-york/implementing-new-yorks- 911-good-samaritan-law The City College of New York Medical Amnesty/Good Samaritan Policy What is Medical Amnesty? The Medical Amnesty/Good Samaritan Policy of The City College of New York is available to all CCNY students and