Alcohol use is risky for teens
Alcohol is the most widely used substance by teenagers. While many teens chose not to use alcohol, by the end of high school more than 60% of U.S. children have made the decision to use alcohol at least once (Miech et al., 2021). When it comes to teen alcohol and other drug use, all use equals risk. Adults who care about teen health can play a significant role in protecting students from this risk. In this Prevention Solutions e-journal, we will discuss the information, attitudes, and behaviors adults can harness to keep healthy kids healthy.
Refrain from condoning early, risky alcohol use
It is important to know that, from a health perspective, early alcohol use comes with elevated risks for children and teens. This is why it is healthiest for adults to refrain from condoning early alcohol use by teens.
Know that Teens Who Drink Early Drink at Higher-Risk
Large bodies of compelling research show that drinking alcohol during adolescence increases the likelihood of someone experiencing problems with substance use later in life. For instance, studies conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have shown that the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder increases when use takes place under the age of 21, with that risk increasing more and more the younger a person is when use starts. Other research from Brown University has shown that the risk of drinking heavily during the late teen years is greater for young people who have been permitted to have even a few sips of alcohol by a trusted adult in the early teens.
In our own research, we at Prevention Solutions find that young people who drink at home with a parent or guardian knowing are actually more likely than other students to drink at higher-risk, in heavy volumes (Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, 2020). According to student survey data collected from 39 countries, use at home comes with higher risk for teens around the world – in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, as well as the United States and Asia. Such risky adolescent substance use is a not a phase. Canadian scientists have found that teen binge drinkers are more likely to show persistent alcohol and other drug dependence in adult life when compared to their peers who do not binge drink.
Believe in the Benefits of Non-Use
On the flip side of all this risk, there is no scientific evidence that would recommend alcohol use as beneficial for teens.
Instead, research from the United States, Canada, and the U.K. has found that teens who do not use alcohol early are less likely to become depressed, less likely to develop other mental health problems later on in life, more likely to develop healthy cognitive inhibition and working memories, and of course, much less likely to develop a substance use disorder.
From a health perspective, adults serve their students well when they do not condone or allow their use of alcohol. Research from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has found that adult disapproval of teen use is a key factor in protecting young people from developing problems with alcohol later on. Health-informed attitudes held by healthy adults who care can be what propels the wellbeing of your students and teens as they grow.
Provide teen-friendly alternatives to use
Adults can also help prevent early, risky alcohol use in adolescents by providing alternatives to such use. For example, encourage adolescents to engage in activities such as escape rooms, bowling, paintball, eating at restaurants, and pottery painting. For activities that are free, adolescents can play sports, cook and bake with friends, and picnic in the park.
Be a Facilitator, Not Just a Cheerleader, for Healthy Highs
Help the teens in your life brainstorm their interests and the types of activities in which they would enjoy participating. More than that, help teens identify ways to routinely engage in healthy activities that do not include alcohol or other drug use. Perhaps the teens in your life would like to cook with friends, but they do not have easy access to a kitchen to do so on the weekends. Or, perhaps they cannot find transportation to an escape room or restaurant they would like to try in the city. Adults who care about teen health can commit to linking students not only with ideas about how to stay healthy, but also with the means to make those healthy choices, like providing a ride to the park or giving students the option to use school facilities to cook or bake on a Saturday night.
Help Teens Regulate without Alcohol
Adolescents are more vulnerable to risky substance use because the parts of the brain that are responsible for self-regulation are not fully developed. Adults can play a large role in teaching more vulnerable students alternatives to alcohol use that support these students’ emotional regulation.
Students with less emotion-related self-control are more likely to use alcohol and other drugs, but adults can help them to improve in these areas. For example, adults can teach meditation and breathing exercises. School counselors can implement an open-door policy, so as to welcome open conversation with students about mental health. Adults can also brainstorm hobbies that students can engage in when they are feeling emotionally unstable – options like exercise, journaling, gardening, and gratitude practices. Adolescents can learn to turn to these hobbies instead of relying on substances, which can create enduring and healthy habits for life.
A study on teens in Spain supports the fact that without adult intervention, adolescents can be very likely to adopt risky behaviors from peers. However, you and other adults who care can endorse protective coping behaviors and healthy highs that are alcohol- and other substance-free.
Protections that outweigh risks
Adolescents are more vulnerable than adults to the health risks of alcohol and other drug use. This means that navigating substance use in adolescence can be difficult. However, if adults are supportive of students’ health, they can help teens find alternatives that will delay use, promote health, and set them up for thriving futures.
