Stamp out teen drinking

There is an endless list of reasons teens shouldn't consume alcoholic beverages. For one, it's illegal. It impairs judgment and contributes to automobile crashes. More importantly, people who start drinking at an early age face enormous risks of becoming alcoholics.

A new national survey of more than 43,000 Americans found that 47 percent of people who start drinking alcohol before the age of 14 become alcohol dependent at some point in their lives. Among people who wait until age 21 to drink alcohol, just 9 percent become dependent, according to the study, published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The correlation held even when adjusted for genetic risk for alcoholism.

This growing body of research should embolden the efforts of parents, law enforcement, substance abuse-prevention agencies and others who work with youths. According to a growing body of research, the consequences of teen drinking extend well into adulthood. Children, pre-teens and teenagers need to be taught about these risks.

Teenage drinking is no longer just a moral debate. Research in animals suggests that alcohol causes more damage to the developing brains of teenagers than was previously thought. It injures teen brains significantly more than adult brains. Although the research did not drive changes in state laws that require that alcohol purchasers and consumers be 21 years old, the policy is backed by sound science.

In Utah, many people do not drink alcohol because of their religious beliefs. Others shun alcohol for health reasons or they strictly limit how much they consume. Most adults clearly understand the consequences of their choices.

Teens, particularly those who are vulnerable to peer pressure or simply want to experiment, may consume alcohol without fully understanding how it will affect them. There are short-term consequences such as intoxication, lapses in judgment and getting behind the wheel of a car while impaired. Few, if any, teen drinkers comprehend the long-range outcomes, such as a significantly greater propensity for alcohol dependency and perhaps even cellular damage to the brain, which has been documented in animal studies.

Families and others who work with youths must commit to educating them about the risks of drinking alcohol, which are more profound than originally thought. Teen drinking is not a right of passage. It is a public-health issue and should be treated accordingly.