Keep alcohol from teens

Brain imaging tells the story of alcohol's effect on developing minds. Simply put, it kills brain cells. Ergo, young people shouldn't consume alcohol.

They shouldn't because it is against the law to possess and consume alcoholic beverages until one is 21. They shouldn't because teens, statistically speaking, are among the worst drivers on the road to begin with. Add alcohol to their inexperience and it's an especially deadly combination.

Some families have strict house rules prohibiting underage drinking and drug use. But others espouse a more liberal attitude. According to the Century Council, a nonprofit organization funded by alcohol distillers, 17 percent of adults believe it is acceptable for parents to provide alcohol to their teenagers in their own homes.

Parents need to adopt the same sensibility about alcohol as they would tobacco. Would these same parents buy cigarettes for their children to smoke at home? Most would not because the health risks of smoking are well documented and understood.

More and more has been learned about the health risks of underage drinking — how it affects the brain; how it renders youths more prone to alcoholism and how it endangers them, passengers in their vehicles and other motorists. Parents need to be gatekeepers, not party facilitators.

There's nothing "cool" about parents or other adults who provide alcohol to their children or purchase it on their behalf. It's illegal, it places young people at risk and it exposes the purchaser to civil liabilities.

If a parent has to resort to purchasing alcohol for his or her children so they appear to be "hip," there's something seriously wrong with their parenting dynamic. As Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff reminded parents during a recent press conference on keeping teens sober, "Parents, your children will listen to you. You are the biggest influence in their lives."

In case parents need a reminder, Utah law enforcers and the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control has kicked off a campaign to prevent underage drinking this holiday season. The campaign, underwritten by the Century Council, includes a television spot that will run nationwide, as well as signs that say, "We Don't Serve Teens," which will be posted at all liquor stores in the state. These reminders are intended to target teens as well as adults who might buy or otherwise serve alcohol to teens.

The truth is, when young people are pressured to drink alcohol or use drugs, firm parental limits help them to say "No." Setting and enforcing limits are the very foundation of good parenting. It's not hip, but it's a parental responsibility.