This document discusses the risks of underage drinking. It notes that the risk of developing alcohol abuse is 4 times higher for those who begin drinking at age 15 compared to age 21. Each episode of heavy drinking among adolescents can impair brain function and learning for up to 2 weeks. Alcohol use among teens is associated with traffic accidents, suicide, violence and risky sexual behaviors. The document provides information on influences that encourage underage drinking and signs that a teen may have a drinking problem.

1. Dr Amina Khan
Public health LSMU
Kaunas, Lithuania

3.  Teens who begin drinking by age 15 are 4x
more likely to develop alcohol
abuse/dependence than those who wait until
age 21.
 The risk drops for every year that initial
alcohol use is delayed
(40% risk before age 15, 10% risk after age 21)
 With as little as one drink, alcohol impairs
normal brain function in adolescents more
than adults;
 Each episode of heavy drinking among
adolescents and young adults can result in
impaired learning/ memory function for up
to 2 weeks

6.  Alcohol-related traffic crashes are the
leading cause of death and disability
among teenagers
 Alcohol is a major factor in all of the
other leading causes of death and injury
among teenagers – homicide, suicide,
burns, drowning, and falls
 Alcohol use has been strongly linked to
depression, sexually transmitted diseases,
and date rape and other criminal behavior
(both as perpetrator and as victim)

8.  The prevalence of alcohol consumption was found
to occur in 5.7%,of participants, respectively. The
mean age of the participants’ first consumption of
alcohol and was reported to be approximately 16.8
years according to NCBI- National Center for
Biotechnology Information.
 Earlier studies have found alcohol to be one of the
most prevalent substance of use in children and
adolescent.

11.  There are a number of key influences that
encourage teenage drinking. These include:
o wanting to be grown up and imitate adult
behaviour;
o wanting to socialise with friends, wanting
to relax, feel good or seek excitement
peer-group pressure or to fit in to
friendship groups
o wanting to escape from family problems
not feeling very good about oneself
o being influenced by the media to see
drinking as “cool” and as a normal activity.

13.  .................are the world’s heaviest
drinkers and their boozing is showing no signs
of slowing, new data reveals.
 They knocked back, on average, the
equivalent of 18.2 litres of pure alcohol per
person in 2016, up from 14.9 litres more than
a decade ago, according to latest figures
from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
 Source of information:
http://www.euronews.com/2017/05/17/whi
ch-eu-state-is-the-world-s-heaviest-drinking-
country

14.  Abstinence: No use
 Experimental Use: “I heard about it.” “I want to find
out how it feels.” “I want to try it out”
 Social Use: Strictly for social use with friends. Will
drink or use other drugs with friends.
 Regular Use: Continual access to supply. Ritualized.
Routine. Every night at dinner or almost every time
hanging out with friends.
 Problem Use: Begin having problems with school,
work, and/or family resulting from use. Problems with
competence or with meeting challenges.

15.  Mood Swings & Attitude
 New Friends
 Bad Performance in school
 Physical Health
 “Evidence”
 Increased Secrecy
 Little Things - fashion, hairstyle,
breath mints, untidy room
 Overt Signals

18.  School based agenda:
 Developmentally appropriate information about
drugs, including information on the short-term
effects and long-term consequences of their use.
 The development of personal, social, and resistance
skills to help students identify internal pressures
(e.g., anxiety and stress) and external pressures
(e.g., peer pressure and advertising) to use drugs
and to give students the skills to resist these
pressures while maintaining friendships.
 Multiple sessions over several years, particularly
during middle school
 Teacher training and support from program
developers or prevention experts
 Active family and community involvement.

19.  Resolve personal or family issues.
Seek family counselling or psychotherapy for any
family issues about substance abuse, violence,
divorce or illness in your family. Get the help you
need so that you can be sure that your family
unit (and teenager) are mentally healthy.
 Know the science of drugs and alcohol.
Talk about drinking and drugs – not just the
statistics, but the science behind it.
 Know the law.
Research your state’s laws around underage
drinking and drug use.

20.  Don’t Be Afraid to Say No: Sometimes, our fear of negative
reaction from our friends, or others we don’t even know,
keeps us from doing what we know is right. Don’t let
someone else make your decisions for you. If someone is
pressuring you to do something that's not right for you, you
have the right to say no, the right not to give a reason why,
and the right to just walk away.
 Enjoy Life and Do What You Love - Don’t Add Alcohol and
Drugs: Learn how to enjoy life and the people in your life,
without adding alcohol or drugs. Alcohol and drugs can
change who you are, limit your potential and complicate
your life. Too often, “I’m bored” is just an excuse.
 Plan Ahead: As you make plans for the party or going out
with friends you need to plan ahead. You need to protect
yourself and be smart.
 Be a Role Model and Set a Positive Example: Don’t forget,
what you do is more important than what you say!

21.  General:
 Watch for irresponsible merchants and confront
them if they are not carding, or observed selling to
minors, or market alcohol in a way that appeals to
youth
 Support the efforts of school administrators to
enforce school alcohol policies.
 Some young people can experience serious
problems as a result of drinking, including alcohol
use disorder. These problems require intervention
by trained professionals.
 Professional treatment options include: » Seeing a
counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist, or other
trained professional » Participating in outpatient or
inpatient treatment at a substance abuse
treatment facility or other licensed program

22.  Better development of life skills
 Greater communication skills
 Fewer psychosocial problems
 Decreased involvement in risky behaviors,
such as drug use
 Decreased juvenile delinquency and violence
 Decreased risk of dropping out of school
 Increased academic achievement
 Increased safety.