Underage drinking still a problem

Parents need to support two Lorain County groups that want to stop, or at least curtail, underage drinking, of particular concern when so many families are hosting graduation parties.

Communities That Care of Lorain County and the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Lorain County have teamed up to bring the Parents Who Host, Lose the Most campaign to Lorain County.

Parents Who Host, Lose The Most is a public awareness initiative to educate communities and parents about the health and safety risks of serving alcohol at teen parties.

Elaine Georgas, executive director of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Lorain County, said alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth.

Georgas said the parent campaign is designed to elevate the knowledge of underage drinking and what they can do to help young people to not have access to alcohol.

The parent campaign is taking place at state and local levels, concentrating on celebratory times for youth such as homecomings, holidays, proms, graduations and other times when underage drinking parties are prevalent.

It is comprised of multiple strategies including yard sign distribution, pizza box sticker distribution, distributing to schools and to the media.

While underage drinking is against the law, young people and parents need to understand the dangers of underage drinking.

People younger than age 21 in Ohio are prohibited from possessing and consuming alcohol. However, children younger than 21 may drink alcoholic beverages while under the parents’ supervision.

According to a study by Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, alcohol consumption by adolescents can result in brain damage – possibly permanent – and impairs intellectual development.

Tim Williams, coordinator for Communities That Care of Lorain County, said alcohol consumption with teens can impair judgement, meaning it can lead to poor decisions about engaging in risky behavior.

Williams said, “Teens, beginning around 13, are prone to taking risks and then it increases as they get older. They are taking other risky behaviors, and when you add alcohol, it becomes more risky. For example, take driving, which is already a risky behavior and add alcohol, and now you have gone from risky to fatal.”

Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs and safety for AAA East Central, issued a news release June 1 stating teen driving is risky business, and the agency urges parents to get actively involved in their children’s learning to drive process.

Podguski said parents should model good behavior while driving and talk to their teens about distractions, speeding and wearing a safety belt.

Obviously, alcohol is another distraction.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s, fatal teen crashes are on the rise.

The number of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes increased more than 10 percent from the previous year, according to the Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 2015 crash data, the latest data available.

To reverse this alarming trend, AAA urges parents to help reduce the number of deadly crashes on the road by getting more involved and talking to their teens about the dangers of risky behavior behind the wheels such as distractions, not buckling up and speeding.

Other risky behaviors where alcohol consumption is involved include sexual activity and aggressive or violent behavior.

Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board is working with local law enforcement to do alcohol compliance checks at businesses that sell alcohol.

Williams said during the 2016 program in partnership with six Lorain County law enforcement departments, there were 134 attempts to purchase alcohol by minors yielding 17 violations.

Lorain County is in about the 85 percent range of good compliance with merchants that sell alcohol responding reasonably and responsibly.

Williams pointed out that although most merchants are complying with state laws, teens are still getting alcohol.

According to Parents Who Host, Lose the Most campaign, a survey showed that 29 percent of parents and teens know of parents who host teen alcohol parties.

That’s too many parties, and quite frankly, it’s disturbing.

Parents must pledge to not provide alcohol to minors, now and as long as it’s against the law.

It’s about keeping young people safe.