Although alcohol is the most commonly used substance among youth year-round, graduation season celebrations offer additional occasions for underage drinking. According to the 2015 Monitoring the Future survey, 64% of 12th grade students have consumed alcohol in their lifetime, and 35% have consumed it within the past 30 days. Many youth engage in binge drinking, which equates to about 4 or more drinks for women or 5 or more drinks for men, within a single occasion.
But not all drinks are created equal. In the U.S., a standard drink is considered 12 ounces of beer (5% alcohol content), 8 ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content), 5 ounces of wine (12% alcohol content), or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits or liquor (40% alcohol content). These beverages are all different sizes and contain varying percentages of alcohol. So if a youth drinks two, 40 ounce cans of beer, it is the equivalent of drinking over six and a half beers!
Drinking alcohol in excess has some very dangerous short-term and long-term health impacts.
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Short-Term Risks > Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns > Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence > Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels > Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV > Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) among pregnant women |
Long-Term Risks > High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems > Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon > Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance > Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety > Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment > Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism |
While alcohol may seem part of the celebrations, it should be kept away from underage youth and their still developing brains. Before your teen heads to a graduation party, make sure to have a conversation with them about the health effects of drinking. Let them know you will come and get them if they are placed in any kind of uncomfortable situation, including if they are asked to get in the car with someone who has been drinking.
