Unsuspected influence on teenage alcohol consumption

Ask a parent whom they believe that largest source of peer pressure on the teen comes from and you will find they place the blame on best friends and girlfriends or boyfriends.  In an article recently posted in the Los Angeles time, research shows that another group of people have a larger impact on the likelihood of a teen consuming alcohol.


The best friends of a teens significant other is shown to be the biggest influence in a teens alcohol consumption according to a study done by the American Sociological Review.

"A friend's recent history of binge drinking increased a child's likelihood of doing the same (over and above his or her established drinking patterns) by 30%. And romantic partners mattered too: If the guy or girl  your kid likes has recently gotten blasted, your kid was 32% more likely than he or she already was to binge-drink too."

While this article was printed in the L.A. it holds truth to teen parents across the country.  It challenges the typical point of view parents hold about their teenagers friends and encourages them to turn their eyes to another source of influence.

Responsible drinking habits start young

In an article written by Dwight Heath in a 2008 issues of The MetroWest Daily News, Heath addresses the issue of underage drinking in America and challenges the public to take a different approach in alcohol education.  He puts alcohol education in the hands of the parents and encourages them to approach drinking as it in in others countries.

The zero-tolerance, abstinence-only approach used in America is an unrealistic form of alcohol education and has not produced affective results in responsible drinking habits among young adults.  Heath uses the drinking habits of the French culture to support his argument against the zero-tolerance approach.  He presents evidence that children growing up in a family where alcohol is approached in a "in moderation" manner encourages more responsible drinking habits.

"A study at the University of North Carolina found that kids who drank with their parents were about half as likely to say they had drunk alcohol in the past month and one-third as likely to say they had had five or more consecutive drinks in the previous two weeks."

While this article was printed in Massachusetts, it is a social issue relevant to Columbia, SC.  In a college town constantly battling underage drinking, one must wonder how the situation would be different had students grown up in a culture like that in France.  It is clear the current national opinion on alcohol education is not producing positive result.  It is time to put the power in the hands of the parents and stop approaching alcohol as a forbidden drink, but something to be educated on and handled responsibly.

Link to article: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinion/x1172558592/Heath-Start-early-to-teach-your-children-to-drink-responsibly