JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Teen vaping continues to be an epidemic, but according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, alcohol is still the most common substance used by teenagers.
So don't let it fall off the radar with your kids.
Growing evidence shows how alcohol affects teens' brain development and function, the AAP says.
The good news is teens are drinking less since the 1990s. Last year, more than 36% of students surveyed in eighth, 10th and 12th grades reported using alcohol within the year before being surveyed, according to the 2018 Monitoring the Future Study by the National Institute of Drug Abuse and University of Michigan. In 1997, that number was 61%.
But that's still more than a third of students in that age group who consume alcohol.
Doctors stress that teen years are a critical time for brain growth and alcohol can pave the way for addiction when the brain is still maturing.
The AAP wants pediatricians to screen for alcohol use and educate teens and families on the risks, consequences and potential interventions. The AAP also urges parents to talk with their teens about the risks and set firm rules against its use.
Other recommendations that engage the entire community and lawmakers include:
- Send a clear message against the use of alcohol under age 21.
- Advocate for higher taxes on alcohol products.
- Support strengthening graduated driver licensing programs, as these laws indirectly affect drinking and driving by restricting nighttime driving.
- Advocate for more research on the impact of alcohol use on the developing brain.
- Require schools to screen for underage alcohol use.
- Ban the sale and distribution of powdered alcohol.
The AAP says motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens and young adults, and alcohol plays a major role in many of those crashes. That is certainly something to consider in the heat of the summer when children are idle.