Most people at some point in their lives discover someone they love or work with has a problem with alcohol or drugs. Public health experts estimate 1 in 10 people has a substance abuse problem, so it is unlikely you will never meet someone who needs addiction treatment.

The biggest obstacle to addiction treatment is denial. Any attempt to address substance abuse behavior is often met with outright hostility – how dare you suggest such a thing. This attitude is encouraged by a number of factors: as a society we still incorrectly look at addiction as a moral failing and the addict who is confronted about their problem feels threatened. What would they do if they didn’t have their drink or drug of choice? How could they handle life? You are, in effect, threatening their very ability to survive in their eyes.

The point is you can rarely just ask someone if they have a problem with alcohol or drugs and get a straight answer. Most likely, you will have to do a little detective work and figure out on your own if that person needs an addiction intervention.

Here are 10 tell-tale signs that someone you know needs an addiction intervention.

1. Tolerance

They need a lot more alcohol or prescription pain medication, whatever their substance of choice, to get the effect they are seeking. You might notice they are filling a prescription more often, or buying an extra case of beer more often. This is because as an addiction escalates, tolerance develops, and the body requires more of the drug just to feel “normal.”

2. Deceptive Behavior

The addict will try to disguise their behavior. They might do this by hiding bottles of alcohol, showing up at events already intoxicated so they don’t appear to drink too much in public, or hiding opiate prescription medications in unmarked bottles so you can’t identify them as addictive substances.

3. From Clean and Sharp to Just-Rolled-Out-of-Bed

The addict’s appearance deteriorates. An addict has one goal each day: get the alcohol or drug they need. As this need becomes more pressing, other needs get left by the wayside. Their clothes may appear disheveled or they may shave less often; they might appear tired and haggard much of the time. Women will often try to disguise this with more makeup. Remember, however, an alcoholic or addict will put enormous effort into hiding their problem, so a decline in appearance may not occur until the later stages of addiction.

4. Forgetting What They Did or Said

It is common for heavy substance abusers to experience black outs or brown outs. These are periods of time that the alcoholic or addict cannot recall. They might have hazy recall or no recall at all of events that occurred when they were intoxicated. You might remark on something they said or did at a party, and they look utterly baffled. This is a sign of serious substance abuse, especially if it occurs more than once or twice.

5. Financial Woes

They are having money problems that can’t be explained. Addicts can be pretty adept at manipulating others to feed their addiction, but eventually the cost of substance abuse catches up to them and they can no longer hide dire financial straits. If someone is wealthy, this sign can take a lot time to show up, which may mean their addiction can progress to a much more serious stage before they feel financial pressure to find a solution.

6. Risky Behavior or Just Clumsy

They experience an unusual number of accidents and injuries. Or they may miss the accident, but end up with a DUI. If your friend gets one DUI, that’s a problem; two DUIs indicates a much bigger problem. Generally, normal drinkers get the message with one mistake. Those who get repeated DUIs get them because they cannot stop themselves from drinking; once they have that first drink, they lose the ability to control their intake. For prescription drug addicts, they may have real injuries, or they may begin to “manufacture” pain to get more medication. As addiction progresses, the addict has less regard for their physical health. They may become more accident prone and show signs such as bruises or unexplained injuries.

7. Moody and Unpredictable

They exhibit irrational behavior and mood swings. Being around an addict can be like riding a roller coaster. They will often overreact, particularly to even the slightest mention of their drinking or drug use. You never know if they will be angry, depressed, happy, elated, miserable, hostile…the list goes on. Often their mood is determined by when they last used, how much they used, if they are in withdrawal, or if they are nursing a hangover. Once the addiction has a total grip on a person, their mood is determined by the availability of their drug of choice, sufficient opportunities to use it, and how adeptly they maintain sufficient intoxication to avoid withdrawal symptoms – it becomes a tougher game to play as time goes on.

8. From Responsible to Just Getting By

Previously responsible people are now late to work, sleeping too much, or grades are slipping. Usually if you have known a person for a while, you will recognize certain baseline behaviors. This person is very responsible, rarely calls in sick to work, or always does pretty well in school. If you do know this baseline, changes in behavior can be pretty striking. Someone who prides himself on never calling in sick to work, starts calling in on a regular basis, or worse, goes to work anyway and gets sent home. The young adult who was always a straight-A student has now dropped one class and barely passed two others. Your spouse falls asleep at 9 pm and it would take an atom bomb to wake him – he never used to sleep so heavily.

9. Isolating Themselves

They start to isolate, preferring to be alone at home. Does your friend or loved one avoid doing things they used to love, particularly things that involve other people? Isolating is a common behavior as addiction progresses. They may only want to be around others who drink the way they do, so they narrow their social circle to other substance abusers, or they may have found it’s just easier to get the level of intoxication they want by staying home and taking care of business. Other people just get in the way.

10. Worsening Mental Health Problems

Mental health issues that were once mild are getting much worse. Maybe they always got a little down, or had some mild anxiety, but as the addiction progresses, mental health issues often get magnified. Depression may deepen dramatically, or the anxious person might start having panic attacks or develop phobias or paranoid behavior. Alcohol and drugs are often ways of self-medicating for real emotional or psychological issues, but they are a poor solution and usually serve only to exacerbate underlying mental health issues.

The abuse of dextromethorphan—a cough suppressant ingredient in more than 140 over-the-counter cold- and cough-medications—has nearly doubled among adolescents in the past few years. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), 12,584 emergency department visits involved DXM use in 2004, of which 5,581 visits were caused by nonmedical use of the substance. From these cases, 48% involved adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20. SAMHSA estimates that an average of 7.1 emergency department visits per 100,000 caused by the nonmedical use of DXM involve patients between 12 and 20 years of age. In comparison, the rate of DXM misuse among Americans of other age groups will cause an average of 2.6 emergency department visits per 100,000.

For that same year, the FDA estimates that 4,634 emergency department visits involved DXM overdose; by 2008, this figure had risen to 7,988 cases of overdose. In 2008, SAMHSA found that almost 1 million Americans between the ages of 12 to 25 had misused DXM that year: 30.5% had abused NyQuil, 18.1% had abused Coricidin, and 17.8% had abused Robitussin. Approximately 3.1 million Americans ages 12–25 have abused over-the-counter medications at some point during their lifetime. Over a third of DXM overdose cases among older adolescents also involve alcohol.

In light of these figures, the FDA’s Advisory Committee issued its first public warning regarding adolescents’ abuse of DXM, also known as "robo-tripping," by 2005. As of today, the incidences of DXM abuse and overdose have continued to escalate. In their upcoming meeting, the FDA will determine whether it should implement restrictions on the sale of over-the-counter medications containing DXM. The Advisory Committee will consider reclassifying DXM products as a controlled substance, making these medications available by prescription only. Most manufacturers of the over-the-counter medications disagree with this movement, suggesting that the restrictions will impede upon the public’s right to use DXM products, which when taken in regular dosages is quite safe. Some experts suggest restricting the sale of these products to minors to combat their misuse among adolescents, while still making them accessible to adults. Furthermore, parents should be better informed of DXM’s potential for abuse when they make their purchases.

The rate of DXM abuse among adolescents and young adults now greatly exceeds their rate of methamphetamine abuse. SAMHSA has found that adolescents who abuse DXM also have a high tendency to regularly abuse other substances, including marijuana (89.1%), hallucinogens like LSD, PCP, or ecstasy (44.2%), and inhalants (49.3%). When taken in large quantities that exceed normal dosage, DXM can produce euphoria, heightened awareness, dissociative experiences, and hallucinations, similar to PCP or ketamine abuse. When overdose occurs, DXM can cause severe adverse effects including loss of physical coordination, severe abdominal pain, nausea/vomiting, blurred vision, violent uncontrolled muscle spasms, delirium, heart arrhythmia, and death.

Source: Los Angeles Times, FDA weighs how to stop abuse of over-the-counter cough and cold drugs, August 31, 2010

Operating an ignition interlock device is fairly simple (as it must be for intoxicated individuals to effectively use it). Prior to starting the car, the driver must blow into a tube so the IID can measure the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC). The device will only allow the engine to start and, thus, the car to be driven, if the driver’s BAC is under the legal limit.

Most states in the US now require certain individuals who have been convicted of DUI to have the device installed in some or all cars that they drive. The IID has been effective at reducing the number of repeat DUI convictions for drivers who have had an IID installed in the car. However, because the IID is installed only after the first DUI (or second or third in some states), the device does little to prevent first-time drunk driving offenses.

While an IID is typically only installed in vehicle by court order in a DUI case, studies suggest that almost 10,000 deaths could be prevented if IIDs were installed in all cars.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sponsoring a $10 million study aimed at developing a new generation of IID that would analyze the blood alcohol content of a car’s potential driver automatically or after the driver touched a button, eliminating the need for the driver to actually blow into a device. Qineti North America of Waltham, Massachusetts is the defense department contractor that is testing the new-generation IID in a five-year study slated to end in 2013. The US Congress is currently evaluating whether an additional $10 million should be earmarked for the study.

Both the NHTSA and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety (ACTS) hope that, like seat belts and air bags, the IID will eventually become a required safety device in passenger vehicles. It is estimated that seat belts save approximately 15,000 lives each year.

Those opposed to mandatory IID installation in newly manufactured cars argue that the devices will impinge upon personal freedom and add to the cost of purchasing and taking care of a car. In addition, malfunctioning devices will likely frustrate and anger those who are sober, yet miss an important appointment or are stranded at the mall because the car won’t start. Opponents feel that the money would be better spent educating the public about the dangers of drunk driving.
However, those who advocate for the elimination of drunk driving suspect that many will gladly pay extra for installation of the safety device, especially parents of teen drivers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is particularly vocal about mandating that the IID be installed in all motor vehicles. Given that roughly one-third of all highway fatalities are alcohol-related, MADD realizes that thirty years of DUI “education” has clearly failed to address the problem and more radical steps need to be taken to stop drunk driving.

Officials at QinetiQ understand that many US drivers will balk at having to blow into the IID each and every time they start their car, and thus, feel the device would be more willingly accepted by the general public if the driver does not have to be involved in the operation of the IID.

QinetiQ is currently testing two breath-based versions of the IID for possible wide-scale deployment – one is made in Canada and the other is made in Sweden. Both take measurements of the amount of ethanol in the driver’s breath and use it to calculate his or her blood alcohol content (BAC). The goal, for either product, is to reduce the size of the actual device to that of a cell phone for installation behind the dashboard. Both products have the ability to obtain the breath sample through a tiny hole in the vehicle’s dash, similar in size to the hole used to connect an iPod to the car’s audio system. Provided the driver passes the breath test, he or she would not even be aware that the testing had taken place. Another viable candidate for IID testing is made by TruTouch Technologies in New Mexico; this device uses a sensor and infrared light to detect alcohol through the skin. Ideally, the functions of both the breath-based and skin-based versions would be combined to produce the most robust IID.

Obviously, a major factor in the design of the device will be how to account for the BAC levels of passengers in the car or alcohol residue left on clothing or shoes after a spill. QinetiQ is also attempting to figure out how the human body metabolizes alcohol at various weights; they are currently paying research volunteers to binge drink (nine shots of vodka in twenty minutes) while watching TV in the company lab. Doctors collect blood samples at various intervals during the session.

Maybe now is the right time to hire an interventionist to get your loved one into treatment.

There are other scenarios as well. See if your situation mirrors one of them:

• Elder parent abusing/dependent on painkillers. – Sometimes it’s not the family members residing in our own homes that are the problem. It may be Mom or Dad, getting on in years, often suffering age-related infirmities or battling with a medical condition. What may have begun as simply taking medication to alleviate pain could morph into a dependence on painkillers. Some older adults suffer from early Alzheimer’s disease and forget what medication they’ve taken and when. They may mix up medications, be unable to read the labels clearly, or otherwise become confused about what they’re taking.

Other times, our parents may continue to consume alcohol after they’ve taken their meds. They may not pay attention to or give it much thought that alcohol and medications are a dangerous mix. It’s also dangerous to take too much medication too frequently.

When you notice your parents seem less attentive than normal, are unable to function in everyday activities, their cognitive functioning seems impaired – and you question them about their medications, you may run up against a wall of self-defense, denial, or indignation. Our parents, who nurtured us and cared for us, don’t want to be seen as less than self-sufficient. They really don’t want their children telling them what to do. The truth is, however, that many of them become so dependent on their habit that they no longer have control over it.

An interventionist may be the right way to go to convince the parent to go into treatment.

• Spouse arrested for multiple DUIs, loses job, and suffers financial losses. – When it comes to problems resulting from alcohol or drug abuse or dependence, either spouse (or both) could be spiraling out of control. Addiction knows no boundaries and affects men and women, young and old, rich and poor, all ethnic backgrounds, religious or social affiliations.

When the negative consequences seriously jeopardize the family unit – such as multiple arrests for DUIs, loss of employment or demotion, financial insolvency or difficulty paying for the mortgage, utilities, food and basic necessities – it may be the appropriate time to consider hiring an interventionist to bring about the necessary change: to get the spouse into treatment.

• Co-worker or friend is going downhill fast. – Intervention is also initiated by close friends and co-workers who, along with concerned family members, want to do whatever it takes to halt the precipitous slide of the person with alcohol and/or drug problems, possibly compounded by process disorder such as compulsive gambling, work, sex, eating, or spending. It often takes this coordinated group effort – family members and close friends, co-workers and/or employer – along with the professional interventionist, to bring about the individual’s awareness and acknowledgement of the problem in order to get him or her to accept going into treatment.

There are certainly other scenarios that play out in society. This is not meant to be all-inclusive, just thought-provoking. The point is that it doesn’t matter what your circumstances are, if your loved one, close friend, or co-worker – in other words, someone you care about – is experiencing mounting negative consequences as a result of abuse or dependence on substances or addictive behavior, something has to be done.

• Child failing in school, getting into constant trouble, deep into alcohol and/or drugs. – Adolescent and teenage years are filled with opportunities and challenges, some of which result in experimentation with alcohol and/or drugs. It could be intense peer pressure, a desire to fit in with the gang, to be considered cool, or to escape pressure, keep up with a heavy school workload, or numb out and avoid thinking about things that are unpleasant or unacceptable. There are many reasons why our children try substances to begin with, and not every adolescent or teen that does so goes on to abuse them or become dependent. But many do. And their lives can quickly spiral out of control as a result. Typical signs of substance abuse and dependence include failing grades, disciplinary problems at school and home, stealing, lying, getting into trouble with police, fights, change in appearance, wild and erratic mood swings, and many others.
Many parents facing such a situation believe that grounding their child or taking away privileges is enough to stop substance use. For some, it may be. But for adolescents and teens who may have underlying issues they’re not dealing with, including depression, anxiety, sense of worthlessness or low self-esteem, among others, using drugs and/or alcohol is their only means of coping. Research shows that the earlier a child begins to use alcohol, especially before the age of 14, the more likely it is that he or she will develop problems with alcohol in adulthood.

Experimentation by adolescents often begins with inhalants. They’re cheap, easier to obtain, and give a high that quickly becomes addicting. Alcohol may be the next drug of choice. Again, it’s easy enough to either persuade an older sibling or adult to buy the booze, or to filch it from the home. Binge drinking parties, so common on college campuses, are also fairly widespread among high school youths. Studies of long-term alcoholics reveal that most began drinking early – in their beginning teens, if not before.

By the time alcohol consumption reaches abuse level, there may be other drugs in play as well. Ecstasy, cocaine, crystal meth, and prescription drugs used nonmedically, even black tar heroin – all can wreak havoc on the lives of our children.
What can parents do? Hire an interventionist to get the child into treatment.

Intervention is Just the Beginning

Obviously, the intervention serves a single purpose: to get your loved one into treatment. But it’s only the first step in a journey to recovery. Without treatment, many addicts will never give up their drug of choice. They will continue to go downhill. The debilitating consequences may be gradual or occur rapidly, but they will inevitably coalesce.

Think of intervention this way: it’s a forced wake-up call. The addict will never choose to have an intervention. That’s why some minor subterfuge is involved in getting the person to the location where the intervention is held. It may be that the individual thinks he or she is just meeting friends, or planning for a party, or some other semi-valid excuse. Otherwise, they’d never show up.

And interventions aren’t a piece of cake. Family members, close friends and others who agree to participate have to first go to a pre-meeting where the specifics of how the intervention will take place are explained by the interventionist. A time, date and place are scheduled. Each participant practices what he or she will say to the loved one/friend/co-worker about how that individual’s addiction has affected them, ending with a plea to accept and go into treatment.

Interventions are an intense emotional experience for all concerned. There may be tears, threats, arguments, resistance, denial – the loved one may even walk out of the room. But the alternative of doing nothing is not a viable option. Despite the difficulties, the objections, the perceived hardship or rationalization of why he or she can’t possibly go into treatment, many times the desired objective is achieved: the person does go into treatment.

Family members often go into family therapy at the same time as the loved one. That’s because they need to learn more about the disease of addiction and how the things they say or do need to change upon the loved one’s return home after completion of treatment. It can’t just be status quo. Recovery requires ongoing support and encouragement and the family unit is one of the most important parts of that support network.

When is it a good time to hire an interventionist to get your loved one into treatment? Maybe now is the time to seriously consider it. Ask yourself one question: Are you willing to do what it takes to give your loved one the opportunity to get on the road to recovery? If you answer in the affirmative – and you know that your loved one won’t go into treatment on his or her own, even with ultimatums family members deliver independently – you’re in the right mindset to consider hiring an interventionist.

Remember, you have to be firm and keep the end goal in mind: recovery. While the addict ultimately has to want to overcome his or her addiction, treatment doesn’t have to be voluntary to be effective. The individual will learn about the disease of addiction, regardless of whether or not treatment was voluntary. And he or she may very well decide that it’s in their best interest to move past dependence on substances and toward a life that’s drug- and alcohol-free. Many do. Perhaps your loved one will be one of them.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and led by Dr. Patricia Conrod, looked at 2,506 adolescents with a mean age of about 14, and asked questions that assess risks for substance abuse with regards to impulsive behavior, sensitivity to anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and sensation seeking. Of the students, 1, 159 were identified as being at high risk for substance abuse. Of these students, 624 went through an intervention, and 384 did not receive an intervention.

The interventions were two 90-minute group sessions that were held by education professionals who underwent a rigorous 3-day workshop and supervision. Although the interventions, called the Adventure Trial, are designed to analyze mental health symptoms, academic achievement, and substance abuse over a two-year period, the authors focused on six-month outcomes of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems.

Study author and trial coordinator Maeve O’Leary-Barrett said that the interventions significantly decreased the risk of drinking alcohol after six months. Those who didn’t receive the interventions were 1.7 times more likely to drink alcohol than those who received the intervention.

Those who received the interventions also reported lower binge-drinking rates among those who initially reported alcohol use. Compared with those who didn’t receive the interventions, participants were 55% less likely to binge drink after six months. Those who were at high risk for substance abuse reported less alcohol use and fewer alcohol-related problems compared to those who didn’t receive interventions.

The authors conclude that their study suggests that school-based interventions may help youth who are at risk for substance abuse. This study is the first to look at the efficiency of personality-targeted interventions delivered by teachers.

Source: Science Daily, School-Based Intervention Successfully Lowers Drinking Rates in at Risk Children, August 30, 2010

A recent report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) examined the demographics of substance abuse treatment admissions by older Americans from 1992 to 2008. These admissions to treatment facilities are referred to by SAMHSA as “older admissions.”

The report explains that in 2008, adults aged 50 or older represented approximately 31 percent of the total population in the U.S. In 1992, the first year of the report, total substance abuse admissions from the older adult population totaled 102,700. By 2008, that number had doubled to approximately 231,200.

There was also a drastic change in the gender split of the older admissions. In 1992, 18.1 percent of older admissions were female, while in 2008 the number had climbed to 25.1 percent.

The ethnic composition of the admissions saw a major transition over the course of the report. During the period between 1992 and 2008, non-Hispanic White admissions decreased from 65.8 percent to 55.6 percent, while non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic admissions increased from 19.9 percent to 28.8 percent and 9.8 percent to 11.3 percent, respectively.

Education levels of the admissions increased over the 17-year period of the report. High school graduates comprised 35.1 percent of older admissions in 1992, and climbed to 40.8 percent in 2008. In 1992, 22.5 percent of older admissions had some college, while in 2008 college-educated admissions comprised 31.3 percent of admissions.

Employment status also changed over time. In 1992, nearly one-fifth of all older admissions were unemployed, and in 2008 nearly one-third of admissions were unemployed. The percentage of full-time employed older admissions decreased from 23.4 percent to 16.7 percent.

Marital status and living arrangements also trended differently over the period between 1992 and 2008. In 1992, 13.2 percent had never married, while in 2008, 30.3 percent reported that they had never married. There were decreases in those currently married, from 33.3 percent in 1992 to 21.5 percent in 2008.

The information issued in the report by SAMHSA illustrates the changing face of older Americans with a substance abuse problem. The report highlights the need for low-cost treatment facility options for older Americans who are unemployed. It also shows the need for increased awareness about the gender and race demographics of the typical older admission in the U.S. The report shows major increases in female and Hispanic admissions.
 

Some family members of alcoholics will experience insomnia, headaches, weight loss, bouts of anxiety or irritability and mood swings. They often feel they have lost control of the family situation and may even deny that they are suffering – similar to feelings many alcoholics themselves experience.

Physical, mental and emotional effects for family members of alcoholics can vary, but experts agree that professional therapy, either in an individual or group setting, may be essential for helping family members cope.

A family involved with alcoholism can be embedded with conflicting emotions, especially if the drinker has stopped or attempted to stop. Other families may hold on to a past that involves alcoholics of previous generations, carrying the emotional baggage to the next generation.

In another common situation, a family who has not experienced alcoholism finds itself with a family member who has become addicted – thus putting children at risk for also abusing alcohol. Some sources report that if a child lives with a parent who is an alcoholic, the child has a 34 percent higher chance of falling into the same pattern, in comparison with children who live with parents who don’t abuse alcohol.

Adults who grow up in alcoholic homes may have problems with depression and maintaining healthy relationships. They may have difficulty trusting people or show impulsive behaviors. Feelings of poor self-esteem may also be evident. For children, lifelong feelings of shame or guilt may develop as a result of living with an alcoholic parent.

Al-Anon is a part of Alcoholics Anonymous and features a 12-Step program for helping friends and family members of alcoholics. The group may be able to help families curb their desire to reclaim their loved one’s recovery themselves, and help them realize they may not be able to control a family member’s addiction.

During group meetings, the focus typically remains on sharing feelings and thoughts about the addiction. Belonging to the group can help ease feelings of being alone and help people work through harmful perspectives about their loved one’s disease. Some groups strive to shift the focus toward the person who loves the alcoholic, rather than just the alcoholic themselves.

Anti-depressants may be prescribed for some family members coping with an alcoholic, and a physical evaluation under a doctor’s care may also be needed to help diagnose other health problems. For many, the knowledge and understanding that alcoholism is a disease – not merely a behavior – is helpful.

Treatment for alcoholics, and their family members, must often be multi-faceted and ongoing to work through the negative emotions that remain long after the addiction has been conquered.

According to a recent BBC report, the helpline received a total of 150,000 calls in the 2009-10 year. The NSPCC has reported that more than 100 children every week have contacted the helpline with concerns over the habits of parents. While such numbers seem high, ChildLine founder Esther Rantzen believes the number of those afraid to make the call is even higher.

Of the children who made use of the helpline, two-thirds had called to report their parents’ drinking. Rantzen says that those children who call about alcohol are more likely to call the helpline than children calling about other issues. She is imploring those who work with children to be aware of the silent child who appears to have no friends and the potential trouble that may exist at home due to alcohol and drugs.

One of the issues coming to light among callers to the helpline is that children – some as young as five years old – are trying to cope with the role reversal happening in their homes. Too often, these young children have to look after their parents and even brothers and sisters.

Statistics show that children who live with alcohol or drug addicted parents are more at risk of harm than children not living in such conditions. The more likely they are to use a helpline like ChildLine, the more likely they can improve their environment and reduce their risk of harm.
 

Erica Weintraub Austin, director of the Murrow Center for Media and Health Promotion at Washington State University and lead author of the study, and her colleagues found that a two-week course helped third, fourth, and fifth graders reduce their intentions to try alcohol and tobacco, and increased their belief that they could resist the substances. 

Austin said that people underestimate children’s ability to understand advertising messages, as well as the fact that marketing methods can affect their decisions later in life. If children associate smoking with popularity and maturity, they might want to try cigarettes when they’re older. Marketing specialists tend to make their messages appealing to young people, so it’s important that children understand that some of these messages may not be in their best interest.

The researchers found that people internalize or reject advertising messages through a partly logical, partly emotional process. By teaching children that advertisers want them to react emotionally, they can learn to react more logically.

North Carolina-based Innovation Research Training, Inc. conducted the study, in which elementary schools either received the Media Detective program or were part of a control group. The 344 children who received Media Detective lessons were less interested in alcohol merchandise than the 335 children in the control group. Students in the Media Detective group who had already used alcohol or tobacco said their intentions to use the substances were lower, and they believed they had a better ability to refuse the substances than children in the control group. The researchers found that the lessons were most helpful to boys.

Prior studies by Austin and researchers with The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication’s Center for Media & Health Promotion found that programs such as Media Detective can help prevent substance abuse, teach sex education, and instill an interest in voting and public affairs among teens. The new study is the first to show that these programs can be helpful for children, as well.

Source: Science Daily, ‘Media Detective’ Tool Empowers Children to Skirt Alcohol and Tobacco Marketing Messages, August 24, 2010
 

The problem is pervasive. Over one-half of all high school students will have taken a drink of alcohol during any given one-month period. Most get the alcohol from home or from someone they know. Almost one-third of high school seniors will engage in binge drinking (five or more drinks in any given period) in any two-week period. Given the major role that parents play in shaping the actions of their children, they are in the best position to regulate drinking behavior and prevent tragedy.

State officials seek to remind parents that tragedy resulting from teen drinking at parties can be avoided. Most importantly, minors under the age of 21 should not be permitted to drink alcohol, whether they are under the supervision of an adult or not. However, even the most well-intentioned adult host can quickly land him or herself in hot water if underage guests get their hands on alcohol. Even when hosts notify underage participants that they are not permitted to drink at the party, failure to actually supervise the possession of alcohol by party guests often leads to tragedy, as many teens are likely to disregard the warning and drink anyway. Like waiving a red flag in front of a bull, placing alcohol within reach of teen party participants is just asking for trouble.

Given that teens often prefer to keep to themselves at functions, largely to avoid having to hang with the boring adults, a host may not realize that minors have been drinking alcohol until it is too late. The consequences can, indeed, be tragic.
Younger people are typically smaller in size than an average adult and become intoxicated much more quickly than the normal of-age party-goer. Alcohol poisoning (the inability of the body to safely process alcohol as it is ingested) among teen drinkers is very common, as they do not have the experience with alcohol to know when to stop drinking. Alcohol poisoning, or overdose, can lead to permanent organ damage or death.

Another risk for hosting parties where teens will be in attendance is motor vehicle incidents. The most obvious consequence of teen drinking at parties is that one will get behind the wheel and cause an accident. Another consequence is that he or she will be driving one or more friends, thus subjecting others to serious injury or death.
While state authorities have little control over whether parents and guardians will allow teens to drink at parties, a behavior that could subject the adults to criminal and civil liability, the state can take steps to ensure that law enforcement is prepared to handle the ramifications of teen drinking.

New York’s OASAS has aggressively implemented the Party Patrol and Controlled Party Dispersal training program with an eye toward reducing alcohol abuse, driving under the influence, and underage drinking. Using prevention professionals, the PPCPD has trained over one thousand law enforcement officers on how to safely break up underage drinking gatherings at parties, in college dorms and frat houses, in residential settings, during outdoor parties, and in large concert arenas. Law enforcement agencies use intelligence gathering, work with community leaders, and disseminate information through media outlets in order to stop teen drinking. Officials believe, and research has shown, that young people are less likely to engage in underage drinking if they think there is a possibility that they will be caught doing so by police. Research has also shown that parents will be more likely to adopt a zero-tolerance policy for teen drinking at parties and at home if they believe that they could be held accountable, either criminally or civilly, for underage drinking.

Lawmakers in New York have also started holding social hosts accountable for teen drinking incidents. Nearly fifty local governments across New York have “social host” laws that impose liability for serving alcohol or drugs to teens at home. There are also penalties for those supply alcohol to minors for a fee.

For party planning, officials recommend that adults establish firm regulations and expectations prior to party day and to make sure they are clearly understood by attendees, especially teen children and their friends. Obviously, the most important rule is that teen guests cannot ingest alcohol or other drugs before, during or after the party. Hosts should have a plan in place to monitor the grounds during the event, and to ensure that off-limit areas cannot be accessed. In addition, teens who arrive at the event driving their own vehicles should turn in keys to the host and be expected to interact with the host prior to key return, to ensure that he or she is ok to drive. Hosts are also reminded to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages available.