As a father of two teens, I know it’s impossible to shield our kids from messages that promote underage drinking. That said, it’s always nice to be given a heads-up so we know just who and what in pop culture may be negatively influencing our kids – and right now in particular, I think you’ll be surprised to find out some of the sources sending pro-drinking messages to our teenagers. Here’s a quick round-up of where our kids have been seeing and hearing “cool” alcohol-related messages lately:

Tweens and younger teens: The latest Harry Potter movie. If you think I’m kidding, check out this article from the New York Times, which cites a number of scenes in which our favorite young wizards, only about 16, drink “butterbeer” and appear to get drunk.

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• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 6 Comment(s)
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Recently, we had a scary incident occur at school for our 12-year-old son, Adam, that merits sharing.

At the beginning of the school year, Adam’s first year in middle school, he befriended a boy I wasn’t completely comfortable with for various reasons (we’ll call the boy Joe). Adam, a kid with a big heart who befriends just about everyone, genuinely liked Joe and hung out with him. I remained cautious, but allowed him to invite Joe over from time to time. I shared my concern and how I felt about Joe with Adam, but it was hard to argue with my son because he truly liked this child and didn’t have any real reason not to.

Then, months went by and we didn’t see Joe. I asked Adam about it and he said he didn’t feel comfortable around him anymore. I wasn’t about to argue with him since I was uncomfortable around him as well, but felt better knowing Adam could sense something wasn’t right.
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• 	Posted by: Tara Paterson | 2 Comment(s)
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In the past 6 months, we have gotten about 20 to 30 emails from young people as well as parents reporting that shoplifting is a major concern.  Here are some thoughts from my research as well as our teen trendsetter network.

Ideas on Shoplifting:

1) Shoplifting Is Old
Shoplifting has always been a problem among young people.  I think that perhaps we are now seeing more of a problem, but parents and adults who think that this has not been an issue for every generation are mistaken.  Shoplifting is an old problem; it is just dressed a little differently…

2) What is Shoplifted is Different…
I asked my teen trendsetter group about this trend. They said that what is mainly different about shoplifting today is that what’s stolen is no longer just gum and snacks.  Today, it is iTunes gift cards and Red Bull.

Top 5 Things Teens Shoplift:
iTunes Cards
Red Bull
Snacks
Candy
Magazines

3) Alcohol and Cigarettes
These did not make the top 5, but were towards the top.  Many teens, when asked, do not consider stealing alcohol shoplifting.  In fact, one of my teen advisors says, “Stealing alcohol is like a rite of passage.  You do it to grow up.  Plus, we practically deserve to get alcohol for free because we CAN’T buy it.  I would buy it if they would let me.  I steal it because they will not let me buy it.”

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• 	Posted by: Vanessa Van Petten | 5 Comment(s)
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Doesn’t it seem like we’re getting hit with a lot of bad news these days? Well, here’s some good news to brighten your day: Little Leaguers are in agreement that use of performance-enhancing substances is bad.

Sure, they don’t seem to entirely comprehend the health risks of using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. But your 11- and 12-year-old boys do know what has gone on, and they’re very clear that they don’t like it. Many Little Leaguers say that they’re disappointed with their favorite players, and some even call those under scrutiny “cheaters.” But more importantly, these young players are vowing not to let performance-enhancing substances affect their own lives. Baseball leagues across the country are having their players wear “I Won’t Cheat” patches and pledge to remain clean.

But remember, parents, just because your kids are in the know about pop culture doesn’t mean you should let a teachable moment pass you by. Try discussing with your kids not just cheating, but also the physical and emotional toll steroids can have on the body. And be conscious not to be too hard on your kid’s hero - the Little Leaguers mentioned in the article above agreed that the pros “messed up,” but they also believe the players deserve a second chance.

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 0 Comment(s)
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In President Obama’s recent online town hall meeting, one of the most discussed issues was the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana as a way of boosting the economy. Personally I’ve never taken much active interest in the debate of whether or not pot should be legal. I suppose that this is mostly because I’ve been sober for a number of years and therefore wouldn’t be smoking it anyway. Besides, pot is one of the few drugs which (despite numerous past attempts) I never developed any affection for. I vaguely remember eating entire bags of Doritos in one sitting before puking them up and then falling into bed and wishing that I’d bought solid colored sheets since the checkered pattern on mine was making me feel as though I was being driven through an M.C. Escher painting with a serious case of motion sickness. Oh, and also, a sensation that my tongue had been re-upholstered with shag carpeting.
 
Nevertheless, a recent story on NPR caught my interest. In it, the show’s producers created a simulated world in which marijuana had been legal for two years in the United States. They then proceeded to interview a variety of experts (all of them real) about the hypothetical affects of such a scenario. Their purpose was to make people think a bit more deeply about the issue. Here are some of the points that were raised:
 
* Despite the expectations of many that legalizing pot would provide a huge boost to our economy, chances are that this wouldn’t be the case. Yes, it would create an additional estimated 20 billion dollars a year in revenue but compared to the size of our deficits, it wouldn’t cure any significant ills. “There may be good reasons to do it but the budgetary part is not a crucial reason to do it.”- Jeffrey Miron, a Harvard economist who has studied and written about the economics of the marijuana market.
 
* Legalizing pot would only increase adolescent use. “They’ll start using it sooner now because it looks like it’s more okay, it seems less harmful because they see their parents doing it.” “Do we know how to keep kids from drinking alcohol? No, we don’t. So why would we expect we’d be any better at it with marijuana?”- Rosalie Pacula, co-director of the Drug Policy Research Center at the RAND Corp.
 
And we should care about that because…
 
* “We know that marijuana use and chronic use, as it is now, in an adolescent population can cause extreme developmental delay…. It can cause memory loss, reduce the ability to concentrate and reduce brain cell activity.” - Dr. Vicki Nejtek, a research doctor who works on drug abuse at the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth.
 
These are only a few of the issues that were discussed but you can hear the entire program here. What I enjoyed about the episode was that although clearly not in favor of the legalization of marijuana, I still thought that they did a fairly good job in presenting the issue realistically from different angles. In other words, unlike so much of the debate on this sensitive topic, the thinking was not all black and white (i.e. the “Legalizing marijuana would be tragedy” school of thinking versus the “There’s nothing wrong with pot and people should be able to smoke it if they want” school of thought). Saying that something is all good or all bad is only a way of giving ammunition to those who feel differently because the truth is that almost every idea is going to have its benefits and disadvantages. It strikes me that a more productive approach to this issue is to look at the possible affects of legalization and make our decisions accordingly rather than planting our feet on one side of the fence and criticizing all those who feel differently. NPR’s program may not cause anyone out there to change their minds but it provides a unique perspective on the subject which I believe is valuable.

• 	Posted by: Johanna Bailey | 11 Comment(s)
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Time and time again I see news stories of teenagers losing their lives in horrific car accidents after leaving underage-drinking parties at a friend’s house. Just today, I read about another young teen’s death after he left a party and drove his car into oncoming traffic –- he was only 16. One of the parents at the party had served him and his friends alcohol. The loss of yet another bright future makes me sad, but the fact that a parent would willingly permit teenage drinking by serving alcohol to underage kids just leaves me speechless.

Sadly enough, the article highlights a scary trend — one-third of teens said it was “easy to obtain alcohol” from their parents, according to a 2005 study conducted by the American Medical Association. That figure jumps to 40 percent when it comes to getting alcohol from a friend’s parent. One out of four teens said they had attended a party where minors were drinking in front of parents.

What do you think? Should this mother be held accountable for enabling teenage drinking and providing alcohol to her son’s friends? And what do you tell your own kids when they want to have a party?

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 21 Comment(s)
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Oops, he did it again. News reports of Olympic swimming phenom Michael Phelps’ latest embarrassing brush with drugs and alcohol last weekend almost outpaced news of our troubled economy and that other big sports event that takes place every February.

Following the 2004 Olympics, Phelps was caught drunk driving, and promised his fans it would never happen again. Just four years later, Phelps was photographed taking a bong hit at what was reported to be a party at a university Phelps was visiting. (View the photo here.) The US Olympic Committee said, “Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people…in this instance, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

Many of us know by now that the brain doesn’t fully develop the ability to make good judgments until age 25 — Phelps is 23 — but I’m still surprised at seeing that this unfortunate decision was made so publicly. Reports that Phelps has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder also pique my concern — some research studies have shown a greater risk of drug abuse among kids with this diagnosis. It’s not my place to be a parent to Phelps, but it’s definitely my place to talk to my kids about this situation.

Have you talked to your kids? What did they say — and what did you tell them?

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 7 Comment(s)
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Tens of thousands of teens would argue that marijuana should be legal because it is no more harmful than alcohol — some even insist it’s less harmful.  It’s not an unreasonable position to take.  With all the controversy about some college presidents wanting to lower the drinking age, the alcohol debate has been ignited once again.  Maybe it’s time to prohibit alcohol use as well as marijuana.  What kind of message would that send to our youth? 

It would probably underscore the fact that any dangerous substance should be outlawed.  And it would certainly show young people that we’re serious about keeping them out of harms way by practicing what we preach.  I realize that this is a highly unpopular position but every time I read about drunken drivers killing innocent victims it makes my skin crawl.   

What might be the effect of another prohibition?  For starters, less accidental deaths, less discretionary income squandered, less violence, less abuse, and less accompanying medical problems.  Not a bad outcome, I must say.  But what about all those people who responsibly enjoy a drink or two every now and then?  Should they be penalized?  And shouldn’t drinking be an adult’s prerogative? That’s a tough one to answer, particularly since research has shown that a daily glass of wine or two has salutary effects.  

During these difficult economic times, I believe that no behavior of excess should be overlooked.  As we all tighten our belts and make difficult decisions between necessity and discretion, why not revisit an old issue?  Would we really be any worse off if alcohol were unavailable?  Many would insist that organized crime would flourish as it did in the roaring twenties.  But this isn’t the roaring twenties.  And I believe that many changes are in the wind and all options should be considered when addressing the problems of risky behavior.  After all, have you ever heard anyone say, he’s a big drinker and he’s better off for it?

What do you think?

• 	Posted by: Guest Blogger: Neil Bernstein | 15 Comment(s)
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Yesterday, news broke of a public plea to lawmakers to consider lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18. But it didn’t come from a bunch of 18-year-old college freshmen with newly-issued voter registration cards. The push to let kids drink legally at 18 comes from the presidents of more than 100 colleges and universities across the country.

The move has sparked huge debate both supporting and opposing the idea — at last count, Google News picked up 1,500 articles written in the past 24 hours. Here’s where it gets tricky: both the college administrators and the groups who oppose lowering the legal drinking age claim to have the same reason for their point of view — they want to reduce binge drinking on campus and keep students safer. Who doesn’t?

But what about the 18-year-old high-school seniors who would be of legal drinking age to buy a six-pack? What impact would this have in high schools if some students can legally drink? What’s your take?

Update: July 1, 2009

Just came across this very interesting New York Times article stating that drinking among young adults under 21 has decreased greatly in recent years…except for those in college. A 27-year-old study shows that men between the ages of 18-20 who don’t attend college binge drink 30% less than they did when the study first began — but there’s been absolutely no statistical change in 18- to 20-year-old men who do attend a university! So perhaps its the college lifestyle — not the high legal drinking age — that’s causing so many young people to binge. Thoughts?

• 	Posted by: Joe Keenan | 51 Comment(s)
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