Alcohol Web Sites

There are cartoons, sexy images… and games kids love to play…

“You try to catch the beers in a basket and you get points,” says 17-year-old Brooks Hays.

“They have bottles and you can flick a lime through the bottles and you can do all kinds of different games. It’s a lot of fun,” says 17-year-old Jarrod Smith.

“They’re definitely going after the younger drinkers,” says 16-year-old Max Winograd.

In fact, according to a study by the Center of Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University, alcohol web sites are using various techniques that attract young people.

“…Which is video games, which is sex, you have models in various skimpy outfits, which is cartoons,” says Pierluigi Mancini, Ph.D., a Psychologist and specialist in addiction.

In fact, the study found that one is seven visitors to the beer and liquor web sites last year… or 900-thousand people… were under the age of 21.

And, some critics would argue… time spent on a beer web site… makes a teen a little more likely to drink beer.

“Kids learn by what they see, by what they watch,” says Dr. Mancini.

“When you’re into that thing, you’re like ‘I want to play a game’, you’re like, ‘well there’s a party tonight so you might as well get some Coors or Coors Light or whatever,” says 17-year-old Ted Russell.

Experts say parents need to get web site blocking software, and make sure they add alcohol sites to the list.

And realize, this is only one of many little things that can influence a child to drink… and there’s one big thing that can influence them not to.

“Parents should be sitting down with the child from age 11 or maybe younger, and teaching them that alcohol is a drug, that alcohol is a substance that is consumed by people over 21 years old,” says Dr. Mancini, “Teaching them what alcohol does and why it is dangerous for kids to drink alcohol and also that it is illegal.”

By Larry Eldridge, Jr.
CWK Network, Inc.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, kids at the highest risk for alcohol-related problems include those who:

• Began using alcohol or other drugs before the age of 15.
• Have a parent who is a problem drinker or an alcoholic.
• Have close friends who use alcohol and/or other drugs.
• Have been aggressive, antisocial or hard to control from an early age.
• Have experienced childhood abuse and/or major trauma.
• Have current behavioral problems and/or are failing in school.
• Experience ongoing hostility or rejection from parents, and/or harsh, inconsistent discipline.
• Have parents who do not support them, do not communicate with them, and/or are not aware of their behavior or whereabouts.

By Larry Eldridge, Jr.
CWK Network, Inc.

As a parent, it is extremely important to know the warning signs of alcoholism. The following list was created by the American Academy for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

• Physical – fatigue, repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes, a lasting cough
• Emotional – personality change, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression, a general lack of interest
• Family – starting arguments, breaking rules, withdrawing from the family
• School – decreased interest, negative attitude, drop in grades, many absences, truancy, discipline problems
• Social – problems with the law, changes to less conventional styles in dress and music, new friends who are less interested in standard home and school activities

Even if your child is not exhibiting any of the warning signs above, consider establishing the following strategies to reduce the risk of teen drinking in the future.

• Establish a loving, trusting relationship with your child.
• Make it easy for your teen to talk honestly with you.
• Talk with your child about the fact of alcohol, reasons not to drink, and ways to avoid drinking in difficult situations.
• Keep tabs on your teen’s activities, and join with other parents in making common policies about teen alcohol use.
• Develop family rules about teen drinking and establish consequences.
• Set a good example regarding your own alcohol use and your response to teen drinking.
• Encourage your child to develop healthy friendships and fun alternatives to drinking.
• Know whether your child is at high risk for a drinking problem. If so, take steps to lessen the risk.
• Know the warning signs of a teen drinking problem and act promptly to get help for your child.
• Believe in your own power to help your child.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependency
WebMD: Teen Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Alcohol Abuse Prevention: Your Life, Your Choice!