I know that many of us have stories we could tell about the times we were drunk in high school.
And while many of those stories are fun and light, or at the very most something we survived, the fact is that many young people do not survive underage drinking.
Teenagers driving drunk and killing their friends is something that happens more than it should.
Teenagers ending up in the hospital getting their stomachs pumped, or worse, dying, because of alcohol poisoning is a thing and it really does happen.
And besides for the physical dangers of underage drinking, what about the emotional dangers?
Teenagers getting drunk and doing things they wouldn't normally do sober, such as engaging in risky sexual behaviors. Or trying drugs. Or putting themselves in other dangerous situations.
And still, some people that started drinking heavily in high school have gone on to battle with alcoholism their whole lives.
I had a few friend's parents that would not only allow us to get drunk at their homes in high school but would also supply us with the alcohol. Their reasoning was that they would rather have us drinking there, as opposed to somewhere else.
And you know what happened at these houses? We would sneak off and have sex. Sneak off and do drugs.
As parents, we should be aware of the dangers of underage alcohol use, and talk to our children about it frequently, so that if they are in a situation where alcohol is presented to them they will have the words and confidence to say no.
And big hint: your child WILL be offered alcohol in high school, if they aren't before that. So don't think that it won't happen to your child. Instead, prepare them for when it does.
For more information about underage alcohol or drug use and where to get help, visit REACH Across Johnson County.
Don't wait until it is too late.
