I love it when research proves MY points! The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism just released findings that show how important it is to keep kids sober during high school! http://decoder.drugfree.org/2009/11/23/my-thoughts-on-how-not-to-raise-a-college-binge-drinker/ There are some stubborn myths out there about teen drinking and I find myself addressing them over and over again everywhere I go all over the world…One of the more pernicious misperceptions is that kids need to experience drinking in high school in order to prepare for college life (as if boozing is central to the college experience for all students). The question from a parent usually goes like this…”Don’t you think teens need to practice drinking in high school so they learn their limits early and don’t go wild in college?” I sigh inside and think about the conversation I had during period 4 where a senior explained that if there was such a thing as a “Drunk Button,” he would gladly push it and skip having to drink huge amounts of cheap beer. Heavy drinking in high school increases limits (tolerance) in a dangerous way and can prevent teens from developing the very skills necessary for an emotionally healthy adult life. High school students need to practice living, not drinking, in order to be ready for college. Young people who are “prepared” for college life have mastered the crucial tasks of adolescence – they are able to deal with disappointment, boredom and joy.  They know how to regulate their moods and manage their feelings without alcohol – this is how they gain the maturity to drink alcohol safely.   Many college

Beer Pong Ball Machine

students are making low risk choices around alcohol, but nobody is writing articles or showing newscasts about them.  Studies have shown us that the students who fall apart drinking in college are the ones who brought a drinking problem with them from high school.  When the fences that kept them somewhat under control in high school fall away and they are free to drink the way they always dreamed of…that’s when disaster strikes.  Binge drinking doesn’t really begin on college campuses, it’s just continued in a more reckless way.  I believe that the many students I meet who are making good decisions in high school continue to make good decisions in college – even if they dabble in alcohol, it is not going to make or break them, as they are already fairly complete when they arrive.