HappyMomma

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Many of the nation's estimated 10.8 million underage drinkers are turning to their parents or other adults for free alcohol.

A government survey of teens from 2002 to 2006 said slightly more than half had engaged in underage drinking.

Asked about the source of alcohol, 40 percent they got it from an adult for free over the past month, the survey said. Of those, about one in four said they got it from an unrelated adult, one in 16 got it from a parent or guardian and one in 12 got it from another adult family member.

Roughly 4 percent reported taking the alcohol from their own home.
"In far too many instances parents directly enable their children's underage drinking -- in essence encouraging them to risk their health and well-being," said acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson. "Proper parental guidance alone may not be the complete solution to this devastating public health problem -- but it is a critical part."

The nationwide study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, being released Thursday, tracks the social contexts involved in underage drinking, a problem leading to thousands of alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries each year.

About one out of five of those aged 12 to 20 -- or roughly 7.2 million people -- said they had taken part in binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past month, the survey said. Rates were significantly higher if they lived with a parent who engaged in binge drinking.

The study, which uses data from the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, is based on a scientific random sample of 158,000 people aged 12 to 20 in the United States. Among the other findings:

• Over half of current underage alcohol users were at someone else's home when they had their last drink, while 30.3 percent were in their own home. About 9.4 percent were at a restaurant, bar or club.

• About 3.5 million teens aged 12 to 20 each year meet the diagnostic criteria for having an alcohol use disorder, such as dependence or abuse.

• Among younger teens, slightly more girls reported drinking than boys did. In the middle teens, they drank at roughly the same rate. Among 18 to 20-year-olds, boys outpaced the girls.

• Rates of underage drinking and binge drinking were slightly higher at the opposite ends of the economic spectrum.

• Rates of current and binge alcohol use among 12 to 20 year olds were higher in the Northeast and Midwest than in the South or West.

• Rates of alcohol use disorder among those aged 12 to 20 was higher for American Indians or Alaska Natives (14.9 percent) than for whites (10.9 percent), blacks (4.6 percent), Hispanics (8.7 percent) and Asians (4.9 percent).

"This report provides unprecedented insight into the social context of this public health problem and shows that it cuts across many different parts of our community," said Terry Cline, administrator of SAMHSA. "Its findings strongly indicate that parents and other adults can play an important role in helping influence -- for better or for worse -- young people's behavior with regard to underage drinking."

Survey: Underage drinkers get alcohol free from adults - CNN.com

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The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.
~Lane Olinghouse

mandrsmom

I may get a lot of people mad at me for this, but I have given my 16 year old a sip of her dads beer. We were having a discussion about drinking, and she asked why I don't drink beer like dad. I told her I think it's gross, I told her to taste it and she agreed, she spit it out and said yuck. Now am I stupid enough to think she will always think it's yuck, no way. We are keeping open communications with her about drinking and how it can hurt your life.

On another note, the first place I got alcohol was in my dads bar, and my friends mom used to buy us Boones Farm. Wow that takes me back!

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HappyMomma

I think this is more of a situation where the adults are actually obtaining the booze for them rather than just trying it.

I remember when I was a kid my dad would always give me one sip out of his beer.... would I do that kind of thing these days? Hell no, I could get my child taken away from me.

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The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.
~Lane Olinghouse

Good Wolf

I used to sneak a little bit out of each one of my parent's bottles and then fill it back up with water. The busted me when they had some friends over and they drank four screw drivers and didn't get a buzz. hehe

They let my brother drink when he was 18 because he had already graduated and the law had just changed in LA to make the legal age 21.

They never allowed me to drink but that didn't stop me.

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Dad always thought laughter was the best medicine, which I guess is why several of us died of tuberculosis.

Mindy

Sadly, this doesn't surprise me at all. I know first hand this happens ALL the time with people who come from all different walks of life

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"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit.”

Dr. Erik Erikson

Teresa

We give the kids alcohol here, and we don't have to worry about having them taken from us. In our home, or in restaurants, we can purchase alcohol for our own minor children at any age. We don't do it in restaurants, but we do give them wine or coolers at home if they want them....in moderation.

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Wife to Barry
Mother to Brian,Adrienne and Amy
Christianity is not a religion like most people think. Christianity is a life of imitating Jesus.

HappyMomma

If we lived in Europe it wouldn't even be an issue.

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The quickest way for a parent to get a child's attention is to sit down and look comfortable.
~Lane Olinghouse

meow_173

i used to buy my siblings alcohol........i mean...NEVER!

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Bacteria is sometimes the only culture some people have.

Mindy

Well I think there is a big difference between giving a beer or two to your 16 year old than random strangers buying booze for kids, which is what I was referring to. The responsible parents who give their parents a drink aren't the problem. My parents also let me drink a glass or 2 at 16, 17...

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"Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit.”

Dr. Erik Erikson

meow_173

Its so true. Wine and alocohol is appart of life, so why is it such a huge difference between the two??

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Bacteria is sometimes the only culture some people have.