Underage Drinking is Common and Dangerous

“The alcohol industry has said they don’t want minors to drink, but when we counted up the drinks, it was clear that they were making billions of dollars from these sales,” said lead study author Pamela Trangenstein, PhD, assistant professor of health behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. “There is a clear disconnect when an industry advocates prevention, but then makes billions from prevention’s failure.”

The tab for underage drinkers came to $17.5 billion, or 8.6 percent of the alcoholic drinks sold in 2016, according to a new study that showed alcohol companies AB Inbev, MillerCoors and Diageo captured nearly half of the market of youth alcohol sales.
The study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Johns Hopkins University and Boston University is one of the few to capture how much money is made from youth alcohol consumption. And for the first time, researchers were able to attribute those revenues to specific companies.
Identifying popular alcohol brands bolsters a unique strategy: using revenues generated from youth alcohol sales to support underfunded programs to address teen drinking.

Excessive drinking is responsible for 3,500 deaths of those under age 21 each year.

“The alcohol industry has said they don’t want minors to drink, but when we counted up the drinks, it was clear that they were making billions of dollars from these sales,” said lead study author Pamela Trangenstein, PhD, assistant professor of health behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. “There is a clear disconnect when an industry advocates prevention, but then makes billions from prevention’s failure.”
The behavioral expert at Gillings led the study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, along with lead study author Raimee Eck, PhD, a researcher at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Data collected in a landmark report of youth alcohol consumption by brand enabled the authors to calculate the monetary value of youth alcohol consumption in 2011 and 2016. According to their findings, alcohol sales to minors, driven mostly by beer-drinking, reached $20.9 billion in 2011.

While underage consumption has been falling in recent years, alcohol is still the most commonly used substance among youth ages 12-20 in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“If alcohol companies are truly committed to preventing youth drinking, they should be willing to put these revenues into an independent agency able to address underage drinking without a conflict of interest,” said study co-author David Jernigan, PhD, director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Boston University and a health behavior researcher at Johns Hopkins.

The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, the science advisory body for Congress, made a recommendation in their 2003 report on underage drinking to collect .05 percent of revenues made from underage drinking.

In 2006, Congress passed unanimously the first legislation solely devoted to reducing underage drinking. While that legislation authorized $18 million in spending, Congress has never spent the full amount. In fact, Congress recently made permanent the tax break provided to alcohol companies in the 2017 tax cuts.

“Community coalitions in North Carolina and across the country are constantly begging for dollars to support their work on underage drinking,” said Trangenstein. “Our study identifies a clear source for that badly needed funding. Families and communities are paying the price, while big alcohol companies are reaping all the benefits.”

Journal citation: Eck, R. H., Trangenstein, P. J., Siegel, M., & Jernigan, D. H. (2021). Company-specific revenues from underage drinking. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 82, 368–376. doi:10.15288/jsad.2021.82. 368
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Stokes County Resources for Faith Leaders

Stop Overdose Stokes (S.O.S.) is a team of professionals, pastors and volunteers that formed in January of 2019 to engage churches to help reduce overdoses in Stokes County.

We meet second Wednesday of the month at 1:30pm in the fellowship hall of Chestnut Grove UMC. Address is 1024 Volunteer Rd, King and Rev. Dr. Evelyn Lemons chairs this group. Contact her at the church office at 336-983-9657 or by email at evelyn.lemons@gmail.com.


If you are a faith leader and would like more information related to substance use issues that may affect your congregation click on the links below.


Rural Faith Leaders Workshop Series: Empowering Faith Leaders to Help Persons with Substance Use Disorder


SUBSTANCE USE RESOURCE GUIDE FOR FAITH LEADERS

Alcohol is the most widely used substance due to it’s high availability. Youth who wait until they are 21 to have their first drink are four times less likely to develop alcohol-dependency.

 

Contact us with questions regarding substance use/mental health resources in Stokes County

Resources for Parents: Youth Substance Use

IF you are a parent or guardian of a youth-young adult below are some resources regarding substance use. There are links covering a wide variety of substances that stokes county youth may be experimenting with.

 

Contact us with questions regarding substance use/mental health resources in Stokes County

COVID19: Increased Alcohol Sales and Consumption

Information contained in this post are from National Public Radio and Journal of the American Medical Association

Alcohol and COVID19

Perhaps it’s no surprise, but people are drinking more during the pandemic. In some cases, by a lot.

Americans Are Drinking 14% More Often During Pandemic, Study Finds

Instances of heavy drinking among women, which for women was defined as four or more drinks within a couple of hours, spiked by 41%.

The study’s participants were aged 30 to 80, so the report does not offer insight on the pandemic drinking habits of younger adults.

The study took a sample of 1,540 adults and compared their self-reported drinking habits this spring with a year prior.

A quick look at social media suggests many people are using alcohol as a way to relax. Whether it’s “quarantinis” or Zoom happy hours, Americans seem to find a plethora of reasons to drink during the pandemic.

And as people began going to bars less, retail alcohol sales went up.

Stores sold 54% more alcohol in late March compared the year prior, according to Nielsen. Online sales more than doubled.

Some states like New York, Florida and Texas relaxed laws during the pandemic to allow expanded alcohol delivery.

The study used data collected using the RAND Corporation American Life Panel. The authors note a limitation of the study: its findings are based on self-reported data that could be skewed due to societal expectations. Nonetheless, they concluded more research could be warranted on alcohol use and its psychological and physical effects during the pandemic.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization European office warned against excessive drinking and even said access should be limited during the pandemic.

Drinking may be even more dangerous now as it can negatively affect the body’s immune system, according to the WHO warning.

“Alcohol compromises the body’s immune system and increases the risk of adverse health outcomes,” the WHO stated. “Therefore, people should minimize their alcohol consumption at any time, and particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

We encourage appropriate consumption of alcohol by adults. Avoid excessive alcohol use in front of youth. Monitor and secure alcohol if it is in the home. For further information about consumption of alcohol by adults please visit https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders

Review of July 16th Virtual Lunch and Learn: “This Place” Film

Underage Alcohol Use on the Rise Due to COVID19

There is data showing that off-premises retailers in North Carolina are selling record numbers of beer, wine and liquor. How does that translate to youth alcohol use?

Youth are home now more than ever and may be unsupervised.
Adult use rates of alcohol have been increasing state-wide.
The possibility of an increase in youth alcohol use is something that should be considered.
Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey in regards to alcohol use by youth. This is the last Youth Risk Behavior Survey data collection available and can be found here https://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline/App/Results.aspx?LID=NC.

Did You Know: Before COVID19…

  • The #1 place youth got alcohol is from their own home.
  • Over 1,800 college students died from alcohol related injuries each year.
  • In the US alcohol kills more than all illegal drugs combined.
  • Teen girls rival teen boys with consumption rates of alcohol.
  • Every day 7,000 kids younger than 16 years old consume their first alcoholic drink.
  • Kids under 15 years old who consume alcohol are four times likely to end up alcohol dependant as an adult than if they waited until they were 21 years old for their first drink.

How can this be changed?

Parents and guardians can make a positive impact in their communities by doing a few things.
  • Monitor and secure alcohol in the home.
    • Purchasing in quantity is more cost effective but it is harder to keep up with 24 beers or a case of wine than it is a 6 pack or bottle.
    • Only purchase what you will consume.
    • Even if it costs a couple dollars more this tactic regarding alcohol storage will make less alcohol available for youth resulting in fewer youth consuming.
    • Storing alcohol in cabinet or unmonitored areas of the home allows youth access.
    • Keeping alcohol stored appropriately, like firearms and dangerous household chemicals, will keep youth from consuming alcohol.
  • How youth see alcohol consumed in their environment determines their perception of alcohol.
    • During events at the home (birthday parties, cookouts, holiday celebrations) make sure alcohol is not the focal point of the event.
    • Don’t glamorize alcohol use.
    • Show youth that a good time can be had without alcohol.
  • Parents rationalizing youth use.
    • Parent provided parties are not the answer.
    • Parent provided parties are dangerous.
    • Parent provided parties normalize alcohol use by youth.
Follow these guidelines to help reduce underage alcohol use in our communities.

On July 16th we hosted a virtual lunch and learn where the film “This Place” was shown.

Following the film was a discussion about underage alcohol use and how it impacts communities in Stokes County.

“This Place” is an award-winning, 15-minute film that dramatically captures today’s youth drinking culture. This film shows the alcohol-saturated environment kids are exposed to and the impact of underage drinking. It also offers an important glimpse into communities that are taking action to reduce alcohol problems.

If you are a parent/guardian, caregiver to youth, coach, teacher, community member, faith leader or are interested in creating positive change in your community this film will allow you to be better informed about underage alcohol use and introduce concepts to help decrease alcohol misuse in your community.

A local parent of three students who are in the Stokes County School System viewed the film and had this commentary to provide.
A local provider specializing in substance use disorder and mental health had this commentary after viewing the film.

These national statistics provided by the Monitoring the Future Survey show the bigger picture of underage alcohol use. This may be a snapshot of the nationwide average but this is an issue that impacts Stokes County communities.

Monitoring the Future Survey from 2019 highlights the youth alcohol use rates for lifetime consumption.
Monitoring the Future Survey from 2019 highlights the youth alcohol use rates for past year consumption
Monitoring the Future Survey from 2019 highlights the youth alcohol use rates for past month consumption.
If you would like more information please reach out to us.

For more information on how you can make a positive impact in your community, reduce underage alcohol use or reduce adult alcohol misuse reach out to us. dvickers@insightnc.org or 336-287-2411

Operation Parent Webinar: Shedding Light on Youth Alcohol Usage and Binge Drinking

Underage alcohol use can have many short-term and long-term impacts that youth may not realize. Listen to Mary Beth Uberti explain the dangers of alcohol use among teens and how parents can intervene to help keep their children healthy and safe.

 

More information about Operation Parent and their free resources for parents and guardians can be found at https://operationparent.org/resource-manager/

Operation Parent Webinar: When Alcohol, Summer, COVID and Teens Intersect

Parents and guardians can click here to register for the FREE webinar from Operation Parent

This free webinar from Operation Parent will be held on Monday June 15th from 2:00pm-3:00pm.

Since Operation Parent’s webinar on alcohol in March, communities across the country have seen instore and online sales of alcohol skyrocket, and some parents relaxing abstinence rules at home to placate and bond with teens.

Additionally, easing of social distancing orders in many parts of the country are coinciding with the start of summer, which is already a time of risk for alcohol abuse and drinking and driving with teens. Cooped up teens might be looking forward to blowing off steam…in unhealthy ways.

Let’s discuss how we can be prepared to parent during these times of transition and uncertainty to keep our teens safe.

Presenters are Christine Storm and Kate Appleman of Caron Treatment Center. The Caron Treatment Center is an inpatient treatment facility with location in Florida and Pennsylvania. They have been providing innovative, specialized addiction & behavioral health treatment for over 60 years.

More information about Operation Parent and their free resources for parents and guardians can be found at https://operationparent.org/resource-manager/

For Parents/Caregivers of Youth: Underage Alcohol

Underage alcohol consumption is an issue that parents and caregivers of youth should address.

According to the last Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 26.5% of NC High School youth reported consuming alcohol in the last 30 days.

The following video will give parents and caregivers of youth ways they can talk to their teen to discourage alcohol use. There are tips for effective communication between parents and child as well as peer pressure avoidance techniques that youth can use.

UPDATE: Monitoring the Future: 2019 Survey of Teen Substance Use

We were able to take the information from the results of the 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey and compile it into charts that are easier to read and digest for parents/guardians and community members.

The results from the national survey allow us to see trends that may be impacting youth and young adults in Stokes County.

Monitoring the Future is an annual survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders conducted by researchers at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, under a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health. Since 1975, the survey has measured how teens report their drug, alcohol, and cigarette use and related attitudes in 12th graders nationwide; 8th and 10th graders were added to the survey in 1991.

42,531 Students from 396 public and private schools participated in the 2019 survey.