RCMP REPORT- July 2006 

Working with hundreds of teenagers and recalling my own teenage years, I have come to understand how much pressure there is during this stage in one’s life. At the same time I do miss it. With summer in full blast, I felt it important to share something that I recently  researched regarding alcohol and teens (ages 12-19). Something that I did not fully realize before I read an article from the May issue of BC Crime Watch Magazine. It reads:

Alcohol is a drug, as surely as cocaine and marijuana are. Alcohol affects the mind and body in unpredictable and permanent ways.

* Significant brain development continues through adolescents. A recent study gave evidence that heavy alcohol use can impair brain functions in adolescents, causing, in many cases, irreversible damage.

* Alcohol-related traffic accidents are major cause of death and disability among teens. Alcohol use is also linked with deaths of young people by drowning, fire, suicide, and homicide.

* Young people who use alcohol are more likely than others to be victims of violent crime, including rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

* Teens who drink are more likely to have problems with school work and school conduct.

* An individual who begins drinking as a young teen is four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than someone who waits until adulthood to use alcohol.

The message is clear: Alcohol is very risky business for young people. And the longer a teenager delays alcohol use, the less likely they are to develop any problems associated with it.        

The first point is what hit home for me,  “irreversible damage”. So much so, that I forwarded the article to my family, friends, and co-workers so that they could pass on the message to the people they care about. I hope everyone has a safe and fun summer.

 Cst ARREAGA

Boston Bar RCMP