How an RSA Course can help protect

teenagers and underage drinking

Booze (alcohol) and how it affects teenagers

Nowadays, perhaps alcohol could be the one to blame for many teenage drug-related incidents and deaths.  Excessive misuse of alcoholic beverages often leads to drink driving, binge drinking and unsafe sex.

Liquor is a popular drink among the younger generation.  Statistics show that approximately 90% of teens above the age of 14 have had a drink or two.  Liquor is one of the only socially accepted form of drug.  However, its social acceptance has lead to numerous accidents and injuries which usually affects the teenage population.   Alcohol is still a crowd-favourite, even if it is widely known to cause serious health risks and threats.  With the type of environment we have these days, it is almost impossible to prevent teenagers from venturing with alcohol.  But nevertheless, parents are the most efficient ones to promote sensible drinking among their teens.

For teenagers, especially those under the age of 15 would be completely safe if they don’t drink at all.  Those who are least 15, are allowed to have liquor but parents can regulate the amount they consume through supervision and foster adult guidelines for low-risk drinking, which is two standard drinks in one day.   It is important for consumers, especially parents to be aware of the alcohol laws imposed in their own state or territory.

To step in the adolescent stage means that it is the development stage that involves experimentation.  This is the reason behind authorities’ approach to alcohol use.  Alcohol is one of the most famous types of drug commonly used in Australia.  There are studies that suggest that approximately half of the 14 year-old population consume alcoholic drinks at least every week.   There are some parents who are alarmed of the thought that their teenagers are possibly using “harder” form of drugs, that they consider alcohol as lesser “evil”.

There are tons of risks involved in excessive alcohol consumption in teens.  It includes:

• Binge drinking / excessive alcohol consumption on a single occasion
• Drink driving
• Impaired brain development
• Injury or death
• Unsafe sex

Heavy or Binge Drinking

To drink heavily over a short period of time with the plan of becoming intoxicated is termed binge drinking.   This method of alcohol consumption is very harmful to the consumer’s health and total well-being.  Not only will it put anyone at risk of developing certain health conditions but will also put themselves at risk for various dangerous situations.

Common effects of binge drinking include:

• Headaches
• Hangover
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Shakiness

Binge drinking applies differently in every person.  In 2009, new Australian recommendations were released, that suggests “drinking too much on a single occasion rather than “binge drinking”, yet the harmful effects it brings to the consumer and the community is still the same.

Drink Driving, Alcohol and Sex

The most common cause of car-related deaths among teenagers is alcohol.  In Victoria, about 10 months before April of 2010, 41 drivers and riders were killed to find out that they have a BAC of over .05.  Out of the 41 victims, 6 of them were under the age of 21, 16 of them were 21 – 29, 11 victims were between 30 – 39 and 8 of them were 40 years and older.

Alcohol can greatly affect one’s judgement.  Teenagers (including some adults) have the increased chance of having unsafe sexual practices whenever they are drinking.  Other threats and risks are:

• Sexual intercourse without a condom
• Date Rape
• Exposure to STIs
• Possible pregnancy (early teen pregnancy)

So what does this all have to do with RSA Courses?