Drinking has become more than an occasional good time for young adults and is now a common weekend scene in some teen’s lives. It’s as if the number 21 means nothing now. Why wait for alcohol when someone with an ID can get it? Or why not just get a fake? Too often something important is sacrificed when teens begin drinking. Every teen has been warned. Judgment is impaired. But even with warning, teens don’t always make the smartest decisions. And neither do adults.

In fact, adults are to blame too. Maybe it’s not the young people themselves that are the one’s to blame for the increasing rates of teens drinking or the increasing amount of teens with alcohol poisoning, or even the increasing rate of drunk driving accidents. Sometimes it’s those that are legal that play an even bigger role in this problem. A vast majority of parents disagree with teens drinking, but too many times it’s the adults that are providing alcohol in the first place. Some parents only allow it if it’s in the house. But, really allowing a teen to drink in the house is just giving teens an open invitation to break both the rules and the law. Teens are not to blame for this problem alone. If a teen has an open invitation to drink without penalties, most will do it. And, furthermore they will do it without seeing harm in it. In fact, many teens are thankful for parents like these. But, is it the parents who continue to so say no that are doing the right thing? They are encouraging their teen to be safe and smart. Most teens would never admit that their parents allowing them to drink in the house is a bad thing. But, that would be like turning themselves in. Parents, whether you talk to your kids about this issue or not, or take the kids’ keys when they walk in the door, this issue is yours, too.

No one is perfect. We won’t even begin to call ourselves perfect, and not many that walk among us in this school could call themselves perfect. But, do you think you’re invincible? So does every other teen that decides to get behind the wheel after drinking, let alone pick up the drink in the first place. The reality: no one is invincible. In today’s world it seems that it takes a lost life for people to realize the threats and dangers of drinking. And even then, teens bounce back into bad habits weeks later. Should it take death to realize reality? It can happen to any of us.

Teens, just because your parents allow it, it doesn’t mean you should do it. You are not invincible. You know what can happen. What choice will you make? Parents, what choice will you make when it comes to what your teen can get away with? Teens, what choice will you make as parents someday? For the safety of you and everyone around you, we hope you make the smart one.

Below is audio of a round table discussion on drinking and driving.

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