TALK IT OUT

Talk

IT OUT

Talking with kids about alcohol consumption is vital to preventing underage drinking and promoting responsible habits.

BY ALEXIA KEMERLING

For many parents, discussing topics as serious as underage drinking with children can feel intimidating. It’s tempting to wait until your child is in middle school or even high school before sitting them down for a talk. However, Chris Swonger, President and CEO of Responsibility.org and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, encourages a different approach.

“Research suggests you should start talking to your kids at an early age. Younger children — fourth, fifth, and sixth graders — are more likely to listen to their parents, and information is more likely to resonate at that age,” Swonger said. “As a parent myself, I’m living proof that this approach works. My boys are 13 and 15, and talking with them now, I have confidence that what we talked about when they were nine made an impact.”

The proof is in the numbers, too. According to surveys conducted by Responsibility.org, conversations between kids and their parents have increased by 38% from 2003 to 2021, and in turn, annual consumption among teens has decreased by 30%.

Swonger also recommends having frequent conversations about the effects of drinking, the dangers of driving impaired, and the risks and consequences of underage drinking. There’s no need to arrange a formal “sit down.” Many of Swonger’s conversations with his sons have taken place during everyday situations like driving to the grocery store.

“It’s important to be open and honest about the risks and consequences of underage drinking,” Swonger added.

While parents may be on the first line of defense when it comes to initiating conversations with young people about alcohol, they are in no way alone. OHLQ proudly partners with organizations like Responsibility.org to offer a variety of resources to parents, kids, teachers, and community members. You can read more about

IN THIS TOGETHER

Preventing underage drinking is a community effort, and one in which OHLQ is proud to take part. Check out the following sites for support and resources: ohlq.com/ohlq-cares

responsibility.org

asklistenlearn.org

samhsa.gov/talk-they-hear-you

Know the FACTS

According to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, adults who started drinking before age 15 were more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than those who waited until after age 21.

Alcohol negatively impacts brain development and significantly impairs learning and memory in teens.

Underage drinking is common. According to the Center for Disease Control’s 2019 “Youth Risk Behavior Study,” in the past 30 days, 29% of high school students drank alcohol, 14% binge drank, 5% of drivers drove after drinking alcohol, and 17% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.

OHLQ’s work in the community at ohlq.com/ohlqcares. Once you know what to say and how to say it, all that’s left is taking action.

“Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix” is a free digital underage drinking prevention program for kids ages nine–13. On the Responsibility.org website, you’ll find infographics, blogs, programs, and other tools geared toward parents, educators, tweens, teen drivers, and college students.

Swonger notes that leading by example is another key component to teaching kids about responsible alcohol consumption. The Virtual Bar app is a helpful tool to model good decision making. Simply input your weight, gender, height, age, what you’re drinking, and what you’ve eaten, and the app will help you estimate your blood alcohol content (BAC). The app also describes how you may be feeling, offers impairment information at different BAC levels, and calculates how long it will take for your BAC to return to zero.

Preventing underage drinking is a community effort. From producers and providers of alcohol to parents, to educators, and beyond – all of us have a vested interest in promoting responsibility and keeping communities safe.