TEACH MODERATION AND HARM REDUCTION

Abusive drinking by some young people continues to be a problem. Although
most youth drink in moderation with no problems, a minority sometimes
experiences negative outcomes. Unfortunately, the popular bumper-sticker
solutions commonly proposed simply won't work.

Tough enforcement of underage drinking laws, prohibiting alcohol
advertising, increasing taxes on alcohol beverages and similar measures
have all been shown by research to be ineffective. Even worse, they are
sometimes counter-productive, being part of the problem rather than of the
solution.

Raising the drinking age actually made drinking more appealing to young
people while driving consumption underground where it could not be
moderated by older adults. Our current age-specific prohibition has proven
to be as unsuccessful as was national prohibition in the '20s and '30s.

This isn't surprising. Raising the minimum drinking age to 21 is a radical
social experiment and the United States now has the highest drinking age in
the world. And throughout most of its history, the United States had no
mandated minimum drinking age. Parents rather than bureaucrats were
considered better judges of what was best for their offspring.

In the United States, 18-year-olds legally are adults. They can vote, serve
on juries, hold public office, marry, divorce, adopt children, have
abortions without parental approval, serve in the military and in every
other way enjoy the rights of adulthood except one to have a drink. It's
not surprising that forcing adults to abide by children's rules is far less
than successful.

We will never make real progress against the problem of youthful alcohol
abuse until we accept the lessons taught by the long experience of other
cultures in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal, for instance where most
people drink, often daily, but experience very few problems.

There are three main keys to the success of such groups:

The substance of alcohol is seen as neutral in and of itself. It is neither
a terrible poison nor a potion that can magically transform lives. It's how
it's used that is important. Naturally, there is no effort to stigmatize
alcohol by equating it with illegal drugs.

There are two options that are legally, morally and socially equally
acceptable abstaining or drinking in moderation. At the same time, there is
no tolerance for abusive drinking by anyone of any age at any time.

Education about alcohol starts early and in the home. Young people are
taught, under their parents' supervision, through word and deed, that if
people choose to drink they most do so in moderation. These successful
groups would agree that it's better to learn to drink in the parents' house
than in the fraternity house.

But isn't it illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under age 21? Not
necessarily. Most states permit parents to serve alcohol within their home
to their children of any age. But it isn't essential that young people
consume alcohol in order to learn about moderation. We teach middle school
students civics long before they are old enough to vote, serve on juries or
hold public office.

Parental example is the single most important factor in the behavior of
young people. And what we do is much more important than what we say. Drink
in moderation and, in spite of youthful experimentation, your children will
almost certainly grow up to use alcohol in moderation.

I recently reviewed all research studies that evaluated the effectiveness
of alcohol-education programs. Abstinence-only programs were remarkable for
their ineffectiveness. Those that contained at least some attention to
moderation were demonstrably more effective.

We also need to teach, by word and example, harm reduction. This includes
such things as never drinking and driving and never riding with a driver
who has never consuming more than one alcohol drink per hour, always
consuming food or "munchies" while drinking, never becoming intoxicated,
and knowing that the alcohol content of a beer, a glass of dinner wine and
a shot of whiskey are all equivalent.

But what about the influence of peers? Research has demonstrated that young
people, like older people, tend to select peers whose beliefs and values
are similar to their own.

As parents, we need to be empowered by realizing that we have more
influence over our young people than their peers, alcohol advertising,
drinking-age laws, schools or anything else. If we use alcohol in
moderation and teach our offspring harm reduction, they will almost
certainly drink in moderation and avoid harm.