KIDS AND DRINKING

February 4, 1999 CHICAGO -- As the Tribune accurately and graphically
reported in "Despite college booze curbs, perilous parties not over" (Page
1, Jan. 24), binge drinking truly is a national health threat with a wide
range of consequences, such as academic failure, date rape, DUI arrests and
even death. And it is a threat that extends beyond college campuses.

A 1995 study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found almost 30
percent of high school seniors reported binge drinking, a behavior that is
at the root of most chemical dependency.

What can we, as parents, family members, educators and employers, do to
curb this dangerous trend?

Recent research shows a zero tolerance message from parents and other adult
role models to be the second most often cited reason by students for
abstinence from alcohol. (The number one reason was no desire.)

Hazelden Chicago at Lombard, a treatment center that recognizes the unique
needs of young adults in recovery, offers these tips for avoiding mixed
messages about alcohol and other drug use:

- - Talk to your children early and often. For every year that passes before
children begin drinking, the risk for alcohol dependency decreases by 14
percent, according to a study by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse
and Alcoholism.

- - Be specific about the physical and emotional dangers of alcohol and drug
use, using real experiences and examples--not scare tactics--to support
your efforts.

- - Be clear with your expectations, set consequences for alcohol use and
enforce the agreed-upon consequences when you have evidence of use.

- - Set an example that will lead to responsible decision-making. Abstinence
is the only appropriate choice for people under 21 in Illinois.

Peter Palanca Executive director, Hazelden Chicago