WEB SITES TEMPT TEENS

Through various tragedies and horror stories of abducted and seduced
teens, I think it's safe to say that the majority of parents are aware
of the dangers the Internet can pose to minors.

Child predators, pedophiles and other shady characters have used chat
rooms and online resources to lure unsuspecting children into
compromising situations. And that doesn't even address the subject of
pornographic Web sites.

But what about other dangers that parents may not be so aware
of?

If you have an e-mail address, no doubt you've been "spammed" -- hit
with dozens of automatic e-mails hawking everything from Viagra to
narcotics like hydrocodone. Online and overseas pharmacies have
managed to capitalize on the overwhelming number of unassuming
packages the U.S. Postal Service handles every day, and as a result,
addicts who are slightly computer-savvy and have the available funds
can order drugs right off the Internet.

But even if your child doesn't have access to a credit card to order
such drugs, there are other means by which children can be drawn to
sites that promote the use of certain chemicals.

Earlier this month, the Associated Press reported that alcohol-company
Websites get a high number of visits from minors. The companies make
their sites enticing by featuring video games, music, e-mail gadgets
and icons, according to the report.

In fact, researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at
Georgetown University estimated that nearly 700,000 minors visited
alcohol-company websites from July through December of last year.

Think about that -- if Blount County's new liquor stores allowed
minors to walk unsupervised through the aisles to look at all of the
various products on the shelves, what would we do? No doubt there
would be much discussion by government officials, petitions from
parents, protests and more.

A representative of the Distilled Spirits Council dismissed the study,
calling it a "publicity stunt" and claiming that the ads had been
reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission, which determined the ads
were directed to adults and had age verification in place.

Come on. How much deterrence will come from a disclaimer that says,
"This site is intended for use by those 21 and older. If you're
younger than 21, leave now!" When I was a teenager, that only would
have made me more curious.

The Georgetown study goes on to reveal that parental controls and
programs such as Net Nanny and Cyber Patrol aren't sufficient enough
to block entry to those sites.

Let's face it -- advertising for legal drugs like liquor is aimed at
young people. Magazine ads show fresh young faces carousing at
parties, a cold, sweaty drink in every hand. Television commercials
either take the "joke" approach, with belching frogs and flatulent
horses, or promote alcohol consumption in the spirit of camaraderie
and adventure, with jeeps blasting up mountains and friends frolicking
on the beach between rides on a surfboard.

The alcohol industry contends those ads are aimed at people 21 and
older. Probably so, but what teenager doesn't want to be "cool"?
What young person who sees such ads doesn't picture himself having fun
like that?

I know I did. In college, alcohol made me feel accepted. It gave me a
sense of security I didn't have and some self-esteem I'd always
lacked. I don't know how much alcohol-company advertising played a
part in that, but I certainly said to myself that if it looks that fun
on TV and in the magazines, then I've got to try it.

And at the time, I never knew I was opening a door to a future of
addiction that would turn my whole life upside down.

I'm not saying alcohol companies are irresponsible. If anything,
society's acceptance and, on some level, encouragement of such
youth-oriented marketing schemes are equally to blame.

All of us -- from those who sell alcohol to those who buy it -- need
to take a long, hard look at just what it is we're teaching young
people today. No matter how legal the drug is, it's still a drug --
and for some of us, that's one drug too many.