April 21 has been designated as a day for parents to talk to their children about alcohol use. According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), that conversation should begin when your child is as young as 8 years old.
In Navajo County, survey results show that alcohol use rises steadily among students as they grow older, with 50 percent of high school seniors reporting that they have consumed alcohol, and nearly 20 percent reporting they have consumed five or more drinks in a row within two weeks of the survey.
Despite the high percentage of alcohol use among teens, the number has dropped steadily since 2010, according to the 2014 Youth Survey conducted by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC). The ACJC study notes that a combination of risk and protective factors can frequently be used to predict alcohol and drug use, as well as anti-social behavior among youth. One of the strongest protective factors or influences that prevent alcohol abuse is family involvement.
In Navajo County, family-related risk factors such as family conflict and parental attitudes favorable to substance abuse decreased, while family-related protective factors such as family attachment and rewards for positive behavior increased. This result correlates with MADD’s claim that parents are the number one influence in whether a child or teenager decides to drink.
“Since children begin forming perceptions about the positive and negative effects of alcohol well before middle school, and research shows us that parents are the primary influence on their kids’ decisions about drinking alcohol, then as parents, you have the unique opportunity to help form these perceptions in order to guide children to make healthy and safe decisions when they are presented with the pressure to drink before 21,” a MADD promotion for the April 21 Powertalk Day states.
Although alcohol use has decreased in Navajo County, according to the ACJC survey, it remains the most commonly abused substance by all ages surveyed, including eighth, 10th and 12th grade students. Approximately 22 percent of eighth grade students reported having consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, while 10 percent reported having consumed it within 30 days of the survey. That is compared to 20 percent who have smoked cigarettes, about 18 percent who have tried marijuana and around 12 percent who used prescription medication to get high at least once in their lifetime. Among 10th grade students, nearly 38 percent reported having consumed alcohol at least once, while 20 percent reported having used it within 30 days of the survey. In comparison, 30 percent had tried cigarettes, 28 percent, marijuana, and about 15 percent, prescription drugs at least once in their lifetime. By the time the students reached their senior year of high school, 50 percent drank alcohol at least once and 30 percent had consumed alcohol within 30 days of the survey.
The survey also indicated that a high percentage of Navajo County students engaged in risky behavior related to alcohol consumption. That included nearly 10 percent of eighth graders who reported having been drunk or high while at school, and more than 20 percent of high school seniors who self-reported the same behavior. In addition, nearly 15 percent of eighth grade students reported having been a passenger in a vehicle with a driver who had been drinking, while slightly more 12th grade students reported the same behavior at 18 percent. Nearly 12 percent of seniors also reported having driven a vehicle after drinking.
Although MADD has designated April 21 as the official day for talking to children about alcohol use, the organization also has suggestions for approaching the topic each day throughout the month of April. Additional resources, including handbooks for parents, are available online at www.madd.org.
