A recent cover story in Parade Magazine, an insert in most Sunday newspapers, addressed “Teens and Extreme Drinking”.  It covered the increase in emergency room admissions of teen drinkers, the dangers to the under-developed teen brain of heavy and early drinking, of drinking games,energy drinks and mixtures such as “Jungle Juice”. It did not, however, define what is “Extreme Drinking”.

When kids are asked what they want they will help them to stay away from alcohol and other drugs they regularly respond that “Just Say No” and other statements that tell them what to do are not helpful. What they ask for is information so they may make the right decisions on their own.

The International Center for Alcohol Policies  (ICAP) is a not-for-profit organization supported by leading producers of beverage alcohol. They provide a definition of Extreme Drinking that actually provides a useful guideline:

Extreme drinking is characterized by:

• Intoxication: Excessive or heavy drinking and its physiological effects.
• Motivation: The clear presence of intent and a directed quest for some degree of altered state of consciousness or loss of control (albeit neither unbridled nor limitless).
• Process: Typically, a social and positive process in which the pursuit of pleasure and excitement goes beyond the boundaries or norms of usual social drinking within a given culture.
• Outcomes: Attention to drinking outcomes, both positive and negative.
• Alcohol Experience: The capacity for a "controlled loss of control," balanced with the development of so-called "alcohol maturity."

 The US Government sponsored National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has developed a set of research based guidelines for what they consider to be responsible, hazardous and dangerous drinking:

Responsible or low risk: Level at which drinking is unlikely to cause health problems
   Men
     Three units per day, with a maximum of 21 units per week spread throughout the week (including at least two alcohol-free days per week)
   Women
     Two units per day with a maximum of 14 units per week spread throughout the week (including at least two alcohol-free days per week)
Hazardous or increased risk: Level at which there is an increasing risk of problems such as raised blood pressure, stroke, liver cirrhosis
   Men
     3–7 units per day, or 22–49 units/week
   Women
     2–5 units per day, or 15–35 units/week
Harmful or definitely dangerous: Sustained drinking at this level is likely to cause physical, mental, social problems
   Men
     7+ units per day, or 50+ units per week
   Women
     5+ units per day, or 35+ units per week

When kids binge drink, they usually take in much more than 7 drinks without realizing that this is considered “harmful”. An 80 lb. Middle Schooler can reach a deadly blood alcohol level within 2-3 hours. This information, provided uncritically, and without judgment can help keep our kids out of the emergency rooms and actually save a few lives.

For additional resources check:

Parenting to Prevent Childhood Alcohol Use
http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/adolescent/adolflyer.htm

Young Teens Site for Info on Alcohol
http://www.thecoolspot.gov/index.asp