Tolerance for underage drinking must be zero

Underage drinking in Bonner County has been inappropriately diagnosed as an unavoidable rite of passage for our youth. Adults in our community continue to treat drinking, even high risk drinking, with a wink and a nod and view alcohol as a relatively harmless substance for teens.

This perception has to change. The negative consequences of underage drinking in our community are immense: car crashes (the greatest single mortality risk for underage drinkers), risky sexual activity, academic problems, and alcohol poisoning from binge drinking are a few of the many repercussions. The adults in Bonner County must realize that underage drinking is harmful, and possibly deadly.

As executive director of a new organization dedicated to reducing underage drinking in Bonner County, I was disheartened to read Ammi Midstokke’s column in the Nov. 19 edition of the Daily Bee regarding her drunken night and happily-suffered consequences the next day. The column was printed on a page that was truly dedicated to health issues. The message delivered was that drinking is a normal activity that everyone does, and that “a life peppered with occasional reckless abandonment will make fresh memories of soaring down lamp-lit street in the middle of the night with your best friend on your handle bars, laughter chasing the wind (and) is worth the Sunday headache.” But, is it worth the romanticization of binge drinking? Is it worth the perception we portray to our children that binge drinking is OK and even fun? Everyone, especially our children want to try things that look fun.

We should not have such a high tolerance for alcohol abuse. People shouldn’t keep it where their kids can readily access it, and adults should absolutely not buy alcohol that they intend to provide to minors. Parents are the number one influence on their children’s decisions about alcohol. Although their friends and the media also play a role, studies consistently show that parents are the key, and kids pay attention to what they do more than what they say. Opportunities and pressure to drink (especially during holidays and other times for celebrating) are constant in their young lives.

Now is the time to break the cycle. If perceptions change, then underage drinking may diminish significantly. It is time to take it for what it is — harmful and destructive to both children and the community.

Concerned adults and youth in our community have joined together to form the Community Coalition for Substance Abuse Prevention to prevent underage drinking and other substance abuse and their potentially devastating consequences. We urge young people, parents, business and religious leaders, educators, enforcement officials, medical professionals and anyone else interested in this issue to join us in working to keep our youth safe and sober. We owe it to them. Please email kari.clark@lposd.org for further information.

Kari Clark

Sandpoint

Executive director

CCSAP