Summer 2009

 

High School Graduation and Alcohol Consumption

As young adults transition from high school to university this summer, there are a few indicators in their social life which can form the basis for how the minds of the young adults perceive alcohol.  This becomes an important issue since many of these young adults may be independent for the first time in their lives.  One of these social events: high school graduation. 

“Grad” as it may be known to youth, is a time to celebrate the end of one phase of their life and the beginning of another.  However, “Grad” can also be associated with all night parties, heavy and hazardous drinking, and other risk-taking behaviours.

In the middle of grad parties is a movement that is supported by parents, known as “safe grad”.  Safe grad has made an appearance in Canada, as parents in a small Saskatchewan town have made national media attention by providing their kids and friends of their kids a venue to drink alcohol while being supervised, all in the name of celebrating their high school graduation. 

The event, which is being held at an undisclosed venue, and does not break any laws, requires all underage attendees to get a waiver signed by their parent or guardian, and an order of the alcohol they will require for the party with a maximum number of 10 drinks for each guest.  The graduates can bring a friend or date from grade 10 and up.

The organizers of the party, who also happen to be the parents, argue that the party controls where the kids drink and ensures that no one drinks and drives which means no loss of life.  "Is that really the goal we want for our kids — is to simply keep them alive” questions Diane Fontaine, president of the Saskatoon and area MADD.

"Having 10 drinks in one evening would not be safe for many," said Colleen Dell, research chair in substance abuse in the sociology department at the University of Saskatchewan.  Dell argues that the intent of partying safe will be lost amid the drinking and, in fact, will set a precedence of accepted binge drinking, which could result in violence, unprotected sex, and alcohol poisoning.

A study out of the University of Pennsylvania was recently released which confirmed Dell’s points.  Lead author, Caitlin Abar surveyed almost 300 college freshmen and related their drinking habits to their parents' modeling and permissibility of alcohol use. Those students whose parents did not permit them to drink underage — about half of the group — were significantly less likely to drink heavily in college, regardless of gender. Abar explained that, "the greater number of drinks that a parent had set as a limit for the teens, the more often they drank and got drunk in college".

Abar concludes “this study shows that acceptance of underage alcohol use in the home is likely to be an ineffective strategy to reduce the likelihood that one's teen will misuse alcohol in college, while disapproval seems to produce the most optimal outcome in this regard”.

Abar’s conclusions are black and white in an otherwise gray area.  Most public health practitioners argue for a harm reduction approach, which means creating a family alcohol policy, advocating for “responsible drinking” — drinking within the Low Risk Drinking Guidelines — and educating teens to look beyond the immediate circumstances of the drinking episodes to potential harms associated with their alcohol consumption.

For more information on alcohol policy and teens we invite you to peruse our “Youth in High Schools Information Pack”.

Summer Boating

The month of July provided some unfortunate news out of Hamilton County: in a boating accident on Ontario waterways several men loaded into a boat and some were injured.  One man’s arm was almost entirely severed and he was subsequently airlifted to a Toronto hospital.  One man was charged with three counts of impaired operation of a vessel causing bodily harm.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) would like to remind boaters that the rules of the road apply to the waterways.  According to Bill 209, it is illegal to drink alcohol and operate a boat.  If the operator of the vessel is charged with impaired driving, than the same consequences are possible for a boat operator as a car operator. 

“What we’re telling people [through this new legislation] is that impaired driving simply isn’t worth the risks,” says Andrew Murie, CEO of MADD Canada in a recent media release. “You could lose your licence and, more importantly, you could kill or injure yourself and others.”

According to an OPP marine officer there were approximately 36 charges for impaired operation of a vessel in the summer of 2008.  The officer explained that the number of charges have been descending over the last number of years due to better laws, stiffer penalties, and more education.

The OPP also warn that responsible boating includes:

1. Wearing your lifejacket – If you don’t wear it, it won’t work;
2. Checking your boat – Familiarize yourself with the boat you are driving;
3. Being prepared – Ensuring that your vessel has been serviced, has enough gas, and the weather conditions are suitable;
4. Planning – Discuss contingency plans with one family member on the boat before you set out.

For more information on boating and alcohol, please visit the APN’s Information Pack on Impaired Driving.