■ People who begin drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely todevelop ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE than those who wait until age 21.

■ Adolescents get the same long-term health risks as adults who drink heavily.

This means they are at an increased risk of developing CIRRHOSIS OF THE

LIVER, PANCREATITIS, HEMORRHAGIC STROKE AND CERTAIN FORMS OF CANCER.

■ Teens who use alcohol are more likely to become sexually active at an earlier age, to have sex more often, and to engage in unprotected sex, which places them at greater risk of HIV infection and other SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES.

■ One study showed students diagnosed with alcohol abuse were four times more likely to experience MAJOR DEPRESSION than those without an alcohol problem.

■ Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to SERIOUS AND PERMANENT DAMAGE IN AN UNBORN CHILD. This can result in mental retardation and severe emotional problems as the child grows.

■ Alcohol exposure during adolescence is linked with a REDUCED ABILITY TO LEARN compared with those not exposed until adulthood.

■ Heavy alcohol use in adolescence may interfere with brain development, causing LOSS OF MEMORY AND OTHER SKILLS.

■ Alcohol use among adolescents has been associated with considering, planning, attempting and completing SUICIDE. Among 8th grade girls who drink heavily, 37% report attempting suicide compared to 11% who do not drink.

■ In a high percentage of serious crimes, alcohol is found in the offender, the victim, or both. 95% of VIOLENT CRIMES on college campuses are alcohol- related, and 90% of college rapes involve alcohol use by the victim and/or assailant.

■ 40% to 50% of young males who DROWN were drinking when they died and an equal percentage of all driving accidents are alcohol-related.

High school students are 5 times more likely to DROP OUT or think grades are not important.Nearly 1 out of every 5 teenagers has experienced BLACKOUT spells where they could not remember what happened the previous evening because of BINGE DRINKING.<B>ALCOHOL + TEENS = ROAD DEATHS IN A STUDY, 21% OF YOUNG DRIVERS 15 TO 20 YEARS OLD WHO WERE KILLED IN CRASHES WERE DRUNK.</B>

Alcohol poisoning, a severe and potentially fatal physical reaction to an alcohol overdose, is the most serious consequence of binge drinking.When excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed, the brain is deprived of oxygen.The struggle to deal with an overdose of alcohol and lack of oxygen will eventually cause the brain to shut down the involuntary functions that regulate breathing and heart rate.If a person is known to have consumed large quantities of alcohol in a short period of time, symptoms of alcohol poisoning include:■ Vomiting■ Unconsciousness■ Cold, clammy, pale or bluish skin■ Slow or irregular breathingIf this occurs, call the 911 emergency center immediately.

<i>NEED TO TALK: If you have questions about this topic, call the Butler County Drug and Alcohol Program at 724-284- 5114 or the county’s drug tip line at 866-363-3784.</i>