Alcohol
WHY DO WE FOCUS ON ALCOHOL?
YOU MAY HAVE SEEN OUR PROM CAMPAIGN BILLBOARDS AND PRINT ADS WITH A FOCUS ON ALCOHOL.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2021, the highest percentage of drunk drivers (with BACs of .08 g/dL or higher) were the 21-to 24-year-old age group and 25-to-34-year old age groups.
More than 150 of Georgia’s youth die each year from alcohol-related causes.
According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 13.4 million people ages 12 to 20 (34.4% in this age group) reported that they have had at least one drink in their lives.
Nationally, on average, per day, 2,842 young people between the ages of 12 to 14 begin to use alcohol. Meaning at least a million youth under the age of 15 starting using alcohol per year.
An average, 2,375 people in Georgia die from alcohol-related injuries or illness each year.
Nationally in 2009, underage consumption of alcohol causes on average of 28,161 teen pregnancies, 949,400 nonfatal violent crimes (rape, robbery, and assault) and 1,844 homicides.
In 2010 underage drinking cost Georgia $1.4 billion.
The adolescent brain is a fragile organ.
The adolescent brain is still developing, in fact the human brain develops into the early 20's, check out this video to understand how drugs and alcohol affect the brain function of both teens and young adults.
Don’t be a part of the party. Social Hosting can be more costly than you may know!
Lead by the Cherokee County Marshall’s office, with participation of multiple city and county law enforcement agencies, random compliance checks are done with our retailers to ensure that they are not selling alcohol to minors. In April 2021, fourteen Cherokee County retailers were charged with selling alcohol to an underaged youth. This was on one Thursday only and only during a four hour time frame. What if that compliance check was able to be done for an extended period? How many of our children would have been able to purchase alcohol for themselves? How many of them would have shared that alcohol with their friends? What if your child was one of those friends? What if, just one of those purchases was the first for a youth who grew into a substance addiction?
Do you know the age that our youth in Cherokee County report they have first started drinking?
According the the last Georgia Student Health Survey, 13 years old was the average age each person had one alcoholic beverage. The imperative lies on the community efforts to advocate for to prevent teen drug and alcohol abuse. Drug-Free Cherokee advocacy efforts through programs such as the Cherokee County Youth Council, which puts high school aged children through curriculum and leadership academies that help them become advocates against drug and alcohol abuse in their communities.
Facts About Underage Alcohol Use
More Facts About Underage Drinking
82% of people aged 12-20 have never had a drink of alcohol
People who drink before they turn 15 are more likely to develop a drinking problem at some point in their lives
12-ounce beer, 5-ounce glass of wine, and a shot of liquor are all equivalent alcohol standards.
Ramifications of Teen Alcohol Abuse
Among 18-20 year olds, 36% of respondents reported binge drinking each month.
Drinking underage can cause a variety of damaging outcomes, when it comes to social development and leading a healthy life. These outcomes can range from suicide to car accidents.
As of 2017, 17% of young adults aged 15-20 said they have ridden in cars with a person who had more than one alcoholic beverage. Also, in the same year 1,844 drivers aged 15-20 died. 440 of those drivers had alcohol in their system, 362 of those individuals had above the legal limits of alcohol in their system.
