Risky Behaviors Put our Youth in great danger

1
Risky Behaviors Put our Youth in great danger!

• Risky behaviors involving
• Bullying
• Risky sexual behaviors
• Tobacco
• Illegal/Prescription Drugs
• Alcohol
• lead to unwanted consequences and
• hazardous results.

2
2007 YRBS - Violence
During the past 12 months, have you been
harassed, picked on, or bullied so much that you
felt unsafe at school or that it was hard to do
your best at school? Yes 19.3 9th 25.1
10th 21.3
11th 16.1 12th 13.5 No 71.7
Not sure 8.0
3
2007 YRBS - Tobacco
During the past 12 months did you ever try to
quit smoking cigarettes? I did not smoke
68.3 Yes
16.3 No 13.9
4
2007 YRBS - Illegal Drugs
During your life, how many times have you used
marijuana? Never 72 9th- 84.2 10th
75.7 11th 67.2 12th 62.7 More than 10
15 How old were you when you tried marijuana
for the first time? 5 were under age 13
5
2007 YRBS - Prescription Drugs
During your life, how many times have you taken
painkillers, such as OxyContin, Percocet, or
Vicodin without a doctors prescription? Never
79 9th 81.5 10th 79.6 11th-
80.5 12th 77.8 10 or more 8
6
2007 YRBS - Prescription Drugs
During your life, how many times have you taken
a prescription drug, such as Ritalin, Adoral, or
Xanax, without a doctors prescription? Never
84 9th 85.2 10th 84.1 11th
85.7 12th 84.8 10 or more times 6
7
2007 YRBS - Alcohol

• How old were you when you had your first drink of
  alcohol other than a few sips?
• 2007 2005
• I never had alcohol 30 26
• Under age 13 23 29

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2007 YRBS - Alcohol
During the past 30 days, on how many days did you
have 5 or more drinks of alcohol in a row, that
is, within a couple of hours? 0 days 69
9th 78.0 10th 73.6 11th 64.5 12th-
59.8 1 -5 days 22 6 or more days 8
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Why is it a bad idea to provide alcohol to
individuals under 21?

• It is Unhealthy for Youth
• It is against the law
• It is expensive

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It Is Unhealthy for our Youth
Studies reveal that alcohol consumption by
adolescents results in brain damage - possibly
permanent and impairs intellectual development.
  (Source Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental
Research Volume 24, Number 2 National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Feb. 2000)
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ALCOHOL IS A METABOLIC POISON
That due to its small molecular weight, crosses
all barriers and affects all systems of the human
physiology SIMULTANEOUSLY
POISON
BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER
12
no alcohol
Alcohol
one year later
using
gt1 year
normal
Amen Clinics
13
teen years
14

• 40 of children who start drinking before the age
  of 15 will become chemically dependent at some
  point in their lives.

40
15
If drinking is delayed until age 21, a childs
risk of serious alcohol problems is decreased
by 70 percent.
(Source Calculated from information contained
in Grant BF, Dawson DA. 1997, Age at onset of
alcohol use and its association with DSM-IV
alcohol abuse and dependence. Results from the
National Longitudinal Alcohol    Epidemiologic
Survey. Journal of Substance Abuse 9103-110.) 
16
It is estimated that 94,465 youth in Wisconsin
have a serious alcohol problem and only 15
receive treatment. 
(The Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids, Ensuring
Solutions to Alcohol Problems, the George
Washington University Medical Center, accessed
May 2008.)
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Its the Law

• You and your teen should know the law and the
  consequences of serving alcohol and other drugs.
  It is illegal to provide alcohol to visitors
  under the age of 21 or to allow guests to use
  drugs in your home. There are criminal charges
  for risking injury to a minor. The fine can be
  739.00 per offense for providing alcohol to
  anyone under 21. You are legally responsible for
  anything that happens to a minor who has been
  served alcohol or other drugs in your home.

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Underage drinking costs Wisconsin approximately
1.6 billion each year including

• Youth Violence  570.8 million
• Youth traffic crashes  302.2 million
• Youth Property Crime 41.7 million
• Youth Injury as a result of alcohol 59.7 million
  

(Underage Drinking in Wisconsin, prepared by the
Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
(PIRE) October 2006.) 
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Alcohol dependence and abuse among Wisconsin
youth results in an estimated 17,092 additional
visits by young people to emergency rooms at an
average cost of 985 each. 
(The Alcohol Cost Calculator for Kids, Ensuring
Solutions to Alcohol Problems, the George
Washington University Medical Center, accessed
May 2008.)
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2007 YRBS Teens Perceptions
How wrong do your parents feel it would be for
you to Drink alcohol at least twice a
month? Very wrong 33.9 Wrong 24.8 A little
bit wrong 21.3 Not at all wrong 11.0 Not
sure 7.1
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How Can You Make a Difference?

• Set Clear Expectations and Enforce Consequences
• Model Responsible Behavior
• Provide Non-Alcohol opportunities
• Be informed
• Be a Peer Leader