Binge Drinking Damages White Matter in Adolescent Brain

April 28, 2009

Research Summary

A new MRI study finds that adolescents damage the white matter in their brain -- which helps relay information between brain cells -- when they binge on alcohol, HealthDay News reported April 21.

Researchers said that the study of 28 teens indicates that binge drinking could impair thinking and memory among teens, perhaps even affecting performance in school. Past studies have revealed white-matter damage in adult alcoholics.

"It could be that episodes of binge drinking during the teenage years, when their brain is still developing, could have adversely influenced the brain's white matter development," said lead researcher Susan F. Tapert of the University of California at San Diego and director of Substance Abuse/Mental Illness at the VA San Diego Healthcare System.

Given the current rate of adolescent binge drinking in the U.S., Tapert said that one in four teens could be at risk of white-matter damage due to heavy alcohol use.

The report was published online in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Celebrate Safely!

As the school year comes to an end, you may find yourself handing over more responsibility to your teen as they transition into a young adult, but that doesn't mean your role is any less important at seventeen as it was when they were thirteen. While transition years and milestones, such as graduation or prom can bring excitement and dreams of the possibilities ahead, it can also bring increased stress, less supervision, and increased risk-taking behaviors. In fact, a significant number of teen traffic fatalities during the prom and graduation weekends are alcohol-related.

Underage drinking is also lined to two-thirds of sexual assaults and date rapes of teens, and increases the likelihood of unsafe and unplanned sexual activity. Don't let a fatal car accident, injury, or sexual assault become a part of your teens rite of passage.

• Use this time of year as a teachable moment. Surveys show that 45 percent of teens whose parents didn't set boundaries around substance use reported they were likely to drink or use drugs at prom or graduation parties this year1. Know where your teen plans to go and with whom. Discuss the possibility that substances may be present, and emphasize your family rules, as well as the legal and physical risks they may face.
  
• Monitor alcohol in your house for potential consumption.
  
• If your teen will be part of a group of teens who rent a limousine, check with the limo company to make sure there is a policy regarding underage consumption in their car or purchasing alcohol for riders.
  
• Be their excuse! 60 percent of teens say they feel pressured to use drugs or alcohol "always" or "frequently" at prom or graduation events, making it more important than ever to remind your teen about the risks of substance use1.
  
• Provide a safe alternative. Consider a chaperoned substance-free party for prom or graduation. For ideas visit: http://www.notmykid.org/news-room/enewsletters/april-2009/substance-free-party-alternatives.aspx
  

Information obtained from: www.notmykid.org

Goodhue Community Readiness Online Survey

Follow this link to take the Community Readiness Survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=JAQ1NBKeZ1tsddPFIdsdmw_3d_3d

Thank you for your time!

SAMHSA Says Fewer Adolescents Exposed to Drug Prevention Messages

News Summary
A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that fewer adolescents are being exposed to substance-use prevention messages or participating in out-of-school prevention programs.

On the other hand, more adolescents said they talked to at least one parent about alcohol and other drugs, the survey found. The population of adolescents engaging with at least one parent about substance abuse-related topics increased to 59.6 percent in 2007 (from 58.1 percent in 2002). Those who had such conversations with their parents were significantly less likely to use alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, researchers found.

The report, Exposure to Substance Use Prevention Messages and Substance Use Among Adolescents: 2002 to 2007, was based on national surveys of adolescents ages 12-17. The report shows that the population of adolescents exposed to prevention messages dropped from 83.2 percent in 2002 to 77.9 percent in 2007. Adolescent participation in out-of-school prevention programs fell from 12.7 percent in 2002 to 11.3 percent in 2007.

Press Release: We are making progress, but we are not "there" yet.

Minnesota Student Survey Results Cannon Falls School District
The Minnesota Student Survey is administered every three years to public school students in Grades 6, 9, and 12 statewide. This is a summary of the data collected for students in Cannon Falls during the last two surveys. The surveys were administered in the spring of 2004 and the spring of 2007.

1. Students use of alcohol or drugs is problem at this school – Stongly Agree/Agree (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - 10.5% / 9%
9th graders - 76.6% / 62%
12th graders - 70.5% / 69%

2. Any alcohol use in the past year (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - 7% / 7%
9th graders - 42.5% / 41.5%
12th graders - 79.5% / 76%


3. Any Binge drinking in the past 2 weeks (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - Did not ask / No Data Available
9th graders - 18% / 10%
12th graders - 43% / 37%


4. Drove Drunk/Drugged in the past 12 months (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - Did not ask / Did not ask
9th graders - 3.5% / 2%
12th graders - 36.5% / 18%


5. Rode with a friend who had been Drinking or Using Drugs in the past 12 Months (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - Did not ask / Did not ask
9th graders - 22% / 9%
12th graders - 33.5% / 30.5%


6. Any Marijuana use in the past 12 months (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - 1% / 0%
9th graders - 10% / 6.5%
12th graders - 33.5% / 30.5%


7. Any Methamphetamine use in the past 12 months (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - Did not ask / Did not ask
9th graders - 1% / 0%
12th graders - 4.5% / 0%


8. Any tobacco use in the past 12 months (%)
2004 / 2007
6th graders - 1% / No data available
9th graders - 15.5% / No data available
12th graders - 54% / No data available


The most interesting and important statistic came when the questions regarding the age of their first use of cigarettes and alcohol were given in the 2007 survey.

9. How old were you the first time you smoked part or all of a cigarette?
Amongst 12th graders 21% of males and 7% of females smoked their first cigarette at age 11 or younger.
Amongst 9th graders 6% of males and 12 % of females smoked their first cigarette at age 11 or younger.
Amongst 6th graders 100% had never smoked. (keep in mind that 6th graders are typically 12 years old by spring)

10. How old were you when you had your first drink of alcohol other than a few sips?
Amongst 12th graders 13% of males and 5% of females drank at age 11 or before.
Amongst 9th graders 13% of males and 7% of females drank at age 11 or before.
Amongst 6th graders 97% of males and 100% of females had never had alcohol. (keep in mind that 6th graders are typically 12 years old by spring)

One of the more disturbing stats found was that 8% of our 12th graders in 2007 reported using “crack” cocaine in the past 12 months.

Zumbrota Youth Bowling Night

The Zumbrota CHI Council hosted a Bowling Night for Zumbrota-Mazeppa Middle School students at the Zumbrota Bowling Alley on Sunday March 29th. About 50 students attended and fun was had by all. A special thanks to Subway, Jimmy's Pizza, the State Theatre, and the Zumbrota Clinic for donating door prizes and the Zumbrota High School TARGET students for acting as the "role models."

Officer Gene and students


Having fun!

You can still have a good time and be chemical free!

Jake Smith, Chair of the Zumbrota CHI Council and Elizabeth Burkhardt, CHI Coordinator

The event was a wonderful success! It was a great kick-off activity for our newest CHI Council!