"Alcohol is the number one drug of choice among our nation's youth, yet the seriousness of this issue does not register with the general public or policy makers."

This statement from Dr. Enoch Gordis, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, echoes the sentiment of service providers within The T&D Region and at the state level.

It is illegal for an individual under the age of 21 to buy or possess alcohol, yet car crashes, alcohol poisoning, unprotected sexual relations, academic problems and binge drinking are all associated with what has become a widely-accepted activity in some social circles.

Death, injury, violence, suicide and drunk driving, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports is the nation's most frequently committed violent crime -- killing someone every 30 minutes, are part of the downward spiral of alcohol use among underage children and young adults.

A serious problem

"We're doing a better job of identifying those kids that have an alcohol and drug problem, but another is created in that we don't have the capacity for the treatment," said Mike Dennis, director of the William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility. "I would love to not have to do what I do because there was no problem, but the reality is that we have a huge one.

"Probably only 5 percent of the kids that we see have a behavioral problem alone. Ninety-five percent of the kids are involved with alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and that's what's gotten them to our facility."

Drinking or drug usage has led some adolescents to become involved with the solicitor's office and the Department of Juvenile Justice for truancy while others get arrested for underage possession of alcohol, driving under the influence, or an assault charge that's related to alcohol or drugs.

Most of the adolescents seen at the center are using marijuana, but alcohol is their second drug of choice. Dennis said statistics have indicated that alcohol is the most widely abused drug in the world next to cigarettes.

Parents can prevent and address underage drinking by providing consistency in their messages and attitudes against alcohol abuse, Dennis said.

"Parents who let TV and PlayStation parent their kids are more susceptible to having kids that are involved in substance abuse," he said. "Research has shown that parents who are involved in the their kids' lives and ask questions generally have children who are not involved in drug or alcohol abuse."

Dennis said there are many parents who consider cigarette smoking and drinking as "rites of passages" for adolescents. Those parents will either buy alcohol for the kids or allow house parties where they think they can monitor the drinking or attempt to control the amount of alcohol the young people intake.

"What they're doing, in fact, is saying that it's okay to drink, which research shows generally gives the kids license to do other things as well," Dennis said.

Dawn Yates, community outreach coordinator with the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, said it is illegal for adults to provide alcohol to anyone other than their own child.

"So if they're condoning a party, then they are liable if they are doing this," she said. The practice of "garaging" -- where adolescents drink in their parents' garages, where alcohol is often kept -- is growing, Yates said.

Mark Brannon, manager of the Governor's Cooperative Agreement for Prevention at the state Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, said hiding keys from kids does not always work. Drunk driving is also not the only risk posed.

Risky sex, accidents on dirt bikes and four-wheelers, deadly horseplay and dangerous overdoses are also threats present at adult-sanctioned parties where alcohol is served, Brannon said.

Families must set party rules, including no alcohol, and develop their own underage drinking prevention policy. He said schools also need to be as stringent about alcohol prevention as they are about drug prevention. Keeping kids involved in family activities and supporting local law enforcement as they crack down on the underage drinking problem are other things adults can do, Brannon said.

Dennis said the community needs to be as vigorous about promoting preventive messages as the alcohol industry is about marketing its product. "Youth are inundated with advertisements for cigarettes and beer. We've got a multi-billion-dollar industry that we're trying to fight against ... and don't have enough dollars to do that. It's like bringing a knife to a gunfight," he said.

Reducing access

Established in 1993, the William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility provides general outpatient services to Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg counties. Counseling for adolescents ages 12-18 and their families is available because the structure and parental supervision the youth need after the leave the center is critical to their treatment, Dennis said.

He said adolescents from across the state are included in the center's inpatient services, which include a structured regimen of 24-hour medically and clinically directed evaluation and treatment. Children ages 13-18, with a primary alcohol and drug diagnosis that requires out-of-home treatment, are served in the inpatient unit.

"Kids and their families are assessed to find out the range, seriousness and extent of their problems. We serve about 450 kids a year," Dennis said. He said there has been a shortage of inpatient beds, however, amid a large population of youth needing medical attention for alcohol-related problems.

The center houses 15 of the 33 total inpatient beds in the state, but DAODAS conservatively estimates that between 45,000 and 60,000 kids in South Carolina have an alcohol and drug problem, Dennis said.

"Our goal is to reduce adolescent's access to alcohol," Yates said. The Edisto Health Coalition, which includes the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, was one of 19 state coalitions to receive a three-year, $375,000 grant.

The funds support prevention activities, including compliance checks in the Vance-Elloree-Eutawville-Santee area. Yates said she gets volunteer underage Orangeburg County students to enter convenience stores to see if they will be able to buy alcohol. This year, there was a 36 percent buy rate, she said.

"The tobacco rate for the state is 11 percent. They can only buy cigarettes 11 percent of the time, but they can buy alcohol 36 percent of the time. We need to make an attitude change. We need to let them know that it's not okay," Yates said. She is accompanied by a police officer, who either gives the merchant a warning or a ticket which can range from $100 and up.

"Merchants should check the ID of anyone who looks under 30. Before a compliance check is performed, I try to talk to the merchant and offer education. Some merchants have registers that will not ring up the sale of alcohol or tobacco until a birth date is entered, but sometimes the clerks will override this system by entering their own birth date and sell anyway," Yates said.

More diligent store clerks and store policies that penalize clerks who violate laws are among the ways the underage drinking problem can be addressed, Yates said. "Parents could also be more cautious about access to alcoholic beverages in the home and realize teens need a parent instead of a friend."

Merchant education is one of the most widely used DAODAS prevention programs to combat underage drinking, said Kathleen Leopard, manager of the Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Program. Claflin University and South Carolina State University received grants from the program, in the respective amounts of $5,000 and $8,000, to implement comprehensive plans to reduce underage and high-risk drinking.

Leopard said siblings, friends, older adults and parents are among the sources from which adolescents can get alcohol. She said a community response is needed to supplement the 33 alcohol and drug programs which DAODAS provides to serve the state's 46 counties.

"It's so important that parents know that they can contribute to the solution of the problem in their communities. Underage drinking should not be something that we should just accept," Leopard said. "It's something that can be changed on the state level and within our individual communities."

Dennis said the earlier that prevention efforts start, the more successful they will be.

"We know the earlier kids start drinking or using other drugs, the greater the likelihood that they're going to be dependent on them and wind up in trouble with the law. The things that most folks would consider to be goals, including getting an education, holding a steady job, having a family and being successful, don't get done then," Dennis said.

"Consistency in the message of prevention is key for adults. We participate in Red Ribbon Week one week out of a school year. We know that kids tend to have short attention spans, so we've got to be repetitive in what we do and be as creative and fierce as the folks who are promoting alcohol use," he said.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5534.

Being host for a teen party

Mike Dennis, director of the William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility, said parents play a major role in addressing and preventing underage drinking.

He said there are some parents who hold parties for their underage children and view alcohol abuse as an adolescent rite of passage. "Research shows this generally gives the kids license to do other things as well," Dennis said. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers parents the following tips on how to how to host a teen party.

-- Agree on a guest list, and don't admit party crashers.

-- Discuss ground rules with your child before the party.

-- Encourage your teen to plan the party with a responsible friend so the they will have support if problems arise.

-- Brainstorm fun activities for the party.

-- If a guest brings alcohol into your house, ask them to leave.

-- Serve plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

-- Be visible and available, but don't join the party.

Prevention strategies for parents

While parent-child conversations about drinking are essential, talking isn't enough. You also need to take concrete action to help your child resist alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism offers some ways to provide the necessary adult supervision for children.

-- Monitor alcohol use in your home, i.e., if you keep alcohol in your home, keep track of the supply.

-- Connect with other parents. Getting to know other parents and guardians can help you keep closer tabs on your child.

-- Keep track of your child's activities.

-- Develop family rules about teen drinking.

-- Set a good example, i.e., don't communicate to your child that alcohol is a good way to handle problems.

-- Don't support teen drinking, i.e., avoid making jokes about underage drinking or drunkenness, or otherwise showing acceptance of teen alcohol use.

-- Help your child build healthy relationships with kids who do not drink or who are otherwise healthy influences on your child.

-- Encourage healthy alternatives to alcohol. Beating boredom is one reason kids drink; therefore, it makes sense to encourage kids to participate in supervised, challenging and fun after-school and weekend activities.

Warning signs of drinking problem

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that, while the following behaviors may indicate an alcohol or other drug problem, some also reflect normal teenage growing pains.

Experts believe a drinking problem is more likely if several of these signs are noticeable in teens at the same time, if they occur suddenly and if some of them are extreme in nature.

-- Mood changes: Flare-ups of temper, irritability and defensiveness.

-- School problems: Poor attendance, low grades and/or recent disciplinary action.

-- Rebelling against family rules.

-- Switching friends, along with a reluctance to let parents get to know the new friends.

-- A "nothing matters" attitude: Sloppy appearance, a lack of involvement in former interests and general low energy.

-- Finding alcohol in a child's room or backpack or smelling alcohol on their breath.

-- Physical or mental problems: Memory lapses, poor concentration, bloodshot eyes, lack or coordination or slurred speech.

Keeping youth from drinking, ending substance abuse

The William J. McCord Adolescent Treatment Facility is home to several support programs that target the prevention of underage drinking. The School Intervention Program for grades one through eight provides intervention services centered around behavioral issues that are impeding academic performance.

The Bridge is another intensive, year-long program for youth ages 13-17. It works with adolescents and their families in the areas of substance abuse, education, employment and family cohesion.

Open Horizons targets 15- to 17-year-old Orangeburg adolescents and provides full-time counselors in each school district to identify and treat adolescents and families with substance abuse and delinquent behaviors.

A $375,000 grant from the Governor's Cooperative Agreement for Prevention program helps fund other programs, including Across Ages, an intergenerational mentoring program which partners youth ages 12-14 in the Santee, Holly Hill, Vance, Eutawville and Elloree communities with individuals age 55 and older.

The goal is to creating positive influences for youth, with a focus on social development and youth involvement, said Dawn Yates, community outreach coordinator with the Tri-County Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

The Edisto Health Coalition has also formed a youth prevention team, DA CREW (Drug Awareness Crew Reaching Everyone Everywhere), which is made up of youth from Orangeburg Consolidated School District 3. Reducing tobacco and alcohol use and raising awareness about the effects of substance abuse is the mission of the group. As part of its outreach activities, Yates said the group has conducted clean-ups around schools, where they have found everything from beer bottles and cartons, cigarette butts and liquor bottles.

Yates also visits the sixth-grade class at Elloree Elementary School as part of its Social Development Program. She participates in a Life Skills class, where students learning how to handle peer pressure surrounding alcohol use.

The G-CAP grant program will also be launching a five-week Guiding Good Choices program in the Santee Cooper Region in the spring. Parents will learn how to strengthen bonds with their children in grades four through eight and help reduce the risk that children will use drugs. Setting clear family guidelines on drugs and increasing children's involvement in the family will be among the lessons taught.

Yates said youth participation in the S.C. Teen Institute is a way of addressing underage alcohol use. The institute is a week-long training program through which youth participate in awareness and leadership activities.

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