| In a recent survey 30 percent of high school | | | | dual-parent household living a normal life |
| seniors reported that they had driven after | | | | (whatever that is?), your underage kids |
| heavy drinking (five or more drinks in a row) | | | | aren't coping with the side effects of |
| or knowingly rode in a vehicle with a friend | | | | celebrity and paparazzi. But they are coping |
| who was drinking. | | | | with peer pressure, wanting to fit in and be |
| | | | cool, and a myriad of other side effects of |
| What about the teens who had one, two, or | | | | real teen and young adult life. |
| three drinks? Certainly, those percentages | | | | |
| are much higher. | | | | Underage drinking at bars happens every day |
| | | | especially in college towns where the |
| According to attorney Michael Monheit, Esq., | | | | drinking age is 21. Who can wait? That's an |
| "underage drinking and driving is a serious | | | | eternity when there are fake IDs or no IDs |
| problem." | | | | required, which is a huge liability for bars |
| | | | serving minors. |
| "Of course, the media doesn't help when they | | | | |
| exploit underage celebrities like Lindsay | | | | The effects of underage drinking and driving |
| Lohan and her girlfriends who are out | | | | are huge. Drinking alcohol dulls the senses |
| partying every night and smashing their | | | | while giving the underage drinker a false |
| Cadillac SUVs into poles and people," | | | | sense of bravado and laissez-faire...who me? |
| continues Monheit. Is Ms. Lohan an exception? | | | | Drinking alcohol diminishes responsibilities |
| | | | for self and others. |
| Underage drinking is more common than you | | | | |
| would think. What does it say about our | | | | Your kids are no longer strapped to your |
| society that by the time Lohan turns 21-- the | | | | chest in a baby carrier so giving them some |
| legal age for drinking -- she's been in and | | | | ground rules and values are the first step. |
| out of rehab more than once. Monheit explains | | | | Then again, how many of them have the |
| that "Rehab even seems to be a status symbol | | | | self-esteem and courage to tell their friends |
| among the rich, famous, and perpetually | | | | that, no, they are not going to have a beer |
| drunk." Thus, not only are parents comparing | | | | at a party; not going to play popular |
| notes about what colleges their kids attend | | | | drinking games; or not go into a bar that |
| but also what underage drinking rehab centers | | | | turns the other cheek while serving minors |
| have the best programs. | | | | alcoholic beverages without closely checking |
| | | | IDs. |
| Most likely, if you're a single parent or | | | | |