Stang

Im 47 and grew up in the 70s/80s. The drinking age was 18 and alcohol was very easy to get. I'd say I was an alcoholic by age 16. There were plenty of drugs also but alcohol was the main DOC. We did some STUPID **** while drunk especially where vehicles were involved. Local police would usually just make you pour it out and send or take you home. I'm suprised I lived through it all.
Today....and maybe I'm wrong but it seems harder for kids to get away with all that. Police and the courts don't play anymore. The days of pour it out or go to jail are over. Now you just get charged with a crime. The penalties are worse and can stay with you for life.
I know traffic fatalities for this age group are around half of what they were back then so that is far better. Overall though would you say the situation with kids and alcoholism is better now, worse or the same?

Deckard

Stang, IMO the college drinking culture we have now is simply staggering.

Don't know if there is progress or not, but I would not call the current situation very good.

Pete55

All 3 ? !

SparklingSeven

In the UK it's much worse - and it was pretty bad when I was a teenager 30 years ago.

I stood out from the crowd back then. I wouldn't nowadays...

gaffo

Hanging out with drunk teens is a bad idea.

MattyBoy

I think in general teens are becoming more aware of the dangers of drink but having heard and actually known personally young people in their early twenties who are suffering from chronic liver failure and pancreatitis due to alcohol abuse - something that was unheard of twenty years ago - I would say progress is not being made in all areas unfortunately.

Also , apparently in the UK there has been a huge rise in the number of 18 year olds who are seeking treatment for alcoholism - not just alcohol abuse but serious alcoholism. You could see it as progress because at least these people are seeking help but on the other hand it's quite disturbing that teenagers and young adults are reaching this stage so early in their lives.

Johnston

I think it's better in massachusetts now, but texting while driving has taken up the slack.

KateL

It's these shots that frighten me. We didn't have them in my day. They just chuck em down their necks at speed. Whoever came up with that ridiculous idea I wonder?

MattyBoy

Very true! I remember my student union would promote nights out with slogans such as '1£ shots all night!" And "buy one get one free on vodka red bulls!" Many students I knew wouldn't drink during the week but come the weekend would have around 10 shots on top of whatever they had to tank themselves up before arriving at the club! Scary stuff! That's another thing this generation does a lot more, 'pre loading' before going out because of the higher cost of alcohol in bars and pubs ...

KateL

Yeah, my son calls them prinks. I picked them up last night and was almost knocked for six by the fumes. At his age I wasn't quite yet a problem drinker, but anyone who drank like they do nowadays was considered such. How they manage lectures and getting any work done is beyond me.

SparklingSeven

Yeah!

The only ones we did were Tequila and they were MINGING lol.

KateL

Minging

My son even says Tequila makes him gag.

caboblanco

My cousins kid is a freshman in college and is drinking like a fish. The drinking age in the US is 21...When I was in college you would never get in trouble for underage drinking and that was 14 years ago. Now kids get pinched by by rent a cops and it really messes with their life. They can even get expelled. I tell him to be careful but I know he will go out drinking all the time anyway.

aussieblue

I would say that here in Australia the drinking problem with teenagers is far worse than when I was a teenager. When the kids here finish school they now celebrate with a "schoolies" week and all it is, is a full on binge drinking in the street rampage.
When we finished school we went straight into jobs to earn a living. I was all ready a drinker by the time I finished school , but we didn't act a stupid as todays kids.

Leshar

A friends daughter and her classmates received a shot glass with the school logo on it as a grade 12 graduation party souvenir. 18 year olds and the legal drinking age is 19. I was horrified. How could the school sanction such a thing? What message does that send to the kids?