Daily HealthBeat Tip

What happens when teens drink.

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

There are those parents who think that, well, teen-agers are going to drink � not much can be done about that. But a lot can be done, and for good reason. Here are some reasons: Violence, risky sexual behavior, poor schoolwork, and accidents caused by drunken driving.

The administrator of HHS' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Charles Curie:

"Alcohol can affect the developing adolescent brain. We want to send a wake-up call to parents that any use of alcohol involves risk." (eight seconds)

Curie's agency has a new campaign to reach parents of children ages 11 to 15, urging them to talk to their kids about alcohol before it's too late. Having open lines of communication � just talking with the kids � helps. And kids need to know the household rules, including one that says kids don't drink.

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: December 13, 2005

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