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A slumber party turned tragic when the parents of 14-year-old Takeimi Rao found their daughter dead after drinking soda mixed with vodka with three friends on Saturday night.

Officials said that Takeimi's mother, Aleae Pennette, took the girls out for burgers for dinner on Saturday. At 2 a.m., Pennette woke up to find three of the girls throwing up, but she helped clean them up and put them back to bed.

Takeimi had not thrown up, cops said.

"She thought they had eaten something bad and were sick from the food," said Lt. Dennis O'Leary of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department.

But in the morning, Takeimi of Santa Rosa, Calif. was found passed out on her bedroom floor. Paramedics came to the house and pronounced Takeimi dead at the scene.

A cause of death has not been confirmed, but police believe she likely died from alcohol poisoning.

Takeimi's mother could not be reached for comment.

"Her parents are stellar people," said O'Leary. "They're devastated."

O'Leary said the family had been renting the house, and the vodka was in the owner's cabinet. They didn't want to throw it out, but it had likely been sitting in the kitchen for years, he said.

"This is a tragic lesson that we all need to learn from," said Susan Foster, vice president and director of policy research and analysis at the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. "We as a society think about alcohol and other drug use just as behavioral issues-kids acting out or taking risks-and we don't think of it as a health problem. But from a science point of view, it is."

Research has shown that drinking alcohol during the teen years has a greater effect on the brain than drinking alcohol as an adult.

"The alcohol hijacks the rewards system effect, increasing probability that the teens will take more risks," said Foster. "It interferes with normal brain development and heightens the risk of addiction."

Just last month, Foster authored a report that found that nine out of 10 American addicts begin smoking, drinking or using drugs before the age of 18.

Research has also shows that teen drinking, even in moderate amounts, can elevate liver enzymes, which can lead to liver disease.

"The public health message here is so important," she said.

Much like the way society has learned about the dangers of smoking cigarettes over the years, and has taken steps to stop smoking, Foster said she hopes that American culture will come around to the idea that underage drinking poses real and definitive threats a person's health.

Alex Hamberis, residential director of R House, a teen substance abuse treatment center in Santa Rosa, said that the area, known for its wine vineyards, has sadly seen several teen deaths as a result of alcohol poisoning in the past.

"They drink these spirits and it hits their system and their livers can't possibly handle all of it," said Hamberis. "They go into toxic sickness and their liver can't process it."

"These kids are underage. It's corny to say, but it's true-they're too young to drink," continued Hamberis. "Parents need to say that and not be in denial."

"Adults have to wake up to this," he said. "We're losing our kids."

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california girl dies of alcohol poisoning

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girl dies at slumber party after drinking

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Teen Girl Dies After Drinking at Sleepover

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A slumber party turned tragic when the parents of 14-year-old Takeimi Rao found their daughter dead after drinking soda mixed with vodka with three friends on Saturday night. Officials said that Takeimi's mother, Aleae Pennette, took the girls out for burgers for dinner on Saturday.

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Alcohol is a drug. And every day, more than 4,750 American kids aged 15 and younger take their first full drink of this drug. That's according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA. And the problem is not just that this consumption is illegal. Kids who start drinking before age 15 also are five times more likely to become alcoholics or abuse alcohol than are people who wait until adulthood for their first sip. Another big problem for kids who experiment with this drug is that they are more likely than adults are to consume too much alcohol over a short period of time. This is known as binge drinking.

What few people realize is that binge drinking poses many risks that go well beyond getting drunk and acting irresponsibly. That's why an organization of doctors has just issued a new report laying out those risks. It appeared in the August 30 issue of Pediatrics.

Lorena Siqueira is a pediatrician at Florida International University and Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami. She studies teen alcohol use and helped write the new Pediatrics report. "When kids drink, they tend to do heavy drinking," she notes. Unfortunately, she adds, "Their bodies are not ready to handle that kind of alcohol."

Teens are most likely to binge drink

Some teens drink because they have low self-esteem or think it will make them feel happier, the new Pediatrics report states. Others are impulsive. They are looking for new experiences. Teens also drink when many of their friends do.

Underage drinking accounts for 11 percent of all the alcohol consumed in the United States, SAMHSA notes. More than one in five kids 12 and younger has consumed alcohol. By high school, two out of three teens has, a new study reports. The problem: Many teens don't stop at a few sips. They binge.

In adults, binge drinking means downing at least four drinks in a row, if you're a woman - five in a row if you're a man. A drink is one beer, one glass of wine or one shot of hard liquor. For adolescents, it takes less alcohol to constitute a binge. Downing just three drinks in a row is binging for boys 9 to 13 or for any girl under 17. Among boys 14 to 15, it's four drinks.

More adults drink alcohol than teens do. But among drinkers, teens are more likely than adults to binge, Siqueira notes. Some 28 to 60 percent of teens who drink report binge drinking, she says. Indeed, 9 out of 10 drinks downed by those under age 21 are in a binge-drinking episode, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.

Teens often start drinking because they are curious and experimenting, Siqueira says. But they tend to drink quickly, "so they take in more than they realize," she says. Not surprisingly, they can get dangerously drunk very fast.

Plus, "the younger they start, the more likely they are to continue to drink and to drink larger amounts," Siqueira says. That occurs even though alcohol has a stronger effect in adolescents than it does in adults. The really sad outcome: Teens who binge drink are more likely to become alcoholics, she reports.

Binge drinking is dangerous

"We live in a world where many adults and some teenagers drink alcohol," says Vivian Faden. She's a scientist at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, or NIAAA, in Rockville, Md. "So it is normal to be curious about alcohol," she concedes. But there are good reasons why it makes sense to hold off drinking alcohol "until the teenage years are over," she says.

Binge drinking leads people to get very drunk. Normally, the liver helps remove alcohol from the blood. But when the liver cannot keep up, the alcohol then circulates through the bloodstream and brain while waiting to be removed by the liver. This is when a person becomes drunk, a condition known as intoxication. About half of high school seniors have been drunk at least once, according to recent research. Some 10 percent of eighth graders have too.

"When you binge drink, you can get into all kinds of trouble," Siqueira says. Big trouble.

For one, auto accidents. One in every 5 teen drivers involved in fatal car crashes has alcohol in their bloodstream, according to the CDC. More than 80 percent have blood-alcohol levels above the legal limit for adults. But a teen doesn't have to be behind the wheel for alcohol to pose a grave risk. Teens can get depressed and injure themselves or hurt someone else. They might have sex when they didn't mean to. A teen might black out, forgetting what happened when he or she was drunk. Some teens drink so much that alcohol poisoning stops them from breathing.

The risks of teen drinking are so high, Siqueira says, that even a single episode may prove to be one too many.

Long-term effects on the brain

People forget what happens when they are drunk because alcohol makes it harder for the brain to turn short-term memories into long-term ones. But for teens, alcohol's dangers go well beyond impairing memory. A new rodent study finds that alcohol can lead to long-term - and harmful - changes to the brain.

"We used to think that brain development was done by the time you're a teenager," Siqueira says. "Now we know that's not true." The brain keeps developing into a person's 20s and even early 30s, she explains.

In the new study, scientists gave 10 doses of alcohol to adolescent rats over 16 days. The amounts led to blood-alcohol levels that might model a binge-drinking teen. After these exposures, the rats never tasted alcohol again. Later, in adulthood, the scientists attached electrical equipment to a part of each animal's brain. Called the hippocampus, this region controls memory and learning.

Nerve cells in that part of the brain communicated abnormally, the scientists found. The cells also looked more immature than usual. Branches coming off of nerve cells should look like short mushrooms. Instead, here they looked long and thin. Again, this damage showed up in that part of the brain linked with learning and memory.

"For humans, this means binge drinking during adolescence may permanently change brain functioning," says the NIAAA's Faden. What's more, she adds, these changes "appear to be irreversible."

Mary-Louise Risher of Duke University in Durham, N.C., led that new rodent study. Her team published it in the June issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Other research has shown that teens who drink heavily lose more white matter in their brain over time than do teens who don't, Faden says. White matter acts a bit like the brain's superhighway system. It connects areas of the brain's so-called gray matter, which processes information. The white matter allows messages to shuttle quickly, even over relatively long distances in the brain. Alcohol also can hurt a portion of gray matter in a region known as the prefrontal cortex, Faden says. This area is used for attention, concentration, self-control and making decisions.

Those kinds of skills work together to create what brain scientists refer to as executive function. Poor executive function makes it harder for individuals to control their behavior. And it makes it more difficult for them to stop doing something that know could hurt them. A person with poor executive function may be less likely to turn down the chance to drink alcohol or may get behind the wheel of a car when it would be dangerous to drive.

As alcohol makes a teen less likely to turn down alcohol, the risk of binging grows. This drinking can create a cycle of inappropriate behavior. Worst of all, this cycle may lead to alcoholism in some teens, Faden notes.

The bottom line, she says: When it comes to the developing adolescent brain, "There is no known safe level of binge drinking."

Power Words

addiction The uncontrolled use of a habit-forming drug or uncontrolled and unhealthy habit (such as video game playing or phone texting). It results from an illness triggered by brain changes that occur after using some drugs or engaging in some extremely pleasurable activities. People with an addiction will feel a compelling need to use a drug (which can be alcohol, the nicotine in tobacco, a prescription drug or an illegal chemical such as cocaine or heroin), even when the user knows that doing so risks severe health or legal consequences. (For instance, even though 35 million Americans try to quit smoking each year, fewer than 15 out of 100 succeed. Most begin smoking again within a week, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.)

adolescence A transitional stage of physical and psychological development that begins at the onset of puberty, typically between the ages of 11 and 13, and ends with adulthood.

alcohol poisoning A serious and potentially deadly condition that occurs when someone drinks a very large amount of alcohol in a short time period. The alcohol can reduce a person's body temperature. It also can slow a person's heart rate and breathing until one or both stop. Symptoms include confusion, vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, pale or blue-colored skin, low body temperature and not being able to wake up.

binge drinking To consume a dangerous amount of alcohol in a short period of time. At a minimum, this would be five servings by an adult within a single day, usually within a short period of time. For teens, it could take far less alcohol to constitute binging.

development (in biology) The growth of an organism from conception through adulthood, often undergoing changes in chemistry, size and sometimes even shape.

electrode (in brain science) Sensors that can pick up electrical activity. (in chemistry) Materials that serve as an anode or cathode, attracting negatively or positively charged particles. Or things that serve as electric conductors through which current leaves or enters something else.

executive function The term that includes all of the brain functions needed for self-regulation, self-control and problem-solving. Executive function requires good working memory to hold several pieces of information in the brain at once. It also includes multi-tasking, prioritizing, reasoning, focus, concentration, goal setting and controlling impulses.

hippocampus A seahorse-shaped region of the brain. It is thought to be the center of emotion, memory and the involuntary nervous system.

intoxicating An adjective to describe something that can cause a sensory high (such as alcohol or certain other drugs) - or an event or condition that can also cause an extremely pleasurable sensation. The "drug" that does this is known as an intoxicant.

long-term memory The brain's system for storing, maintaining and recalling information from the past.

neuron or nerve cell Any of the impulse-conducting cells that make up the brain, spinal column and nervous system. These specialized cells transmit information to other neurons in the form of electrical signals.

prefrontal cortex A region containing some of the brain's gray matter. Located behind the forehead, it plays a role in making decisions and other complex mental activities, in emotions and in behaviors.

self esteem How a person collectively views one's abilities, attractiveness and overall self-worth.

short-term memory (also known as primary memory) The small amount of memory held actively in the mind for a short period of time, such as the series of digits in a telephone number.

white matter One of the two main tissue types found in the brain and spinal cord. It consists mainly of bundles of nerve fibers.

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Alcohol is a drug. And every day, more than 4,750 American kids aged 15 and younger take their first full drink of this drug. That's according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA. And the problem is not just that this consumption is illegal.

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I. Eight Exceptions to the Minimum Legal Drinking Age (MLDA) of 21

Underage alcohol consumption allowed...

States

3. for religious purposes in 26 states
Example: drinking wine during a church ceremony

Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

5. for government work related purposes in 5 states Example: working undercover with police and participating in government research

Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, South Carolina

II. State-by-State Guide to Underage Alcohol Consumption Laws and Exceptions

4. Arkansas

Underage consumption of alcohol is prohibited with no exceptions.

Although underage consumption of alcohol is not explicitly prohibited in the law, underage possession of alcohol is prohibited without exceptions. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), "Possession and consumption are closely linked because consumption generally requires possession."
Source: Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) website (accessed May 21, 2010) 3-3-203

5. California

when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor

Applies to an underage person reporting a medical need due to alcohol consumption for either himself or herself, or another person. On May 23, 2012, ProCon.org received an email from John Carr, Public Information Officer at California ABC (Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control), confirming that possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages by minors is illegal in California: "Current Law states that a person must be 21 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to drink or purchase alcohol. Section 25658 of the California Business and Professions Code states: (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (c), every person who sells, furnishes, gives, or causes to be sold, furnished, or given away any alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age is guilty of a misdemeanor. (b) Except as provided in Section 25667, any person under 21 years of age who purchases any alcoholic beverage, or any person under 21 years of age who consumes any alcoholic beverage in any on-sale premises, is guilty of a misdemeanor." 11999-11999.3; 25657-25667

6. Colorado

Owner of property must be aware of the underage drinking.

The law permits a student who "tastes but does not imbibe an alcohol beverage only while under the direct supervision of an instructor who is at least twenty-one years of age and employed by a post-secondary school; Is enrolled in a university or a post-secondary school accredited or certified by an agency recognized by the United States department of education, a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association, or the 'Private Occupational Education Act of 1981', article 59 of title 12, C.R.S.; Is participating in a culinary arts, food service, or restaurant management degree program; and tastes but does not imbibe the alcohol beverage for instructional purposes as a part of a required course in which the alcohol beverage, except the portion the student tastes, remains under the control of the instructor."

18-13-122

7. Connecticut

Although underage consumption of alcohol is not explicitly prohibited in the law, underage possession of alcohol is prohibited. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), "Possession and consumption are closely linked because consumption generally requires possession." Source: Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) website (accessed May 21, 2010) A minor may possess alcohol only "while accompanied by a parent, guardian or spouse of the minor, who has attained the age of twenty-one." Sec. 30-1; 30-89

District of Columbia

when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor

16. Kansas

Kansas statute 41-727 states: "This section shall not apply to the possession and consumption of cereal malt beverage by a person under the legal age for consumption of cereal malt beverage when such possession and consumption is permitted and supervised, and such beverage is furnished, by the person's parent or legal guardian." Kansas statute 41-727a authorizes specific people to use minors to determine compliance with Kansas liquor laws.
41-727a 41-2701

17. Kentucky

when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor

18. Louisiana

The law states that "public possession" of alcohol includes at a club, which is "de facto open to the public." Underage public possession and consumption of alcohol is not prohibited if the underage person is accompanied by a parent or guardian who is at least 21 years old. §93.10; 93.12

21. Massachusetts

on private non alcohol-selling premises, with parental consent

In a Mar. 24, 2017, phone call with ProCon.org, the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission confirmed that there is no exception for underage drinking on alcohol-selling premises, even with parental consent.

Although underage consumption of alcohol is not explicitly prohibited in the law, underage possession of alcohol is prohibited unless the underage person is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or if the person is over the age of 18 and possesses alcohol in the course of employment. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), "Possession and consumption are closely linked because consumption generally requires possession." Source: Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS) website (accessed May 21, 2010) Chapter 138: Section 34C

23. Minnesota

28. Nevada
NRS 202.020

30. New Jersey

on private non alcohol-selling premises, with parental consent

on private, non alcohol-selling premises, without parental consent

for religious purposes

for medical purposes

for educational purposes

when reporting medical need due to underage drinking for another minor

Underage consumption of alcohol is not prohibited in private places. 2C:33-15; 2C:33-16; 2C:33-17

33. North Carolina

§ 18B-103; § 18B-302§ 18B-302.2 § 90-96.2;

40. South Carolina

The law permits a student 18 years of age or older who is enrolled in an approved culinary course at an accredited college or university to "taste, but not consume or imbibe, any beer, ale, porter, wine, or other similar malt or fermented beverage as part of the required curriculum." "No provision of law prohibiting the use or possession of beer, wine, or alcoholic beverages by minors shall apply to any minor in the home of his parents or guardian or to any such beverage used for religious ceremonies or purposes so long as such beverage was legally purchased." Section 63-19-2440 - 63-19-2440

45. Vermont

47. Washington
RCW 66.44.270

Top

III. Explanations of the Eight Exceptions to the MLDA:

1. on private non alcohol-selling premises, with parental consent: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is allowed on private, non alcohol-selling premises as long as the under age person has the consent and/or is accompanied by the physical presence of a parent or legal guardian. Private, non alcohol-selling premises include residential homes, private properties not open to the general public, etc. In some states underage consumption of alcohol is also allowed on private, non alcohol-selling premises when the under age person is accompanied by a spouse who is at least 21. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

2. on private, non alcohol-selling premises, without parental consent: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is not prohibited on private, non alcohol-selling premises, although it may be illegal for adults to provide alcohol to underage people in those states. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

3. for religious purposes: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is allowed for religious purposes. Some states require that the alcohol be provided by an official religious representative and/or limit the type of alcohol allowed. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

4. for medical purposes: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is allowed for medical purposes. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

5. for government work related purposes: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is not prohibited when it is related to government or law enforcement assignments. Such assignments can include governmental research into under age drinking, working under cover, etc. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

6. for educational purposes: Underage consumption of alcohol in some states is allowed when it is for educational purposes related to culinary school. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

7. when reporting medical need due to under age drinking for another minor: In some states, a minor will not be penalized for consuming alcohol if he/she is discovered to have been drinking alcohol through his/her reporting a medical emergency for another under age drinker. Each state sets its own specific requirements for what is considered legal.

8. on alcohol-selling premises, with parental approval: In some states, underage consumption of alcohol is allowed on an alcohol-selling premise, such as a restaurant or a bar, if the alcohol is furnished to the minor by a legal guardian and if the minor is in the presence of his or her legal guardian.

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States That Allow Underage (under 21) Alcohol Consumption - Drinking Age - ProCon.org

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45 states have exceptions to allow underage consumption of alcohol under certain circumstances. Five states (Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and West Virginia) have no such exceptions. [Editor's Note: The information below is not in any way intended to be legal advice or to encourage alcohol consumption by people under the age of 21.

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Alcohol increases your risk for many deadly diseases, such as cancer. Drinking too much alcohol too quickly can lead to alcohol poisoning, which can kill you

On average, it takes 2 to 3 hours for a single drink to leave the body. Nothing can speed up the process, not even drinking coffee, taking a cold shower, or “walking it off.”

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Everyone has been in has been in high school and has known the peer pressure to drink with their friends. but the last thing on their mind is what the consequences will be.  i believe it is important to educate students in school and at home about drinking and how it can affect your life if you drink at a younger age.

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16x9 - Deadly consequences of teen drinking

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There's a startling new trend with teens and alcohol. More teens are drinking at home and, more often than not, parents are hosting the party. But underage drinking can have deadly consequences. A Leslie Roberts 16x9 investigation takes a close look at who's to blame when good times go terribly wrong.