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Teens shoplift because they want to look cool in front of their friends. They affect their parents because if they get caught they would have to pay a fine.

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Shortly after 17-year-old Terry (who asked that her real name not be used) moved to Colorado Springs, her new friends urged her to skip choir practice and come to the mall. "We started trying on clothes at this one store, and someone suggested we take them," she says, "so I shoved a $10 belt in my bag." As she walked toward the exit, her cell phone rang. "It was my mom, asking if I wanted to go out to dinner," says Terry. At that moment, store security surrounded the teens. "I have to go," Terry told her mom. "I think I'm being arrested."

The hours that followed were a nightmare. "They escorted us into the security room to wait for the police," says Terry. "I was officially charged with taking $75 worth of stuff, the amount all of us stole, even though my item was only $10. The worst was when my mom arrived. She kept saying I'd never do such a thing. And they were like, 'Listen, lady, we have it on tape.' I finally had to say, 'No, Mom, it's true. I did it.'"

Young Minds, No Brakes

Parents always want to understand why kids steal, says Patricia Ruffini, executive director of Colorado Springs Teen Court (a nonprofit alternative sentencing program), which eventually handled Terry's case. "But most adolescents can't explain themselves," she says. "In rare cases, genuine need is the issue. Some are troubled and looking for attention, or lashing out at authority. And many, like Terry, do it to fit in with peers."

If an explanation for the bad behavior is hard to nail down, what happens in a teen's head-or doesn't-is simpler to decode. "Seventy-two percent of teens say they didn't plan to take anything," says Barbara Staib of the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP). "Most often these crimes aren't premeditated." Instead, impulse, combined with teens' general lack of judgment, takes over. And when summer comes, with less structure and supervision, there's an even greater chance of this knee-jerk stealing. "The courts and the police tell me that when kids have a lot of free time," says Staib, "it increases the likelihood they'll get in trouble."

Minor Thrills Have Major Repercussions

Shoplifting is a greater problem than ever, driven up by high teen unemployment and tighter family budgets. A leading industry study found that 61 percent of stores have seen a jump in what they call "amateur or opportunistic" theft. And NASP, which provides court-mandated educational programs for non-professional offenders, reports that requests for its services have risen 37 percent since the start of the recession.

Concerned retailers are countering the trend with more prosecutions-regardless of how old the thief is or how much he's stolen. One major chain lowered the age for pressing charges from 18 to 16, and decreased the time stores give parents to get there before police are called, from 90 minutes to an hour. And the cops don't come just for show. Two years ago store detectives caught 16-year-old Ryan (not his real name) stuffing polo shirts under his coat at the Mall of America in suburban Minneapolis. "I was arrested, handcuffed, loaded into the back of the cruiser, fingerprinted and put in a cell until my parents came," Ryan says. "It was humiliating." There's a simple motive for these measures-prosecution, along with educational programs, is the number one deterrent to future thefts.

Once a tween or teen is in the legal system, he faces tougher treatment than in the past. "Juvenile courts have become much more punitive," says Sandra Simkins, a lawyer and the author of When Kids Get Arrested. Almost every state has revised its code so that records aren't wiped clean at 18, as they once were, and Internet databases mean even minor convictions may stick. This can lead to difficulty getting into college, earning scholarships and finding work.

The Anonymity Myth

The rise in kids' tech usage has added a new dimension to shoplifting. "Teens are going on trading sites like Craigslist or eBay, as well as Facebook, Twitter and their cell phones to sell what they grab from brick-and-mortar stores," says Staib. "They tend to feel the rules don't apply in cyberspace." And assuming that nobody knows who they are, kids conclude they're safe. But they're not. These sites have investigators who work directly with retailers to connect goods a store is missing with the UPCs or other codes from items people are selling online. Getting caught is tough enough for teens and their families, but what's also at stake is a moral standard.

There's alarming evidence that adolescents' values are already slipping. According to the Josephson Institute, which tracks adolescent thoughts and attitudes, almost one in three kids say they've stolen from a store. Yet 92 percent of teens overall say they're satisfied with their ethics-meaning there's a large group who steal but don't see anything wrong with it. Selling stolen goods online, especially if you aren't discovered, feels so easy it can reinforce the notion that what matters is not whether you're doing what's right, but whether you're getting away with it.

Not My Kid

Shoplifting is an equal-opportunity crime: Boys and girls steal in the same numbers, and every economic and social group is affected. "There are angry teens, often in poverty, who steal out of rage," says Neil Bernstein, PhD, author of How to Keep Your Teenager Out of Trouble and What to Do If You Can't. "And there are affluent ones, with credit cards in their wallets, who do it for sport." (Terry had enough money on her to buy the belt she swiped.) While teens with a history of behavioral problems sometimes steal, it's actually kids who seem to have the fewest problems who are most likely to shoplift.

"The most popular kids at middle school are between two and three times more likely to shoplift than other children," says Joseph P. Allen, PhD, coauthor of Escaping the Endless Adolescence. "It's not that their motives are sinister. They do it to participate in whatever they see their peers doing." Whoever's involved, it's easier to predict what teens will take. "They're most likely to grab hot products, like iPods and video games, as well as any items that are small, high in value and can easily be concealed," says Casey Chroust, executive vice president of the Retail Industry Leaders Association. Restricted products, such as cigarettes and condoms, also have special appeal. (Girls are generally more likely to reach for makeup, jewelry and clothing, while boys grab electronics and clothes.)

Prevention Plan

Teen shoplifting is common, but it's not a rite of passage. Like other bad behavior, it can be headed off, and education is the way to hold kids to high standards.

-Teach on the spot. When you're in a store with your child, occasionally point out the many ways-cameras, magnetic tags, security guards-that the facility keeps an eye on everyone. Mention that stealing is not only wrong, but people who take things can be arrested, banned from stores and malls, have their picture displayed in public, and be sent to court and sometimes even to jail.

-Focus on the victims. Kids often think, "What's the big deal?" A monstersize store can spare a few pairs of jeans. Explain how retailers have to charge more to compensate for theft, and that many little shops go out of business because losses cut so deeply into their income. Point out the social consequences too: Since sales tax isn't collected for stolen items, schools and fire departments are shorted, says Joseph LaRocca, a security expert for the National Retail Federation. You might think teens would roll their eyes at these appeals to fairness, but, in fact, most respond positively. For that reason, juvenile courts often require adolescents to face the ones they've harmed. "We had one kid whose mom, a single parent, had recently lost her job," says Ruffini. "He had to listen to an unemployed woman, also a single mom, explain how she was laid off, in part because of theft. They both wound up in tears."

-Monitor their stuff. Keep up with day-to-day changes in what children are wearing, and periodically scan the house for new clothes, CDs, DVDs, video games, electronics and jewelry, suggests Allen. "When kids know you'll say, 'Where did you get that?' they're less likely to take something," he says. If you suspect your child may have stolen, ask follow-up questions in a matter-of-fact tone. "You don't want to make your child feel you don't trust her or that you expect her to take things because other kids do," says George M. Kapalka, PhD, author of Parenting Your Out of Control Child. "Adolescents naturally distance themselves from parents, and you run the risk of pushing them further away." You also don't want them to end up thinking, "They don't trust me anyway, so I might as well do whatever I feel like."

-Talk about values. Just as you periodically remind kids about your rules on drugs and alcohol, offer a few words about shoplifting from time to time. It might come up in the news, or they could bring it up in conversation-according to NASP, 89 percent of teens know kids who've stolen. Certainly, advises Bernstein, when your teen is off to the mall without you, say something like, "I'm giving you more freedom. That also means more responsibility. I'm counting on you to do the right thing and to behave in a way that is honest and doesn't hurt other people."

Shoplifting: A Sign of Deeper Problems

"Kids who engage in minor forms of delinquency are at increased risk for other, worse criminal behavior," says Joseph P. Allen, PhD. "There's also a connection to alcohol and substance abuse, and unprotected sex." Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a psychologist or psychiatrist if your teen:

-Steals from family or peers

-Continues taking things even after being caught

-Starts at 13 or under

-Is already in other trouble, for fighting, truancy or poor school performance

Your Kid Shoplifted: What Now?

Discovering that your child has been caught shoplifting requires a careful response.

1. Ask what happens next: Find out if your child will be charged and whether he needs to appear in court. Even without the legal system involved, expect that he'll be banned from that store or chain and that his name will be entered into a database shared by the retail industry. You probably will also have to pay a fine. "Stores usually expect reimbursement for their trouble as well as for the stolen merchandise," says Joseph LaRocca of the National Retail Federation. The additional sum is usually a few hundred dollars. (Court fees tend to be about the same.)

2. Hold off on reacting: Avoid any important conversation until you've cooled off. "Yelling in front of strangers won't accomplish much," says Jen Gustafson, a social worker who counsels Minneapolis teens. "And you'll probably say things you don't mean, or issue punishments you can't enforce. Stating, 'I'm so upset I can't talk to you right now' will buy you time to plan out appropriate consequences."

3. Discuss trust: When you're ready to talk, clearly let your teen know that she has lost your trust. "Kids need to hear how angry and disappointed you are," Gustafson says. And they also need to know they can earn back your confidence by responsibly making the amends the courts (if the case went that far) and you have laid out. You might ban shopping trips for a set period, give extra chores and schedule additional volunteer work. Also set up a plan for your child to repay you for any expenses.

4. Make sure your teen understands the law: If the store presses charges, author Sandra Simkins suggests hiring a lawyer. But tell your child this doesn't mean he's getting off. "Explain that once he's been arrested," says George Kapalka, PhD, "he has crossed an important line where you can't shelter him."

5. Maintain perspective: "Children need to know that even though shoplifting isn't life or death, it's a big deal," says Barbara Staib of NASP, "and their job is to learn from their mistakes." The good news is that for most families the episode passes quickly-in fact, only 1.6 percent of kids who attend court-ordered programs shoplift again.

Agonizing Decision: You Caught Your Teen

Should you turn her in to the store? Barbara Staib of NASP suggests calling the loss-prevention department to make sure it won't go to one of two extremes-pressing charges or brushing it off by saying, "Oh, don't worry about it." Once you've established the situation will be handled appropriately, accompany your child to the store and have her either return the items or pay for them. Social worker Jen Gustafson also suggests that you have your child write a short letter of apology and read it out loud to the manager. "That's a very humbling, powerful experience," she says. Staib advises against bringing in the police. "Education is the ideal response," she says. "You can't force kids not to steal. But if you make them understand why it's a bad idea, most will arrive at the correct conclusion on their own."

Originally published in the June 2011 issue of Family Circle magazine.

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Teen Shoplifting: Causes and Consequences

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Shortly after 17-year-old Terry (who asked that her real name not be used) moved to Colorado Springs, her new friends urged her to skip choir practice and come to the mall. "We started trying on clothes at this one store, and someone suggested we take them," she says, "so I shoved a $10 belt in my bag."

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Teens decide to take steriods to look bigger. They can affect their team by getting them disqualified.

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Ali Mohamadi, M.D., a medical officer at FDA, wants teens to know how dangerous it is to use steroids in hopes of being better athletes or more attractive.

Subscribe: FDA Consumer Health Information

The abuse of anabolic steroids can cause both temporary and permanent injury to anyone using them. Teenagers, whose bodies are still developing, are at heightened risk. An alarming number of them are trying steroids in hopes of improving their athletic prowess or their appearance. Ali Mohamadi, M.D., a medical officer in the Food and Drug Administration's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products, warns teens and parents about the dangers of steroid use.
Q: What are anabolic steroids and how many teens use them?
A: They are drugs that mimic the actions of the male sex hormone testosterone. This includes promoting the growth of cells, especially in muscle, and maintaining or increasing male physical characteristics. Various studies have been conducted and generally reflect the findings of a Youth Risk and Behavior Surveillance System study, which estimated that among U.S. high school students, 4.9% of males and 2.4% of females have used anabolic steroids at least once in their lives. That's 375,000 young men and 175,000 young women.
Q. What are the side effects of taking anabolic steroids?
A: They are known to have a range of serious adverse effects on many organ systems, and in many cases the damage is not reversible. They include fertility problems, impotence, high blood pressure and cholesterol, and heart and liver abnormalities. Boys may experience shrinkage of the testes or the development of breast tissue; girls may experience menstrual irregularities and development of masculine qualities such as facial and body hair. Both may experience acne. Both boys and girls may also experience mood swings and aggressive behavior, which can impact the lives not only of those taking steroids, but of everyone around them.
Q: Are prescriptions needed to get steroids?
A: Yes, in fact anabolic steroids are classified as Schedule III Controlled Substances by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with strict regulations, meaning that not only is a prescription required, but there are extra controls. For example, it is illegal to possess them without a prescription in the United States, and in most circumstances the prescription must be in written form and cannot be called in to a pharmacist. Labels on some steroids recommend testing of hormone levels during use.

The number of FDA-approved uses is limited. Most are prescribed as a replacement for sub-normal levels of steroids. They are also prescribed for conditions such as muscle wasting, poor wound healing, and very specific pulmonary or bone marrow disorders.

A health care professional can prescribe steroids off-label, meaning for conditions other than those that are FDA-approved. But children, particularly teens, are getting access to steroids and taking them for reasons far outside of their intended use.
Q: So how are teens getting access?
A: Some get prescriptions from a licensed practitioner for such purposes as introducing puberty to boys who are "late bloomers" or to stimulate growth among teens who are failing to grow. Some may be dealing with unscrupulous clinics or street dealers on the black market. Unfortunately, a number of vendors sell anabolic steroids online without a prescription. Individuals should also be aware that some dietary supplements advertised for body building may unlawfully include steroids or steroid-like substances, and the ingredient statement on the label may not include that information.
Q: What is the FDA doing to prevent those illegal sales?
A: FDA is taking a number of steps to discourage these practices. Action has been taken against illegal online distributors who sell steroids without valid prescriptions, but an ongoing problem is that you can take one site down and another pops up.

The challenge is intensified by the fact that many online providers don't accurately advertise the contents of the products they sell, they may be operating outside the U.S., and the drugs aren't prescribed by a licensed practitioner who can help individuals weigh the risks and benefits. In such cases, individuals may have no idea what they are taking, what the appropriate dose should be, or what levels of control and safety went into the manufacturing process. These facts make the risks of taking anabolic steroids bought without a prescription even greater than they otherwise would be.
Q: What would you say to a teen you knew was tempted by steroids?
A: I would emphasize both the short and long-term potential for serious harm to their health. Rather than making you look or perform better, steroids will more likely cause unfavorable results that could affect you for life. I would also remind them that there are a number of ways to increase muscle mass and athletic performance, including a sensible regimen of exercise and diet, without resorting to extreme and dangerous therapies.
Q: What would you like to say to parents?
A: Parents tend not to believe their teens would consider taking anabolic steroids, but the truth is that the frequency of steroid use in this age group is far greater than many would guess.

During this time of year, when children are in school and getting back into their athletic routines, parents should watch for potential signs of abuse. Mood swings are among the first side effects to show up, and steroid use may lead to mania or depression. Acne is also an early side effect and can be followed by breast development in boys or increased body hair in girls. A surprising gain of muscle mass should also raise questions. It's a problem that is as real as it is surprising.

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youth risk and behavior surveillance system

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division of metabolism and endocrinology products

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Ali Mohamadi, M.D., a medical officer at FDA, wants teens to know how dangerous it is to use steroids in hopes of being better athletes or more attractive. Subscribe: FDA Consumer Health Information The abuse of anabolic steroids can cause both temporary and permanent injury to anyone using them.

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Teens get so angry they decide to fight. Most want attention. They would affect the other person that causes an injury putting them in the hospital.

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Teens decide to target another student on the internet because they want to feel cool. They can end up making someone feel so bad they end up taking their lives.

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Teens are exposed to drugs and end up being addicted to drugs. Teens start doing drugs because they feel pressured by their friends. Their family will end up getting affected.

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During adolescence, life is challenging enough just dealing with fitting in and the changes that occur as you grow into an adult. CBS News reports that a recent survey indicates approximately two million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 currently need treatment for a substance abuse problem, but only about 150,000 get the help they need. This high number is largely due to the fact that it is easy for teens to access many kinds of drugs but trying anything just once can lead to drug addiction. Teens are often more experimental than adults and willing to try anything their friends are doing, making a dependency on cocaine, heroin, marijuana or another drug more likely to occur. It's important to note that an addiction to any drug or alcohol doesn't mean you're a bad kid. There are several aspects to drug addiction, and even the brightest and most responsible kids can form an addiction.

How Teen Drug Addictions Start

Teen drug addiction affects teens from all walks of life. This is because the factors influencing who will try drugs are the same, no matter what your family situation or social status may be. The most common reason teens try drugs is peer pressure. Friends or classmates might pressure you into trying a drug, reassuring you that they've tried it and aren't addicted, so you'll be fine too. In television and movies, teens are bombarded with images of kids like them using drugs with no negative consequences. It is portrayed as cool or harmless, and the kids who abstain are labeled as nerdy or weird. But with repeated use, that initial harmless taste can lead to a full-blown drug addiction. The fact is that every drug is dangerous and life threatening, and there is not a single drug that doesn't hold the potential to lead to addiction.

Just because a teen is smart, does not mean that he is mature enough to have sound judgment about his decisions. According to CBS News, the part of your brain that is responsible for judgment, which is the prefrontal cortex, doesn't fully mature until you are in your mid-20s.

CBS News also points out that while experimentation doesn't necessarily lead to addiction, so many kids figure there's nothing risky about trying drugs or alcohol. The reality is that even if you are dabbling in drugs, it can cause serious problems beyond addiction. These problems include overdoses, car accidents and sexual assaults. While many kids will try drugs, it should never be considered a normal rite of passage.

The first step to treating teen drug addiction is to seek help. If you suspect that you or someone you know may have a drug addiction, we can help. Call 1-888-287-0471 to discuss your treatment options.

Teen Drug Addiction and the Brain

Drug addictions form rapidly and without warning. This is because drugs work on your brain in subtle ways. Consider how you feel when something good happens to you. That euphoric feeling - the one that washes over you when you're praised or when your team wins a game - is your brain's limbic system at work. Natural pleasures are necessary to our survival, so the limbic system drives you to seek out those things that are pleasurable.

"Genetic makeup and environment, for example, play significant roles in how rapidly drug addiction will form."The first time you try any type of drug, you usually experience unnaturally intense pleasure. This activates the reward circuitry in your brain, releasing dopamine to carry the message that whatever is causing the pleasure is good. Your brain begins to change because of the unnatural flood of neurotransmitters. The neurons sense that there is more than enough dopamine production, and so they reduce the number of dopamine receptors or make less dopamine, resulting in less dopamine signaling your brain. Some drugs can cause neurons to die. This results in the weakening of the dopamine's ability to activate the circuits that cause pleasure. So you feel flat, depressed or lifeless without the drug to activate this circuitry. Drugs are required at this point to bring your dopamine levels back up to normal, and larger amounts will be necessary to create a high. This is called tolerance and, according to NIDA (National Institute on Drug Abuse), it indicates drug addiction.

Although researchers know what happens to your brain if you become addicted to drugs, there is no way to predict how many times a person can use drugs before becoming addicted. This depends on many factors, so it varies from one teen to he next. Genetic makeup and environment, for example, play significant roles in how rapidly drug addiction will form.

What Do Drugs Do to the Brain?

Amphetamine Addiction Treatment

The official name for amphetamine is alpha-methylphenethylamine. It is a psychostimulant drug that is often used to increase wakefulness and decrease appetite. The drug is known to be psychologically and physically addictive. A person who has developed a dependency on the drug may need amphetamine addiction treatment to stop using it. There are hundreds of treatment facilities that can help you or someone you love overcome an addiction to amphetamine. Read More

Drugs work on your brain by tapping into its communication system. They are chemicals which can permanently alter the way nerve cells send, receive and process information. Each drug works differently because it has a different chemical structure.

Drugs like marijuana and heroin have a chemical structure that imitates the structure of the neurotransmitters in your brain. They fool receptors, and can lock into them to activate the nerve cells. What makes them dangerous is that they don't work the same way that the natural neurotransmitters in your brain do, so they send abnormal messages through the brain.

Drugs like amphetamine can prevent the normal recycling of natural neurotransmitters or they may cause nerve cells to release unnaturally large amounts of neurotransmitters, which can lead to an exaggerated message sent to the brain. This ultimately wreaks havoc on the communication channels of your brain. The difference between natural neurotransmitter production and that caused by amphetamines is equal to a whisper versus someone screaming in your ear.

All drugs hijack the reward circuitry of your brain, causing abnormal and uncommonly large amounts of dopamine to flood your system. This may last longer than a natural release of dopamine and causes the high associated with drugs. While you may begin using drugs voluntarily, eventually the drugs alter your brain function. This impairs your ability to feel normal or to think clearly and rationally without drugs. All of this contributes to the compulsive drug use and drug-seeking behaviors that are common with teen drug addiction.

Identifying Teen Drug Addiction

During adolescence, many of the signs of drug addiction, such as mood swings or irritability, are very similar to normal teen behavior. However, NIDA states that there are questions you can ask to determine whether or not you have a drug abuse problem. While these do not conclusively indicate a drug addiction, answering "yes" to any of these questions suggest a problem is developing, and intervention may be necessary. These questions are as follows:

1. Have you ever been a passenger in a car driven by someone who had consumed alcohol or drugs? Have you ever driven a car while after using drugs or drinking alcohol?

2. Do you use drugs to chill out, feel good, or to fit in with your friends?

3. Do you use drugs while on your own, with no one else around?

4. Do you blackout or not remember things that you did while drinking or using drugs?

5. Have family members or friends ever told you that you need to cut down on your drinking or drug use?

6. Have you ever gotten into trouble, at school, with your family or with the law, because of drug or alcohol use?

Getting Help for Teen Drug Addiction

Dealing with a drug addiction alone is a daunting task. It's often difficult for a teen to know where to turn, but there are a number of resources available, and teens addicted to drugs should know that they are not alone. In most communities, there is a range of drug rehab centers and programs available for teens. Most teen drug treatment programs include group and individual therapy, and constant support and medical care. Call 1-888-287-0471 to discuss ways to get help.

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During adolescence, life is challenging enough just dealing with fitting in and the changes that occur as you grow into an adult. CBS News reports that a recent survey indicates approximately two million teens between the ages of 12 and 17 currently need treatment for a substance abuse problem, but only about 150,000 get the help they need.

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Teens become pregnant because their boyfriends pressure them. If they end up having the baby, it'll affect others because the baby will have a difficult life.

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"EVERYTHING'S going to be O.K., mamita," my mother said, before walking into her bedroom and crying her eyes out.

I was 15, and I was pregnant.

Today I have a 6-year-old daughter, and I'm not a teenager anymore. But I can't help but be affected by New York City's controversial new anti-teenage pregnancy campaign. The posters, which appear on subways, walls and buses, feature toddlers in states of despair or discontent because they were born to teenage mothers. One ad shows a crying child with the text "I'm twice as likely not to graduate high school because you had me as a teen." Many posters ask: "Think being a teen parent won't cost you?"

Some people argue that these ads are a fresh approach to dealing with the problem of teenage pregnancy. But I can tell you that there's nothing innovative about them. All they do is take the insults and stereotypes directed at teenage parents every day, and post them up around the city.

At 15, I was a good student and determined to apply to college. But after I had my daughter, my high school guidance counselor refused to see me and help me with my applications. She never expected me to graduate. Most people, even within my family, assumed I wouldn't amount to anything and would be dependent on government assistance for the rest of my life.

But I wanted to be someone my daughter could be proud of. So every day, I woke up before the sun, drove my daughter's father to work, my daughter to day care, and still managed to be in class at 7:50 a.m. before the bell rang. I also worked 35 hours a week at a cellphone store. I would leave school early through a co-op program that allowed graduating seniors to work and go to school at the same time. After getting out of work I would pick my daughter up from day care and go home. I was always tired, but more than anything I was determined.

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"EVERYTHING'S going to be O.K., mamita," my mother said, before walking into her bedroom and crying her eyes out. I was 15, and I was pregnant. Today I have a 6-year-old daughter, and I'm not a teenager anymore. But I can't help but be affected by New York City's controversial new anti-teenage pregnancy campaign.

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Many kids speed drive, they think it is a lot of fun and they don't even know what can happen, that they put life on a risk of death.

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Teens usually stay up late on social media because they wanna stay in touch with friends. The outcome would be that teens don't concentrate in school the next morning. It could affect others like the teacher because the students aren't paying attention.

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UCLA Sleep Disorders Center | Los Angeles (Westwood), CA

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UCLA Sleep Disorders Center is a recognized leader and pacesetter in the clinical practice of sleep medicine and sleep research.The UCLA Sleep Disorders Center has continuously been accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and takes great pride in providing outstanding patient care and leadership in sleep education and research in the community.

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Young drivers are over-represented in alcohol related driving accidents. Although drinking, and alcohol related crashes are dropping among young people, specific actions are recommended to further reduce traffic accidents involving alcohol.

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Welcome to the Alcohol Problems & Solutions website. It' has been debunking myths and sharing effective peer-reviewed ways to reduce drinking problems and live healthier, for 20 years.
Do you think alcoholics can recover from alcoholism and drink in moderation? Research has produced evidence for decades that alcoholics could return to moderate or controlled drinking. Curious?

How much do you know about George? Test your knowledge. Bet you didn't learn any of this in school.

Alcohol Timelines

Visit this timeline to follow the history of alcohol and drinking in the U.S. "

This timeline presents events in the history of alcohol and drinking over the past 12,000 years. "

Follow the story of wine from its beginnings to the present time. "

Considerable disagreement exists over who first developed distillation. "

Is beer older than bread? How long have humans been brewing beer? "

Explore temperance in the U.S. from its early origins down to today. "

Disclaimer: This website is informational only. It makes no suggestions or recommendations about any subject.

Alcohol Facts:

This site does not dispense medical, legal, or any other advice.
For more fine print, read the disclaimer.

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Welcome to the Alcohol Problems & Solutions website. It' has been debunking myths and sharing effective peer-reviewed ways to reduce drinking problems and live healthier, for 20 years. Do you think alcoholics can recover from alcoholism and drink in moderation? Research has produced evidence for decades that alcoholics could return to moderate or controlled drinking.

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Sometimes texting for teens is more important than watching road and everything around them. They let the steering wheel without a touch and even a small rock on the road may cause a crash that can injure other people.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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CDC VitalSigns - Teen Drinking and Driving

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CDC Vital Signs links science, policy, and communications with the intent of communicating a call-to-action for the public. CDC Vital Signs provides the most recent, comprehensive data on key indicators of important health topics.