Study Expected to Show Increased Alcohol Use Among Local Teens

This week, the Southampton Town Youth Bureau is set to start its triennial drug study among some 2,000 area eighth, 10th and 12th graders; the bureau expects that the results will show that alcohol use among teens is on the rise.

"We try to keep an open mind, but we have done this a few times before and we think we will see an increase in use of alcohol," youth bureau Director Nancy Lynott said.

Lynott said that, in the past, studies have shown Southampton teens use alcohol far more than other drugs, including marijuana, cocaine and heroin, which many parents fear is on the rise, but Lynott says from what she's seen, not in Southampton.

Alcohol, Lynott said, is simple for teens to find and most of the time they can get it without their parents knowing. "Heroin is more of a problem among the older crowd. People in their 20s."

Alcohol "is in the kid's homes and their friend's homes," she said. "And they can usually find people to buy it for them."

Kym Laube, the executive director of , a Westhampton Beach-based organization dedicated to alcohol and drug education, agrees that the study will show that alcohol use is on the rise and will further show that alcohol use among teens is even higher in Westhampton Beach.

Laube said through her discussions with parents and students, she has found that kids can easily access alcohol without their parents knowing.

"Kids here have access to alcohol in different ways than kids in other areas do," Laube said.

For example, Laube said many kids find beer in their family's pool house — parents usually think the landscapers took it.

"I hear it all the time," said Laube, who says that she also knows many parents who condone their teens drinking and will have a drink with them to "teach them 'safe drinking.'"

"They tell me it's better than their kids doing drugs," said Laube, who argues, "Would you take your kids shop-lifting and show them that this is a 'safe' way to shoplift?"

Aside from alcohol, the use of prescription drugs among teens might also be on the rise, according to both Laube and Lynott.

"It's an up-and-coming phenomenon across the nation," Lynott said.

Lynott said that, like alcohol, prescription drugs are readily available to most teens with many doctors over-prescribing and parents stocking them in their medicine cabinets.

"Its accessible," Lynott said. "It's easy for kids to get and it's a good high."

Knowing this, Laube says her organization has already started lobbying area doctors about the dangers of over-prescribing painkillers. She says she intends to make it a focus of the new year.

Aside from talking to area doctors, Laube said her organization is looking to create educational materials for parents and students about prescription drugs and work closer with are pharmacies on from residents.

Laube says a discussion on preventive measures for both alcohol and prescription drugs will also be the focus of their annual community summit, which is scheduled for Dec. 12 at the Westhampton Beach High School at 1 p.m.

"We want the community to be involved in the discussion," Laube said.

The results of the latest study will not be available until the spring.

RELATED:
RELATED:
RELATED:
RELATED: