Alcohol And Corpus Christi Minors

Twelve is the average age for a child to first experiment with alcohol. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) says that fact means a lot of students are boozing it up, and many parents do not even know about it.

With graduation, summer vacation and trips to the beach, TABC agents are paying special attention to teen drinking.

Lieutenant Mark Menn of TABC told KRIS 6 News, "A particular problem is a young driver, who's just learning to drive and then you add alcohol and their diminished motor and reflexes are a particular problem."

17-year-old Tammy cannot drive yet, but she says a lot of her friends drink and get behind the wheel. Tammy told 6 News, "There's a party coming up and there's gonna be a lot of drinking, a lot of under age."

Lieutenant Menn says young people do not realize just how dangerous the substance is. Their hormones and emotions make them more likely to engage in risky behavior. In fact, an average of 6,000 teenagers fall victim to alcohol related deaths.

That is why TABC does stings like those in part one of our special report, where they send minors in to stores to buy alcohol, and too often they are coming out with a bottle of booze.

But, the agency cannot stop the problem. Lieutenant Menn continued, "TABC is here to regulate the business side of things and promote responsible use of it and as long as it's legal substance, it's just going to be out there."

66% of high schoolers in Corpus Christi drink illegally and most do it, behind their parents' backs, like 18-year-old Aaron, who would not show his face on camera. Aaron told 6 News, "I'd say pretty much everybody has had an experience with alcohol. At least everybody I know. I've seen it cause problems and I've heard about it causing problems."

So, to help fight the problem, TABC says parents need to step up and talk to their kids about the dangers of alcohol.

"If in a dangerous situation, you as a parent need to be willing to do what you can to get them out of that situation and make them more comfortable about talking to you," Lieutenant Menn asserted.

TABC wants more parents to be aware of the warning signs that their kids might be using alcohol. For example, look for alcohol disappearing from your home, a sudden change in mood or depression, a loss of interest in activities and school, secrecy, or a reluctance to introduce you to new friends.

KRISTV