It will be in the news soon; perhaps tomorrow. The lifeless body of a teenager will be found. An autopsy will show that his/her blood alcohol content was perhaps five times the legal limit for adult intoxication. The autopsy report will show that the cause of death was acute alcoholic poisoning. The real cause of death will not be reported. The real cause of death was ignorance, the teenager's lack of knowledge of what happens when too much alcohol is consumed in too short a period of time.
This ignorance is caused mostly by people with definite but opposing mind sets about the drinking of alcoholic beverages. One side holds that the drinking of alcohol is the way to social acceptance, fun, enjoyment, the good life. The other side presents horror stories of what may happen when alcohol is consumed: rape, bankruptcy, unwanted pregnancy, death. Neither side considers much about what the other says.
If teenagers were aware of this (and believed it) they could think it through and conclude that drinking alcohol has both positive and negative components; they could go for the good things and avoid the bad. If you are a teen or know one, you know that this isn't going to happen. Teens don't think like that. Then why don't adults tell them? They do, but while the teens may listen politely, they are convinced that they are immortal, that such lectures are "preaching," and couldn't apply to them. So they drink as they wish without thinking about consequences, which can be happy or devastating.
As a wine writer I am required to know a lot about wine and other alcoholic beverages. So ... why don't I tell teenagers? See the above paragraph. They don't listen.
Still, I am distressed at the thought of teens suffering, even dying, from lack of knowledge about drinking and ultimately I wrote "If I Were Your Favorite Uncle This Is What I would Tell You About Drinking." My hope is that each teen will imagine that I am his/her favorite uncle, a person who respects them, is sympathetic to their problems, who has no axe to grind, no motive except to be helpful and, most important, who will be totally honest about all aspects of drinking.
Then I ask each of them to read "If I Were Your Favorite Uncle ..." one time (even if their Mother/Father/Coach/Teacher calls it to their attention and insists they study it). I ask each teen to read it alone, or with friends, or a more formal group, discuss it (or not) with whoever they like, reach their own conclusions and pursue what they read any way they care to.
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At least part of what I have written will stay with them. If this prevents the death of even one teenager I will consider it effort well spent.
My writing is factual, authentic, based on firsthand personal experience. Its sections are titled: About You ..... About Me ..... About This Writing ..... Rules .....The Legal Aspects Of Your Drinking ..... About Alcohol ..... Types And Sources Of Alcohol ..... Alcohol Equivalence ..... Facts, Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics ..... Why Do People Drink? ..... Will You Drink? ..... If You Decide Not To Drink ..... If You Decide To Drink ..... Learning To Drink ..... The Sophisticated Young Drinker ..... Remorse - Causing It, Feeling It, Measuring It ..... The Crapulous Morning After ..... Hangover Time ..... Lethal Indulgence ..... Beyond Hangovers - What You Do To Yourself ..... Beyond Hangovers - What You Do To Others ..... Drinking And Driving ..... Alcoholics And Other Problem Drinkers ..... Mostly Personal ..... To Wrap It UP.
Realistically, that's about all I can tell you about drinking; now it's up to you.
Good Luck!
