75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777 • 631.473.1320

Mather Hospital Health Tip: What Teens Should Know About Alcohol
April 13, 2009

Port Jefferson, NY - With prom and graduation season rapidly approaching, Mather Hospital is warning teens—and their parents—about the dangers of underage drinking.
“Teen drinking is very dangerous and too often deadly,” says Jim Horan of the Inpatient and Outpatient Alcohol Treatment programs at Mather Hospital. “It’s never okay for teens to drink alcohol, even if it’s a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.”
Horan cautions teens:
- Drinking alcohol leads to a loss of coordination, poor judgment, slowed reflexes, distorted vision, memory lapses, and even blackouts.
- Studies show that the earlier a person starts to drink, the greater the chance that person has of becoming alcohol dependent later in life.
- Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, lowers inhibitions, and impairs judgment.
- Consuming large amounts of alcohol at one time or very rapidly can cause alcohol poisoning, which can lead to coma or even death.
- Drivers aged 15-20 are more often involved in alcohol-related automobile crashes than any other comparable age group.
- Since alcohol is a drug, mixing it with any other drug can be extremely dangerous and can result in nausea, vomiting, fainting, heart problems, difficulty breathing and coma and death.
If you or someone you know someone has a problem with alcohol, get help. For more information, contact Mather Hospital’s alcohol programs at (631) 331-8200.

Photo: This wreck is the result of a high-speed rollover caused by an abrupt swerve. Poor judgments and/or maneuvering induced by alcohol are the causes of a significant percentage of fatal accidents.

Email this story to a friend...

Back to list of News Stories...