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Sheriff Reiber

D.A.R.E. Deputy

Think
B4U
Wink

In Harm's Way

Would you give your child cocaine? Would you take your child by the hand and place him in front of a truck barreling down I-80?

Of course not.

Yet many parents and other adults place our youth in harm's way every day by allowing them to consume alcohol before they are 21.

Some adults believe underage drinking is no more than a harmless rite of passage into adulthood.

Other myths some adults think or say:

• "At least it's not drugs..."
• "It's all part of growing up"
• "But they're not driving."
• "It doesn't hurt them."
• "I did it and I turned out OK."
• "She doesn't listen to me, only to her friends."
• "I want my kids to learn to drink responsibly."
• "It's just a phase."
• "My kids don't drink."
• "He only drinks beer."
• "All teens drink."

Think Before You Wink wants to make sure you understand the consequences of your actions. If you believe underage drinking is harmless or that your kids aren't listening to you, you're wrong.

Don't Give Kids Alcohol

You, the Adult:

Minor:

Any alcohol conviction remains on your permanent driving record for 55 years!

What Happens When Kids Drink

Alcohol is a depressant of the nervous system. It appeals to teens because it makes them feel more confident and relaxed. But the brain responds to alcohol in different ways during adolescence than during adulthood.

Alcohol can interfere with the normal growth and development of young teenagers, causing physical and psychological impairment. At the very least, alcohol affects the capacity to learn, memory retention, and decision-making on a short-term basis. At worst, this brain damage can be permanent as the alcohol hinders physical development.

Kids under the influence of alcohol show poor school performance because of these effects. Worse yet, alcohol alters perceptions of spatial relationships, reduces motor function, slows reaction time, and distorts judgment. When inexperienced drivers drink, these impairments increase the risk of vehicle crashes.

If you add these physical effects to the long term damages of alcohol abuse, the results of teen alcohol use is devastating.

Psychological effects of early alcohol abuse are even worse. Adolescents age 12 to 17 who use alcohol are more likely to have behavioral problems, especially aggressive, delinquent and criminal behaviors. These behaviors include fighting, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and skipping school. Kids who drink exhibit signs of anxiety, depression and sometimes, blackouts.

Teens under the influence of alcohol are more likely to participate in sexual activity which can bring about sexually transmitted diseases and unplanned pregnancy.

Kids in Nebraska Drink

25% of all the alcohol consumed in America is swallowed by persons under 21. The average age for a first drink is 13, but kids everywhere have been known to get drunk at 10. These statistics are true in Nebraska, right here in our 9 county area. Local law enforcement agencies point out 1066 teens were arrested in 2002 for MIP (Minor in Possession). Worse yet, cops estimate they discover and cite less than 5 per cent of drinking teens. In our nine counties between 2000 and 2002, 163 kids were injured or killed in vehicles driven by kids under 21 who had been drinking. Teens in Nebraska are not only drinking , they're drinking, driving and dying. Help us make it stop. Tell your kids, your friends, and their kids, too. Don't give kids alcohol. It's illegal and it's dangerous.

You Do Make a Difference

As a parent, you are the single greatest influence in your child's life. Your kids are 60 percent less likely to drink before they are 21 if they know you don't approve.

But they have to hear from you.

• Talk to your kids about alcohol
• Tell them not to drink
• Tell them it's illegal
• Tell them the results of underage drinking
• Tell them not to ride with a drinking driver

Even parents who give their children a clear "no use" message about illegal drugs find it hard to be tough with their children about alcohol use. After all, most parents do drink at home occasionally.

Many parents make the mistake of waiting until their children are driving or in high school before talking about the problems and responsibilities of alcohol use.

Most children have their first alcohol or drug experience between the ages of 10 and 14. That's why it's important to talk openly about alcohol and other drugs between kindergarten and grade three.

Sit down with your children and tell them exactly what you expect and why. Be sure they understand both family and community consequences.

Set a good example. If you drink, let your children see you drink in amounts that don't produce intoxication.

Talk to your kids. Tell them how you feel and why. They may not act like they hear you, but they are listening.

Above all, think before you wink at underage drinking. Don't give kids alcohol and teach them to say no. You can find more information at www.thinkb4uwink.com

Think Before You Wink seeks to reduce the number of underage drinkers in South Central Nebraska. Formed by law enforcement agencies from 9 area counties, Think Before You Wink spreads the message through public speaking to interested groups. If you would like a program presented to your group, or if you would like more information about the program or underage drinking, please call your local law enforcement agency listed below.

Project targets adults in
underage drinking battle
BY BARB BIERMAN BATIE, Lexington Clipper Herald Correspondent

Next Thursday, 21 of Central Nebraska's law enforcement agencies will announce the kick-off of "Think B4U Wink," a project to curb underage drinking. Ceremonies will be at 10:30 a.m. in Rooms A and B of the Administration Building on the Central Community College Campus in Grand Island. Special guest speaker will be Third District Congressman Tom Osborne.

"I've seen too many dead kids in the last two years," notes Dawson County Sheriff Gary Reiber, who has had to investigate five deaths in that time span related to underage drinking.

Conceived and planned by the Hall County Sheriff's office, Think B4U Wink strives to educate adults about the dangers of allowing children to drink, said Reiber.

"Law enforcement agencies want adults to 'think before they wink' at underage drinking," he noted.

According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 25 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States is swallowed by children under 21.

Eight out of 10 Nebraska high school seniors surveyed in 2001 drank alcohol, notes the Nebraska's Safe & Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) website.

In a report on "Underage Drinking," Dr. Jeff Cersonsky notes more than 4 million kids drink alcohol every month, even though it's illegal. Even more troubling are those children as young as 10 who say they've been drunk, reports Cersonsky.

Nebraska law enforcement officers see the results of this activity every day, notes Reiber. In the nine counties targeted by Think B4U Wink, 1,066 minors were arrested in 2002 for MIP (minor in possession). Officials estimate they discover and cite less than 5 percent of underage drinkers.

Reiber knows first-hand that underage drinking leads to big trouble. Physical and emotional difficulties, poor judgment and risky behaviors lead to injuries and death.

Where do kids get alcohol? They get it from adults. They get it from the refrigerator at home. They get it when a legal buyer gives it to them or when a store sells it to them without checking identification.

Sometimes, kids get alcohol from their parents, who believe it's better to let their children drink under supervised conditions. "At least it's not drugs ...," "I did it and I turned out OK," "It's all part of growing up," are common adult excuses for winking and nodding at young drinkers.

Because children are getting alcohol from adults, Think B4U Wink will seek to educate them about the dangers of giving alcohol to underage youth. The program is being given a high priority by the agencies involved. It will begin by having law enforcement officials speak to as many adult groups as possible in their respective communities. They will use print material and videos to present the message that underage drinking is illegal for a reason.

Participating agencies include the Adams, Buffalo, Dawson, Hall, Hamilton, Howard, Kearney, Merrick and Phelps County sheriff's offices; the Aurora, Central City, Cozad, Gothenburg, Grand Island, Hastings, Holdrege, Kearney, Lexington, Minden and St. Paul police departments; and Troop C of the Nebraska State Patrol. Program funding comes from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety.

Dawson County Sheriff's Office Report of
Alcohol Related Fatalities

08-28-03

Reference: Think B4U Wink

October 26, 1997 - 18-year-old male lost his life due to hyperthermia. The subject became disoriented in a snow storm because of alcohol. (Overton)

June 27, 2001 - 14-year-old male lost his life due to an automobile accident involving alcohol. (north of Cozad)

November 16, 2001 - A 62-year-old male lost his life due to an automobile accident involving a minor driving under the influence. (northeast of Lexington)

September 8, 2002 - A 16-year-old female lost her life due to an alcohol-related automobile accident. (north of Overton)

August 8, 2003 - A 13-year-old female lost her life due to an alcohol-related accident. (Overton)

October 30, 2006 - 16 and 17 year old males lost their lives due to an alcohol-related automobile accident. (Lexington)

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