Letter to the editor: We need to change how we talk about alcohol
Dear editor,
We are entering the season of big outdoor events. These events bring people together, raise funds for important causes, and in some cases, are promoted for their role in economic development – they’re a highlight of summer and demonstrations of strong, vibrant communities that care.
Most of these events also include alcohol, and while common, we often ignore its dark side. Alcohol is the leading cause of death and disability for people aged 15 to 49 and is the direct cause of over 60 chronic diseases, including at least seven types of cancer. In Timiskaming, the rate of hospitalizations for conditions entirely attributable to alcohol is almost double the provincial rate.
Our young people learn from what they see, and students who think their parents would approve of their drinking are three times more likely to drink themselves. In Timiskaming, about half of all students aged 15-17 reported having been drunk at least once in their lifetime, with about one in three students reported having their first drink at the age of 13 or younger. Any alcohol or drug use before the brain is fully formed
(around age 25) can affect its development. We also know that starting to use substances before the age of 18 makes you more likely to have an alcohol use disorder later on.
Many people link alcohol use to social connection and culture and view it as harmless fun. But it’s far from harmless and we can’t rely on policy to point us in a healthy direction: buying alcohol from
a grocery store (or corner store), drinking at 19, exposing children and youth to alcohol marketing – these are all legal and known to encourage alcohol use rather than encourage health. So, we ask: can we talk about alcohol more honestly? And can we proactively try to make alcohol use an option, rather than fostering a culture that makes it the norm?
We are teaching our kids that alcohol is an important part of any gathering or celebration, and the way to cope with a hard day, without being honest about the harms.
We challenge decision-makers and community members alike: let’s change the way we talk about alcohol – let’s be more honest, let’s include the bad with the good, let’s remember that all those short-term benefits come at a cost that we as a community, have to pay.
For more information, please visit: Planet Youth Timiskaming: www.TimiskamingYouth.ca
Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health: https://www.ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health
Drug Free Kids Canada: https://www.drugfreekidscanada.org/
Erika Aelterman, Project coordinator,
On behalf of Planet Youth
Timiskaming Steering Committee
