Hughes does not advocate making drinking legal for teens, but he said the law makes it hard to teach responsible drinking. That presents a dilemma for me as an educator. The teens at Rocky Mountain tend to have serious emotional problems, and it's not always easy to get their attention. Suddenly, they remember those tattoos, those shared needles, not using the condoms. Realistically, however, Hughes sees little chance of changing teen-aged drinking until there are similar reforms in the adult society on which teens model their behavior.
Alcohol consumption is the most dangerous thing an adolescent can do.
It's the single most important factor in teen suicides, auto accidents, fights and domestic violence.