You talk to any school superintendent about their biggest problem in their districts, and they wouldn't say drugs. They wouldn't say truancy. They'd say alcohol. Friday and Saturday nights usually find police officers busy dealing with teens under the influence. We're constantly called to disturbance calls.
Fights break out.
Some try to drive, which creates a number of problems. Alcohol running through the bloodstream of a teen-ager behind the wheel can lead to death and serious injuries. Inhibitions disappear and judgments become less sound, Morris said. Teen-age hormones and alcohol also can be a dangerous mix and could lead to teen pregnancies, Morris said. A youngster's alcohol problem could lead to use of other drugs, Morris said.