Page 100 - issue
P. 100
DRTINEEKNISN, G,
PURIMAND
Purim, one of our most joyous holidays, is right around
the corner. Along with all the revelry comes drinking,
and unsafe behavior often ensues. Some parents are at
a loss as to how to talk to their teens about drinking.
But we need to find the way to do so, not only on Purim
but all year round.
According to the NIAAA (The National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), teen drinking has been
steadily increasing in recent years and alcohol is the most
widely used substance of abuse among teens in America.
There are many negative consequences to this trend.
Drinking impairs judgment, causing teens to make poor deci-
sions that make them more susceptible to physical attack or
abuse. In addition, injuries and death can result from alcohol
poisoning and drunken driving incidents. Alcohol can also
hinder brain development – our brains develop well into our
20s – causing learning and cognitive issues. According to the
NIAAA, people who start drinking before the age of 15 are
four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol depend-
ence at some point in their lives.
Drunkenness Is Not a Mitzva
According to Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, there is no mitzva
on Purim to drink irresponsibly. Rabbi Twerski has been
alerting the community of the increasing problem of alcohol
92 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
PURIMAND
Purim, one of our most joyous holidays, is right around
the corner. Along with all the revelry comes drinking,
and unsafe behavior often ensues. Some parents are at
a loss as to how to talk to their teens about drinking.
But we need to find the way to do so, not only on Purim
but all year round.
According to the NIAAA (The National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism), teen drinking has been
steadily increasing in recent years and alcohol is the most
widely used substance of abuse among teens in America.
There are many negative consequences to this trend.
Drinking impairs judgment, causing teens to make poor deci-
sions that make them more susceptible to physical attack or
abuse. In addition, injuries and death can result from alcohol
poisoning and drunken driving incidents. Alcohol can also
hinder brain development – our brains develop well into our
20s – causing learning and cognitive issues. According to the
NIAAA, people who start drinking before the age of 15 are
four times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol depend-
ence at some point in their lives.
Drunkenness Is Not a Mitzva
According to Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski, there is no mitzva
on Purim to drink irresponsibly. Rabbi Twerski has been
alerting the community of the increasing problem of alcohol
92 u www.wherewhatwhen.com u
