Here's a holiday tip for parents of teens: Keep a close eye on the eggnog.
Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) show that 12- to 17-year-olds are more likely to take their first sip of alcohol in December than in any other month except July. In December, an average of 11,400 teens try alcohol for the first time each day of the month, which works out to about 353,000 new drinkers by months' end. By contrast, in February the daily number of new teenage drinkers is less than half of that.
The simple reason for this? There's a lot more booze around in December than in any other month. Census retail sales data from beer, wine and liquor stores illustrate this nicely: Between 1992 and 2013, these stores did an average of $3.7 billion in sales in December. The next highest month was July, with $2.8 billion.
In short, the house is well-stocked, and Mom and Dad are either throwing parties where the booze flows freely, or are attending other parties and leaving the liquor cabinet untended.
Of course, not all kids who try alcohol for the first time -- maybe even not the majority -- are doing so without their parents' permission. Many families may invite their kids to share a glass of wine with the Christmas dinner, or to enjoy a cocktail after dinner as everyone gathers 'round to hear your crazy uncle tell stories from his Army days.
To the extent that this type of drinking happens in a social setting in the company of adults, it can help kids develop responsible drinking habits as they get older. But of course, there are plenty of kids doing dumb things with booze this month, too -- a 2010 study found that "the number of minors treated in hospital emergency rooms for drinking on New Year's Day 2009 was nearly four times the average daily figure," according to CNN.
