If historic trends hold, between 5 and 15 San Bernardino youth will land in the emergency room this year as a result of alcohol poisoning. Others will be injured in car crashes, engage in risky sexual behavior and become victims of violent or sexual crimes.

These statistics show the serious health effects alcohol is having on local youth.

“Today’s youth just don’t understand how drinking alcohol can negatively affect their health and even possibly their future development,” said Jan Serrano, trauma coordinator for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. “Sadly, we see the consequences of their poor choices far too often.”  » More

By LARRY ESKRIDGE of the Daily Ledger
CANTON — The cost of underage drinking and ways to reduce it provided the focus of a town hall meeting Tuesday at the Donaldson Center in Wallace Park, sponsored by SADD/SWAT, the Coalition for Wise Choices, the Making Wise Choices program, the YWCA, the YMCA, and United in Jesus Outreach Ministries.

District 66 Superintendent Roy Webb said he was pleased to see such a large turnout, noting he believed so many people came because there was a concern about young people in the area.  » More

By MIKAELA CONLEY
The Fourth of July is one of the worst days of the year for teenage boys to drink -- and get hurt.

A new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, found that underage males visit the emergency room twice as much during Fourth of July weekend than the rest of the month.  » More

From newswise.com: A new report based on a national survey shows that only 1.2 percent of the nation’s more than 7.4 million adults aged 21 to 64 with an untreated alcohol abuse disorder perceive they could benefit from treatment. The report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in conjunction with National Alcohol Screening Day, April 7, highlights the need to raise awareness about adult problem drinking, how to identify when someone has a problem, how to confront a problem drinker and how to get help.

Read full article from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) on Newswise  » More

If you can’t take care of yourself, it’s difficult to be of help to anyone else.
Treatment Talk; This is a guest post by Carole Bennett, MA author of, “Reclaim Your Life: You and the Alcoholic/Addict,”
Dealing with the alcoholic or addict in your life (whether in recovery or not) can be an emotional, physical and financial drain. You can find yourself exhausted before you even get out of bed in the morning. So, here are some suggestions that I have used and passed on to my clients as they deal, day in and day out, with their loved ones’ substance abuse issues. These might be just the balance you need to find a healthier, personal lifestyle just for you. » More

By Kerry Burke and Lukas I. Alpert, 
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Heavy-drinking hospital visits vary greatly by neighborhood, the survey found - with wealthy areas seeing the highest number of drunken emergency room trips. Heavy boozing has caused a shocking spike in drunken injuries and emergency room visits in New York, a troubling new study says. Nearly 74,000 people wound up in hospitals in 2009 for alcohol-related reasons, compared with just 22,000 in 2003 - a jump of nearly 250%, said the city Health Department study, which was released yesterday. » More