More than 1 in 4 teens have consumed an alcoholic drink in the past month, according to the recent 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. For teens in the 12 to 17 range, past month alcohol use comes in at 14.6%.
The Chicago Tribune documents the way parents are reacting to the frequency of alcohol use in teens – by alcohol testing their kids. With the use of an alcohol test, parents can discover at a near-zero tolerance level (0.02%) if their kids have been drinking. The article describes one family’s regimen -
“After that first episode [when she tested postive on a Breathalyzer], Amanda had to blow into the Breathalyzer every time she returned to the family’s Johnsburg home in McHenry County—after a football game, after a movie, after a party. Now 19 and a freshman at college, Amanda credits her mother’s use of the Breathalyzer for her more mature attitude toward drinking.”
Amanda later describes the use of an alcohol test as in the long-run good for their family dynamic and for her habits. Local police Sgt. Scott Kristiansen points to the use of alcohol tests as a preventative tool, used by parents in order to ensure their teens’ alcohol abuse does not spiral out of control. Linda Lewaniak, the director of chemical dependency services at Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, notes that the number of parents asking about administering breath tests and drug screens to their teens is increasing.
Considering that breathalyzers can cost hundreds of dollars, it is important to note that there is another very convenient and accurate way to alcohol test – disposable breath and saliva alcohol tests. For $29.95, you can buy a 10 pack of FDA Approved BreathScan tests that have been used by police departments, the Coast Guard, and the US Army for alcohol screening. For the same price, you can buy a 10 pack of saliva alcohol tests. Both work well in the case of alcohol, as they can tell you whether someone is under the influence right now. Purchase an alcohol test for saliva or breath at Home Health Testing’s secure and confidential online store here.
