“The American Academy of Pediatrics found that more than four million adolescents drink alcohol in any month.” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/12/underage-alcohol-usage-so_n_1007680.html?view=print&comm_ref=false)  It is the drug most often used by children ages 12 to 17 years old.  Those teens will consistently find new and creative ways to disguise their use of alcohol.  Some of the most recent dangerous trends are ingesting alcohol through:

• Gummie candies (bears and worms)
• Eyeball shots
• Tampons

“Drunken Gummies or Boozy Bears”

The usually innocent Gummie bears and worms are being soaked in vodka for several days before being eaten. They have a “kick” to them and are nice and fruity. They can be hidden in backpacks disguised as candy. No one would think twice about kids having them. Recipes for producing these treats are rampant on the internet, a quick search for ‘boozy bears’ or ‘drunken gummies’ brings up lots of recipes.  Some adolescents may be given candy and not be aware that they are saturated with alcohol. Adults have eaten the Gummie bears for an hour and were too drunk to drive.

Eyeball shots

In order to get drunk faster high school and college students are dousing their eyes with alcohol, usually vodka. A practice that is not only painful but can result in permanent damage to the cornea.  So why are teens vodka eyeballing? Some have claimed they get a quick high, but in fact, doctors say the volume of vodka absorbed by the eye is too small to have that effect. The fact usually is that they are already drunk and are practicing risky behaviors. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1278583/Young-people-drinking-neat-vodka-EYE-quick-buzz.html)

Tampons

Vodka soaked tampons are being inserted into bodies ( male & female) for a quick high in the hope that the alcohol will be absorbed faster into the bloodstream.  These tampons which contain approximately a shot of alcohol can cause alcohol poisoning and damage to the body. (http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2011/11/14/vodka-tampon-teens_n_1092594.html.)

 Alcohol is best utilized by the body when it is consumed by drinking. The process of digestion breaks it down which takes away some of the toxicity. When alcohol is introduced into the body in a manner that doesn’t require digestion, drunkenness occurs quicker.

If it is taken into the body by alternate methods, the results could be as severe as alcohol poisoning. The method using tampons is done in hopes that the alcohol will be undetectable. The desire is that the usual smell of alcohol will not be present in one’s breath. But alcohol is partially eliminated from the body via the lungs when it’s in the blood, so it will be present in one’s breath and could be detected by a breathalyzer test. A hangover is still possible as well as the typical after effects of binge drinking.

Since young people see themselves as invincible, good judgment may not be present and they can do stupid, harmful things without thinking of the consequences. Parents still remain the best line of defense by communicating early and often in an effort to reduce reckless behavior.