Smashed, Lit, Wasted – The Doctor's Office

The Doctor gets to hear a lot about the evils of teenage drinking. So do most teens, it seems. For instance, did you know that two-thirds of U.S. High School students take a health class that usually covers the effects of alcohol and six of the largest alcohol-education groups claim to reach a total of 43 million students in kindergarten through 12th grade? ₍₁₎

So if this is true, then why are so many teens still tanking up at weekend keg parties and sneaking into “21 and over” clubs with fake ID’s? Why did the Reuters news agency report that “nearly half of all US college students are binge drinkers and on some campuses, the rate may be as high as 70%”? ₍₂₎ Well, before you try answering those questions, try answering a few of these alcohol related questions…

What is a “drink”?
How many drinks per week make a “heavy drinker”?
What do teenagers drink most often?
Who gets drunk faster- males or females?
True or False- alcohol can stunt your growth.

Everybody aced those questions, right? Well in case you didn’t, here are the answers courtesy of USA Today magazine ₍₁₎ …

A “drink” is defined as 1.5 ounces (44 ml) of liquor, 5 ounces (148 ml) of wine, or 12 ounces (355 ml) of beer (which is your standard can or bottle here in the U.S.)
A “heavy drinker” is anyone who regularly consumes more than four drinks per day or more than 20 a week. If you’re keeping score, that would amount to slightly less than one case of beer a week
Beer. Each year American teenagers consume 1.1 billion brewskis. This represents 2% of all the beer sold in the USA.
Females generally become drunk faster than males. Because women are generally smaller than guys, it takes less alcohol to cause drunkenness in females. In addition, studies show that women maintain lower levels of dehydrogenase, an enzyme that helps break down alcohol.
True. Alcohol can change the way nutrients are absorbed, stored and used by youth bodies.

Not surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say on the subject of alcohol and here’s some of what God’s Word has to say concerning drinking and drunkenness. No long sermons this month- just some straight talk from God’s Word. Check it out…

On The Lifestyle Of The Heavy Drinker

Proverbs 23:29-35: “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.

Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging. “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?” (NIV).

On Drinking Parties

Isaiah 5:22: “Woe to those who are “heroes” when it comes to drinking and boast about the liquor they can hold.”

On The Sexual Immorality That Can Go Along With Drinking

Habakkuk 2:15-16: “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies. You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and be exposed! The cup from the LORD’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory” (NIV).

On Those Who Drink Throughout The Day

Isaiah 5:11-12: “Woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the LORD, no respect for the work of his hands” (NIV).

On God’s People Who Give Themselves Over To Drunkenness

Isaiah 28:7-8: “And these also stagger from wine and reel from beer: Priests and prophets stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions, they stumble when rendering decisions. All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth” (NIV).

On The Future Of Those Who Continue To Abuse Alcohol

Corinthians 6:9-10: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (NIV).

The Bible’s Advice To You Concerning Alcohol Abuse

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery (or corruption), not in dissension and jealousy… Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit… Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (Romans 13:13, Ephesians 5:18, 1 Peter 1:13)

Remember, real life is not the way that you see it portrayed in beer commercials. You’ll never see anyone throwing up in the ladies room or being arrested after a traffic accident or getting into a drunken brawl in a beer commercial. But all these things (and more) often happen in real life. You would be wise to carefully consider the Bible’s advice on alcohol before that next party.

(1) USA Weekend magazine August 12-14 1994
(2) Reuters, Study Finds Binge Drinking On Campuses 6 Dec 94