You may have seen recent articles regarding the TikTok trend promoting BORGs, or Blackout Rage Gallons, which are jugs filled with alcohol, mixed with water and an electrolyte drink. As members of your local coalitions focused on promoting healthy communities for youth and the prevention of youth substance misuse, we want to express our dismay about the promotion of any form of binge drinking and suggest ways to counter this among young people.

While many young people make healthy decisions around substance use, binge drinking is nevertheless pervasive in our society. The CDC defines binge drinking as consuming four or more alcoholic drinks for females and five or more for males on one occasion. Locally, a quarter (25%) of Hampshire County 12th graders reported binge drinking at least once in the two weeks before taking the 2019 local youth health survey. That is a lot.

Binge drinking carries risks including alcohol poisoning, impaired judgment, drunken driving, increased risk of forming an addiction, and being involved in an unwanted sexual encounter. We are concerned that BORGs are the latest way that binge drinking is being encouraged and want to be sure young people are supported in making healthy decisions around their lives, including their use of substances.

If we want to have a real impact on youth substance misuse, and binge drinking in particular, we need to address youth well-being. The youth mental health crisis (U.S. Surgeon General, 2021), and the compounding effects of the pandemic on youth mental health, are palpable (CDC, 2022). In talking with local teens, we know that young people are struggling with existential crises (e.g., related to climate change) and that certain groups (e.g., youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth) face additional stress from marginalization and limited access to resources.

These worries translate into high rates of mental health challenges and crises: Right here in Hampshire County, one in five (19%) students, and nearly one in two (45%) trans and non-binary youth report seriously considering suicide in the past year (PNAS, 2022).

Above all else, the antidote to poor mental health and substance misuse is connection. We encourage everyone who knows or has young people in their lives to take the time to really get to know them, and provide the scaffolding they need to thrive, including finding and connecting them with the resources they need. Together we can create environments where young people know they belong, and we can help them think about and articulate their goals and a vision for their future.

We urge parents and caregivers to begin authentic, open conversations with their children regarding substances early and have them often. We recommend Partnership to End Addiction’s ”Prevention Tips for Every Age.” For middle schoolers, talk to them about what their friends are doing, the reasons kids might try substances, and the harms of use for adolescents.

For high schoolers and college students, engage in real conversations about the risks involved in excessive and habitual alcohol consumption, and set clear and realistic expectations for substance use and academic (or employment) performance.

During these discussions, you can point out that many young people do not drink heavily. It’s common for youth to overestimate how many of their peers drink, as more than two in five (43%) Hampshire County teens think more students in their grade drink alcohol than in reality is the case (PNAS, 2022). Correcting this misperception matters. You can also remind them that their brains are still developing and ask them to give those beautiful brains a chance to fully grow.

For college-age students, a harm-reduction approach is effective, but be clear about what harm reduction is. It’s not binge drinking. If a young person is going to drink, help them think through how much they will drink, where and with whom they’ll drink, and how they’ll get home. Cultivate healthy, supportive relationships, so that young people know they have someone to problem-solve with, and you can recognize when someone needs professional help.

Adults have a great deal of influence. Young people care what you think, and even when it doesn’t appear so, they are taking in what you have to say and what you do. If you use substances, model moderate use and make safe choices, such as never drinking over the legal limit when driving. Scaring teens and college students often backfires because it’s the opposite of building connection. So instead, let’s offer them facts and a shoulder to lean on.

Lisa Goldsmith, LICSW, is coalition manager for the Strategic Planning Initiative For Families and Youth at the Collaborative for Educational Services. This column was submitted by the Hampshire County prevention coalitions: The SPIFFY Coalition, Northampton Prevention Coalition, Easthampton Healthy Youth Coalition, South Hadley Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition, Belchertown Overcoming Adversity Together, Quaboag Hills Substance Use Alliance, and Hampshire HOPE.]]>