After years of studying the negative effects of alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs, Joseph Califano, a former
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare in the U.S. Government, arrived at this conclusion:
“A child who reaches age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using drugs is virtually certain never to do so.” Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, USA.
Members of IOGT International would amend this quotation slightly by saying that “A child who reaches age 21 without smoking, and using alcohol and other drugs is virtually certain never to do so.”
This amended version of Califano’s quotation is one that is a much more accurate statement. I would very seriously recommend that IOGT adopt this amended statement to help with its work in reducing underage use of alcohol and other drugs.
Either way, however, this statement strikes a knowledgeable truth to the tobacco and alcohol industries. And the result? These industries have now worked even harder than ever to promote their products among the youth while at the same time shouting mightily that they are not doing so!
By the way, this argument did not play any role in the current law in the USA forbidding the using of alcohol
under the age of 21, but it definitely supports that law. Also, the almost constant stream of research on alcohol’s effect of the development of the human brain gives even more support to this law. Especially when researchers report that the frontal lobes (thinking/deciding parts) of the brain aren’t well developed until about the age of 25.
The alcohol and tobacco industries probably aren’t too pleased with Califano’s most recent book either. It is titled: “How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope.”
I reccomend reading it!
