Once again, abuse of alcohol has claimed a life of a young adult – an individual who had his whole life ahead of him, filled with dreams and aspirations.

Thursday, February 22, 2001

Once again, abuse of alcohol has claimed a life of a young adult – an individual who had his whole life ahead of him, filled with dreams and aspirations.

It was not an incidence of drunken driving that took the life of University of Minnesota student Jonathan Thielen last week. The 19-year-old had been drinking that night and struck his head after he fell five feet from his bunk.

Originally, officials felt the student had died from asphyxiation after vomiting, but a Ramsey County medical examiner determined Thielen had died of a head injury.

Indeed, Thielen had a bright future, judging from his past as a student who earned 3.5 grade-point average his first semester and served as co-captain for his high school wrestling and baseball teams.

Generally it’s a tragedy like Thielen’s death that brings underage and binge drinking to the forefront. While it’s important for colleges and universities to provide programming in an effort to curb underage drinking, far too little often is done.

More often, adults – including parents and educators – don’t take the issue seriously. It’s assumed it’s just another part of the college experience.

But alcohol is not automatically a part of the college experience, and parents, as well as college officials, bear the responsible to instill those values in students.

A recent study from the National Center of Drug Addiction and Abuse found what may seem like common sense – parents who spend time with their kids are more likely to raise children who do not use drugs.

It’s tragic what happened to Thielen, but parents should seize the opportunity to talk to their kids about alcohol abuse. Parents should take the time to share with their children their values about drinking. But more than that, parents should take this opportunity and create new opportunities to tell their kids how much they are loved and how important their lives are. What better reasons to give your kids to make smart decisions?