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I saw a segment on the news a few weeks ago about some flip-flops with a built in flask. It seems to me that Reef was obviously trying to market to a young audience who would use these sandals to "smuggle" alcohol into classes, or dances, or whatever. Of course, Reef isn't going to come right out and admit that they are promoting underage drinking, but the concept of a shoe with a built in flask is simultaneously horrifying and hilarious. It is horrifying because the geniuses at Reef who came up with this design clearly had no regard for the underage drinking risk that they were creating with these sandals. It's hilarious because who wants to drink out of a shoe? Shoes come into direct contact with the ground, and who knows what kind of dirt and whatnot could get onto the spout of that flask. Gross. And wouldn't it be a little obvious to see some kid at school drinking out of his shoe? On both accounts, this flask-in-flip-flop idea seems like really bad one.

As ridiculous as this idea may be, it does bring up some more serious issues. Teen alcohol abuse is a real problem, and for a company who markets to young people to trivialize that problem is pretty irresponsible. I'm not trying to sound preachy, and some of you might think that this whole flask in shoe idea is pretty sweet. I'm also not trying to blame teen alcohol abuse on a flip-flop, but there are real consequences to the kind of teen alcohol abuse that is being promoted by this product.

I can sit here all day and tell you that underage drinking and alcohol abuse are dangerous, but I think it's more effective to read the story of a person who has dealt with the risks of alcohol abuse firsthand. While I was looking around the internet, I came across a blog that had an article about a teenage girl named Katie whose drinking got out of control. In this article, Katie talks about the consequences of her alcohol abuse, and what her life is like now. Check it out.

If you identify with Katie's problem or think that you might have a problem with alcohol or other drugs, it is really important to get help. Talk to a parent or someone you trust who can help you find the right solution for your problem.

Oh, and please don't drink out of your shoes.

Labels: teen-substance-abuse, binge-drinking, teen-drug-help, teen-alcohol-abuse, teen-rehab

Posted By: beth