Public HealthBehavioral SciencesPsychologyAdolescent DevelopmentAdolescent HealthDevelopmental PsychologyAlcohol Use DisorderSubstance UseAdolescent Alcohol IntoxicationAge-related Drinking PatternsAntic JokesSubstance Use In AdolescenceSubstance Use In ChildhoodYoung Adult Drinking
Heck, I'm just going on 15, observes the hero of Roger Miller song, * preparing for his first taste of sin. The sin comes in Mason jar, homemade and brought to school by classmates. The effects are startling. After a big old sip, he does a double back flip. ... swallowed it with smile,... I run ten miles. Burns your tummy, don't you know... Makes you want to holler heidy-ho! First time for everything, the boy concludes, and though his ears still ring, he's ready for more alcohol. And he has more—behind barns, on 4-H field trips, in taverns with boozy uncles. In Miller's song are themes found in this book: the satisfying surreptitiousness of sin; the influence of adults on youthful drinking behavior; the discovery of alcohol, its burn and antic effects; the reenactment of ritual as old as the need for adventure, shared pleasure, and warm