Indio Rehab Centers

Indio’s Coachella Festival Can Be a Site of Problem Drinking

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival has taken place every year since 1999 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Commonly known simply as Coachella, the three-day event features artists from numerous genres of music. Starting in 2003, Coachella also began to offer on-site tent camping to festival attendees.

The festival sells food and some alcohol on premises, but visitors are expressly forbidden to bring in alcohol from outside. Additionally, drugs are banned at the festival. Nonetheless, there are annual arrests at Coachella for various drug- and alcohol-related charges, including selling alcohol to minors and carrying false identification. Underage drinking proves to be a problem at Coachella; however, it is also a national issue.

Adolescents and Alcohol

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in the United States close to 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die each year as a result of alcohol consumption, for reasons ranging from car crashes to suicide. Nationwide studies find that two in every five 8^th graders have already consumed alcohol at some point in their lives. For 12^th graders, the proportion jumps to three-fourths.

Furthermore, when young people drink, it tends to be in excess rather than moderation. The NIAAA found that 29 percent of 12^th graders had recently engaged in binge drinking. The Institute defines binge drinking as consumption of alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 grams percent or above. For an adult male, for example, this would amount to about five drinks consumed within the span of two hours.

The NIAAA also notes that early alcohol consumption may contribute to the risk of alcohol problems later in life. While casual drinking may be tempting to teens at such an event, it is important they recognize this risk.

Enjoying Music in Indio Without the Need for Alcohol

Many people feel that they need to drink at concerts and especially at large outdoor music events like Coachella. It is clear, however, that an early indulgence in alcohol can lead to serious dependencies later on. Luckily, the City of Indio, though more widely known as the site of one of the country’s most popular music festivals, is also a welcoming place for people of all ages to find support for issues of alcoholism and other substance addictions.

For more rehabs, see Palm Springs Treatment Clinics.