I was exposed to alcohol at the age of 5. My father and my uncle would drink when they got together, and they thought it was funny to give me a taste of beer. At larger parties, I was the entertainment – a little girl who could drink a beer. Then, just as my family influenced me at such a young age, I began to influence others. I was able to get us alcohol as young as age 12. I got many of my friends to drink, and I lost many of my friends who were smart enough to say no. Soon, the alcohol became occasional marijuana, diet pills, and anything else that was available for a “good buzz.”
Read the rest of Kelli's story