Adolescent Alcohol Use As A Public Health Problem

Underage drinking has long been, and continues to be, a serious public health concern. “Teen alcohol use kills more than 4700 people each year and high school students who use alcohol or other drugs are five times more likely to drop out of school” (MADD, 2014) than kids who do not. There have been years of underage drinking prevention programs to curtail the use of alcohol by those under 21 years of age and yet alcohol is the most widely used drug by adolescents in the United States (Wagoner et al. 2012).

and delinquent behaviour (Jones and Donovan 2001). Among young people aged 16 to 24 years, alcohol related harm is one of the leading causes of disease and

To further develop their position, the author also explores the details of “binge drinking” and states that “youth often consume more alcohol in one sitting than adults, in part because the brain of a maturing adolescent can tolerate more alcohol with delayed effects as compared to the brain of an adult”. They go on to describe the possibilities and dangers of alcohol poisoning and the fact that every year, over four thousand youth deaths involve alcohol consumption. This statistic is backed up not only by the CDC in the article, but also in studies done by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Teens that do the underage drinking can have many health problems. Health problems that can be caused by underage drinking is Death, serious injuries, impaired judgment, increased risk for physical and sexual assault, brain development problems. All of these health problems are serious, and they aren’t thought about by teens before they have a drink. (Underage) Impaired judgments can be considered irresponsible drinking. Significant increase were also found for other variables: “cutting class after drinking” jumped from 9% to almost 12%; “missing class because of hangover” went from 26% to 28%; “getting lower grades because of drinking” rose from 5% to 7% and “been in a fight after drinking” increased from 12% to 17%; these are examples of irresponsible behavior. (Dr. Ruth)

Adolescent substance abuse is a phenomenon in our country that has been steadily inclining ever since the 2000’s. The effects of this incline are very straight forward and call for action. The facts are that alcohol and drugs are the leading causes of crime among youth and that alcohol and drugs are the leading factors in teenage suicide. (National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc., 2014) Because adolescence is such a crucial developmental age the effects of alcohol and drug use are catastrophic. To fully understand this phenomenon we must firs operationalize all of the factors we are trying to study. The DSM V classifies substance abuse as,

Alcoholism is a growing problem in the United States. It can, and oftentimes does, result in illnesses and deaths. “Alcohol is the world’s third largest risk factor for disease and contributes to 4 [percent] of the global burden of disease” (Marshall, 2014). In relation to alcoholism, specifically adolescent alcoholism is a growing concern in the United States. The age at which young people are starting to experiment with alcohol is younger than ever. Dr. Don Macdonald explains that this may most likely be due to the fact that it is legal for the majority of the population. Therefore, adolescents are able to access and get a hold of alcohol more easily than they can other drugs – such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, etc.

Underage drinking, specifically in college students age eighteen to twenty years old has profound effects on the young person’s mental health, physical health, and decision making ability and it is happening here in the United States. Alcohol is the most abused drug among the youth, more than tobacco or cannabis. Underage drinking is a public health problem that spans all across the United States. This paper goes in depth to the dangers that underage drinking can lead to. Alcohol is the most widely abused substance by persons under the age of twenty-one, abused more than tobacco. Underage drinking poses huge risks to the abuser’s physical health, mental health, and decision making ability. It can also be a factor in causing harm

The AMA (American Medical Association) report done on liquor repercussions on the mind indicates that adolescence is the period where our brain goes through the most important transformations; hence, the intake of alcoholic drinks may result to: visual spatial, memory lacks which may produce poor school performances, social problems, depressions, suicidal thoughts and violence (USA Today Magazine). In fact, this explains that young people who have a tendency of consuming alcohol at a tender age have a great risk of experimenting lapses in judgement and violence

Adolescent drinking is a very controversial subject. While some may argue that adolescents should drink so that they learn to how to drink responsibly, others think that adolescents should wait until they reach the legal age of 21.

Underage drinking among adolescents is becoming a problem in the nation 's youth. The legal drinking age was decided in 1984 for 21 years of age in every state (Wechsler and Nelson 986-992). Although there was a movement proposed to reduce the legal drinking age to 18 in 2008. The movement was proposed from college presidents and universities, which discussed their ideas of the drinking age. Later signing the Amethyst Initiative, leading encouraging debates back and forth trying to lower the legal drinking age. The Amethyst Initiative did not go through however because there were important ramifications toward health and safety issues and required serious participation from the health department (Wechsler and Nelson 986-992). Thus leaving the drinking age at 21 years old. With the legal drinking age at 21 years old, it can lead to teens and young adults to seek alcohol anyway possible to satisfy their needs and entertainment. Adolescents today believe they can get away easily with drinking. They forget underage drinking can cause excessive binge drinking, leading to alcoholism later in life, advertising ads, and long term health effects to their bodies. The popular question among young adults: Why be 21 when teens can get alcohol before hand?

Nearly 25 percent of teens drink alcohol because they think it is fun; however the problems it may bring are not so fun (Hyde 22). There over six times more teen deaths per year from alcohol than any other drug (O’Malley 30). Alcohol affects the body of teens as well as all of the developmental processes. A major issue of teens drinking is that it increases the chance of becoming an alcoholic in the future; which leads to lowered self-control, impaired judgment, and lowered inhibition (Heath 12). Alcohol can completely change the life of a teen from the time they start drinking till death. Alcohol affects so many aspects of a person’s life and once it does, it is so hard to get life back to normal. Alcohol effects teens by harming them

The use of alcohol by teens is associated with many consequences and dangers. Not only does it decrease an individual's ability to pay attention but it can also alter the development of the teen brain; as it risks some part being 'smaller'.

Alcohol abuse in high school teens is very common . Three-fourths of high school seniors have experimented with alcohol, according to a report by the Fairfax, Va.-based Society for Prevention Research.(M. C. B 1) . 95% of the time high schoolers start drinking because of peer pressure . Also, males are likely to start drinking before females do .Teens that drink often are three times more likely to commit self-harm such as cutting or suicide attempts than teens that don’t drink. Adolescent drinking represents a significant problem in the United States (Doumas 1) . The Effects of Alcohol Abuse in High School teenagers are death, low academics, and health issues .

Alcohol is proven to be one of the most substances in the world. Alcohol is found to be linked with many different types of cancers. Alcohol has also been proven to affect the brains of drinkers, making them act out violently. Not only do adults that drink act out, so do underage teens. Due to the influence of their parents or another guardian, individual teens think alcohol abuse is allowed. Alcohol is a dangerous substance that harms the body in multiple ways. This substance should not be messed with because it can take your life or a loved ones in a matter of days. Stronger attention to the dangers of alcohol addiction would reduce the number of cancers, violence, underage drinking, and death that comes along with the consumption of alcohol.

The legal drinking age differs by country, but in America, it is twenty-one. However, it is not new knowledge that underage citizens can still easily obtain alcohol and face the consequences. Close to half of American high school sophomores reported drinking habits within the past year “Teen Alcohol Abuse”. Further, people aged “12 to 20 years, drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States” (Facts Sheet). As teens grow, the likelihood that they drink also increases greatly, because “as children mature, it is natural for them to assert their independence, seek new challenges, and try taking risks. Underage drinking is a risk that attracts many developing adolescents and teens”. (Underage Drinking). Underage drinking, especially the way teens drink it, can have major consequences that can impact the way their bodies develop and function and their health and future lives.