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Largest Number of Consumers of Alcohol in the United States are Teenages

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Alcohol is the most universally used and abused drug in the United States. An issue that continues to rise in today’s public health is alcohol use. Consuming alcohol in excessive amounts is not only a problem in the United States but worldwide as well. The largest number of consumers is teenagers. During this period of development, teens are faced with a multitude of pressures whether it’s trying to maintain good grades in school or perform well in sports. Teens may also be influenced by various factors that can lead to underage drinking. According to recent statistics, data regarding teen drinking indicates that youth usually drink less frequently than adults, but tend to drink more when they choose to use alcohol. In terms of gender, …show more content…

An additional reason teenagers are so infatuated with the act of drinking is because they see it in the media constantly. According to the National Office of Drug Control Policy, “on television, alcohol is the number one drug portrayed, appearing on 77 percent of TV episodes” and in “music videos, alcohol shows up every 14 minutes.” During this time in development, teenagers haven’t formed their individual identities and this may cause them to be more likely to experiment with substances such as alcohol (Johns Hopkins Children Center, 2011). A third reason for teenagers drinking alcohol is they see their family members such as parents or siblings drinking or abusing alcohol. More often than not, if parents don’t have a firm hand in monitoring their children’s behaviors, those children may be more apt to drink. In addition if teens are told by their parents they can’t drink, that can trigger them to go against the rules and rebel. Not only does having family members suffer from alcoholism influence teen drinking, but access to alcohol from parents can contribute to alcohol-related problems as well (Wood, 2013). A fourth reason is depression. For teens, it can be difficult to tackle various situations whether it’s in school or at home. Once teens don’t know how to cope with depression, it can be very easy to turn to alcohol as a way to

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