Preventing Underage Drinking

What can be done by parents to stop their underage children from drinking and making bad decisions whilst under the influence of alcohol is to practice being a good role model for their child/children; this is important as studies show that in their teen years, children will still see parents as the ultimate role model, and will pick up on their parents behaviour, so If a parent is seen drinking frequently, the child of this parent will usually (not always) pick up on these drinking habits that they see in their

Based on information taken from NIH (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) by the age of fifteen around half of teens have had at least one drink and seventy percent by that age of 18 have had a drink. It seems harmless for youth to experiment with alcohol but there are serious risks that come with underage drinking such as injury, sexual assault, and even death. In 2008 there were more than one hundred ninety thousand underage people to visit the emergency room for alcohol related injuries. Drinking can impair decisions on sexual activity and can lead to sexually assaulting someone, or if in a crowd of drinkers the chance of being sexually assaulted is increased and even more so when it comes to youth. Alcohol in youth can even lead to death, around five thousand death are reported annually for alcohol related underage deaths. To help prevent underage drinking you can learn to look for signs in your youth. Look for problems in school, lack of concentration, bad memory, less regard for appearance, signs of alcohol use like smell and containers. If you are underage and thinking about drinking, don’t, wait tell you’re the appropriate age and then only drink in moderation and responsibly, also avoid youth that would pressure you into drinking, what may be cool isn’t the way to success.

Everyone knows that it is illegal to consume alcohol under the age of 21. Why is 21 the "magical" age that makes a person intelligent and mature enough to consume alcohol? Sure, some adults abuse alcohol and some teenagers would be perfectly able to drink responsibly, but why not 18 or 35 or 40? This seemingly random number, 21, is associated with adulthood, as if the day a person turns 21 they know everything and are mature. The drinking age should be lowered to where one can learn to drink responsibly.

Lowering the drinking age to eighteen will encourage drinking in safer environments with supervision rather than secretly behind closed doors. Colleges will be a safer environment if the government would allow eighteen year olds to consume alcoholic beverages and less incidents of hidden intoxication will occur.

Some research studies show relation from parental influence and upbringing of a child to underage drinking (Ary, Tildesley, Hops, Andrews 1993). In this study conducted by Ary et al., 173 families with two children were questioned. The object of the examination was to explore the attitudes and beliefs parents were teaching their children about the consumption of alcoholic substances. Within the study a mother, father, sibling and the target teenager undertook a self-assessment to measure their alcohol

When people think of drinking, they think of fun games and parties. However, this depiction is wrong. When individuals under twenty-one drink, consequences emerge. In the United States, the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) is twenty-one. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA), the legal drinking age set at twenty-one saves about 900 lives on the road annually (James C. Fell). By having the drinking age at twenty-one, the amount of alcohol consumed decreases. Less drinking results in a drop in potential risks and dangerous acts often associated with alcohol. Individuals under the age of twenty-one are not mature enough to make good choices. Therefore,

“Every year in the U.S., roughly 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from an alcohol-related incident including car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and other related injuries” ( “11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse”). That is 5,000 more teens or young adults that could be saved from this plague in this society (11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse). Underage drinking and alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States, and as a society need to make a change with how everyone sees this problem. Adults and young teens take this topic too lightly, and it should not be taken lightly because of how many deaths there have been from poor decision making. There are many programs or events that could help this problem by fundraising, however people think this is not a very important problem. Underage Drinking and Alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States because it causes major health issues that can be very costly, personal life problems that can lead to more problems later in life, and major risks that have no benefit, but can put someone else’s life in danger.

The importance of having the proper in depth education about alcohol is often overlooked. As a result, underage drinkers do not learn about having limits when it comes to drinking. Underage drinkers often drink until intoxication because they think that being wasted is the goal. Through research linking to the pattern of underage drinkers , they "drink on fewer occasions,but when they drink they are more likely to binge drink" (Henry Nelson). Many adolescents from ages 16-20 will find themselves in situations where they experience life and learn from their mistakes. In time, they become more tolerant and by the time they are actually 21, underage drinkers are able to withstand more alcohol and know how much they can drink before being totally intoxicated and even blackout. But not having the proper education on how to drink responsibly is only the first half of the problem. Many people 16 and up have permits and licenses so after these long sessions of drinking they make horrible decisions such as driving. Teaching adolescents will result in less incidents of drinking and driving. Having a more in depth learning curriculum about alcohol instead

Education is another great way to prevent the number of teenage alcoholics from rising any further. We can control this situation with just a couple lessons and speeches to inform kids about the consumption of alcohol by explaining how it affects their mind psychologically. Sure, drinking may cause stress relief and relaxation to the teenagers burdened with the amount of schoolwork and deciding their future. However, when

Currently the U.S. has the legal age for drinking at twenty-one. This law is often not obeyed, resulting in many unsafe and life changing consequences. Many are asking why teens are doing this and it has many in the U.S. turning heads, and wanting stricter laws. The U.S. has an extremely negative opinion on drinking, partly because of the lifestyle and because of the past issues of drinking in the United States’ history. Along with opinions, schools and parents have tried to combat against drinking and drugs, but to no avail. This results in experimentation and major issues with youth drinking.

The legal drinking age in the United States is 21 and older but in many cases, pre-teens to teenagers may experience their first alcoholic beverage by the age of 12. This is a time where the child will engage in social groups and face peer pressure from others. Underage drinking is a growing public health issue in the United States and it can affect many. The matter does not only start in middle school but escalates by the time they reach college. A college is a place where students begin to face their own adulthood. There is no longer any nagging parents around to set rules and this gives college students a piece of freedom. The opportunity of liberty to do whatever they please such as staying out past their home curfew, dressing how they

However, there’s more than enough facts to prove that statistically, underage drinking is a growing problem among us. Adolescents drink less frequently than adults, but in opposition, youths also consume larger amounts at a time. There are several different consequences resulting from drinking alcohol while underage, and social, neurological, and health repercussions are just three out of numerous effects. The hazards of underage drinking can only grow from here if there aren’t more steps taken to take control of the

Each year about 5,000 people under the age of twenty-one die from causes related to underage drinking. Today, about 10.8 million children and teens, ages twelve to twenty-one are underage drinkers. Teens start to drink because of the environment around them, their physical changes, emotional changes, and the increase of independence. Alcohol is now the most widely-used substance among teens. Many think that drinking is less serious than drug use, but that is not the case. Alcohol is a depressant that could alter with your brain, which could lead to disease and serious health effects later in life. Preventing teens using alcohol could save many lives.

Guilt: Children may feel they are responsible for the drinking, 2. Anxiety: Children may worry constantly about the home situation, 3. Embarrassment: Children may be ashamed of their home lives and avoid having friends to visit, 4. Unable to have close friendships: Children who have been disappointed, 5. Confusion: An alcoholic parent will switch from a loving to an angry stance quickly, confusing the child. The home schedule is also chaotic with no consistent bedtimes or mealtimes, 6. Anger: Children may be angry at the parent who is drinking and angry at the nonalcoholic parent for not supporting or protecting them, 7. Depression: Children of substance-abusing parents are lonely and feel helpless to change the situation”. These are the problems that children of alcoholic is going to experience of the course of their

Alcohol has been severely damaging young individuals health both mentally and physically. Even though alcohol can be harmful at any age it is especially dangerous for teens as their brains are still developing and cannot cope with alcohol the same way as an adult can. When consumed