3. These meanings are handled in, and modified through, an interpretative process used by the person in dealing with the things he/she encounters (Blumer 1969). (OpenStax 2015)
Underage drinking is rapidly becoming a widespread matter within Australia. It is considered to be a serious problem not only nationally, but also globally wide. Underage drinking has climbed its way up the ladder to one of the most common forms of substance use. “The health risks that accumulate over a lifetime from alcohol increase progressively – this means that the more young people drink, the greater the risk” (Windle, Spear, Fuligni, Angold, Drown, Pine, Smith, Giedd, Dahl 2009). Some states within Australia do not have to deal with this problem nearly as much as others. These teenagers are classified as underage drinkers because the national legal drinking age in Australia is 18 years of age – meaning they are still considered to be minors (Australian Alcohol Guidelines, 2009). For the purposes of this essay, the focus will be set on adolescences and alcohol. It will be argued whether parental influence has an impact on teenagers present or future drinking habits.
The abuse of alcohol among teenagers in the United States is universal and destructive. Teenagers believe drinking to be the cool that they must do to fit in with a crowd or become the popular one, when they do not realize all it brings is harm. Underage drinking has been one of the largest unsolved problems in history. Although many ideas have been made and put into practice, like raising the drinking age, harsher punishments, and, at one point, banning it all-together, nothing people do can stop teens from getting their hands on this dangerous beverage.
Teenage drinking is among the issues that have received respectable attention from researchers owing to its increase. In the United States as well as other countries, underage drinking has become a prevalent issue with often far-reaching consequences. Teenagers, who engage in binge drinking, are likely to be exposed to other dangers, such as psychological issues, drinking-related accidents, and violent crimes. The increased prevalence of this problem makes it imperative to understand contributing factors, which can help in policy formulation. There are various factors that may increase the chances of teenagers engaging in binge drinking. Some of the factors are socioeconomic, which can be altered to dissuade teenagers from abusing alcohol.
Anyone who is below eighteen years of age is considered as underage and laws in many countries prohibit such a person from consuming alcohol. Alcohol happens to be the most commonly abused drug not only among the youth but also among adults. This paper explores underage drinking, its effects on the society and outlines what can be done to curb it.
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).
Episode 4 "Underage Drinking; A National Concern" of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia addresses underage drinking through politically incorrect satire while still focusing on the seriousness of the subject matter. It is widely known and accepted that alcohol abuse by teenagers is not only a crime; it is also a sorrowful situation when it involves ruining lives and it can even result in death. The cast of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia presents a new and obviously demented view point to the subject. The friends portrayed in the show understand teenage drinking is unacceptable and in the opening scenes of this particular episode the cast shares some personal youthful experiences while sitting together in the
Today’s teenager are look down upon regarding their behavior and ability to control themselves around alcohol beverage. In the article "Perils of Prohibition," by Elizabeth Whelan argues that the legal age to drink is not set to the appropriate age because moderate drinking for teens will help them be disciplined and actually take control of their life. He hopes to persuade her readers to speak out in favor of reforming the drinking age in the United States. Whelan provided valid argument for teenagers under the age of 21 with disciplined attitude towards alcohol and provides some compelling insights on the success of moderate drinking.
Those who want to see the legal drinking age was reduced from twenty-one to eighteen often argue that the legal drinking age in Canada and many European countries are in the middle of adolescence, and argue further that this "lower drinking age has not resulted in the dismantling of the social structure "(Heath 28). As some scientists and social researchers have pointed out, however, drinking habits of young people has changed considerably in recent years as the influence of American advertising and the availability of U.S. products has spread (Heath 231). Although the argument that a lower legal drinking age may be based on data from other countries, we must remember that the culture of alcohol are different in many of these countries and should not serve as a valid basis for a discussion of American matters. Once again, science and research should lead to an argument for reducing or increasing the legal drinking age.
Underage drinking is a very eminent problem for Americans today. Some may not know that the human brain continues to develop until the age of twenty-five. Underage drinking can weaken neurological development, which could cause minors to make bad decisions, have memory loss, slower thought processes, and even acquire irreversible brain damage. Drinking when your body and mind are not fully developed can leave damaging effects on a person’s social abilities, neurological abilities, and overall health.
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
For years, underage drinking is perhaps one of the most controversial topics of our generation. Why do our young people disobey this law? Are they lost? Who will answer the call of the lost? Having the age to drink legally at the age of 21 may seem like it would never be disobeyed; however, over time, underage drinking has become more and more prevalent. In today’s society, a few choice young people have grown to control the desire to break the law to consume alcohol while at the appropriate age. However, not all teenagers inhabit a sense of self-control. The problem lies within the difference the effects of lowering the drinking age to 18 or keeping the age of 21 can be. With much speculation, this particular topic has become a very intriguing argument that does indeed stir up controversy. What people must understand is that the democracy should not decrease the legal drinking age because it can increase drunk driving arrests, it will cause young people to become academically challenged, it can cause health complications and diseases at a younger age, and it can promote criminal and violent activity.
Underage drinking is becoming more of a noticeable problem in society, not only with high school students, but also with younger generations. Drinking is all over the television, the radio, and talked about in schools, public places, etc. Alcohol advertisements are more and more appealing to younger generations. If our youth is educated at a younger age, if school policies were stricter, and if clubs and bars cracked down on underage drinking the problem would not be as serious.
Do you remember how cool you felt the first time that you drank? All of us younger kids, hanging out with the older kids, everyone getting drunk together. Thinking about this when I was younger really made me raise the question of why we have a legal limit to drink in the first place. Underage kids have had no problem getting alcohol for decades so why put a legal limit on it? When I found myself asking these questions the answers seemed to make sense; or maybe it was my senior year of high school when I got suspended for ten days. After that had occurred it made me think that maybe they have a limit on alcohol for a reason. One of
Alcohol is the number one drug problem among America’s youth. More senior high school students use alcohol than any other psychoactive drug. Family doctors, pediatricians, schoolteachers, and parents know that alcohol is overwhelmingly the drug of choice among today’s youth, although trendier substances such as cocaine are often given more attention in the headlines (Carla Felsted, p. vii). Furthermore, it is widely acknowledged that drinking alcohol is a part of the youth culture in America; it may also be understood as a culturally conditioned and socially controlled behavior.