Sarah Margaret Pattisall
Mrs. Zurkowski/Green
3 October 2010
Teen Drinking
Most teenagers have tried alcohol due to curiosity and peer pressure. When you are intoxicated at an age where your brain is still maturing the outcome is never good. Alcohol causes many deaths in adolescence such as lethal car accidents. Alcohol is fatal for youth and not many people are aware of how terrible the aftermath can be. Many severe alcohol-related health issues and accidents occur on a daily basis especially issues involving teens; consequently, teenagers should not be permitted to drink alcohol before the age of 21.
Teenage drinking and driving is the most recognized social problem. (“Teen Social Issues”) Many of those accidents occur on a regular basis due to liquor. According to 29% of high school students they were in a car where the driver was intoxicated and 10.5% of those students had been behind the wheel while drunk. (Hellmich) Alcohol is also the leading cause of young adult and teenage death such as: car accidents, suicide, abuse, and violence. Teens drink alcohol due to peer pressure, what they hear or see in the media, and their parent’s attitude towards drinking. (“Teen Social Issues”) If their parent’s strongly disagree with drinking at any age the risk of their children becoming addicted is minor. Other reasons teenagers drink is because of rebellion, recreation, fatigue, boredom, and to relieve depression. Occasionally parents will even let their children drink arguing, “If we do this at home, my child will be able to handle it better.” (Harpaz)
Alcohol harmfully affects your health. Drinking at a young age disturbs the brain, liver, and your body's capability to fight infections. (Hellmich) Binge drinking is also bad for your health and can result in a serious addiction that can be fatal. The increase for addiction later in life is raised when people start drinking at a young age. When you are young a lot of maturing is still going on in your brain. According to Janet Williams, professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center, "Alcohol use is extremely dangerous for youth because a remarkable amount of brain development is still occurring at this age. The parts of the maturing brain that are most impacted by drinking are essential for developing organization skills, emotional regulation, abstract thinking and impulse control." When you are older and your brain is done growing alcohol will not affect it like it would have if you were fifteen.
When the community and parental guardians become involved teen drinking can be prevented. To help prevent teen drinking you can make the community aware of the severity of this social problem by educating the teens about the bad outcome of drinking. (“Teen Social Issues”) Rehabilitation centers help addicted teens. They provide a treatment plan consisting of: education, group therapy, life story, individual therapy, peer assessment, recreational therapy, coping skills, relaxation therapy, support group attendance, and spirituality. Parental emotions towards alcohol can also change a teenagers view on alcohol, "Kids say the biggest reason they don't use alcohol or drugs is that their parents would be disappointed with them if they did. Drinking in response to every emotion, positive or negative, sets a bad example. Parents need to think of ways to celebrate or problem-solve that don't involve alcohol and that will help their children do the same." (Hellmich) This social issue can be prevented by simple actions from the public and parental guardians.
Letting a teenager have a glass of Champagne at home on holidays is okay. (Harpaz) Parents believe that if alcohol is consumed in the comfort of home it is completely fine. Drinking on holidays sends the message that underage drinking is okay. John Lieberman believes, "At an older age, when someone does decide to drink, their brain is in a different place than when they were fifteen or sixteen. A fifteen-year-old doesn't have the same grasp of potential consequences." If alcohol isn't introduced until later in life then there is a smaller chance of addiction. Going back to what Lieberman said, when you are at or above the legal age to drink you are much more mature and aware of the consequences alcohol brings than you were at a younger age. You don’t hear near as many things about a thirty-year-old DWI; compared to, a teenager DWI. Parent’s need to understand they set an example for their children no matter what they do, good and bad.
Most teens think it’s cool to drink and drive. (“Teen Social Issues”) Alcohol is easy to get according to more than 90% of high school seniors and 60% of eighth-graders. (Hellmich) Could you imagine an eighth grader having access to alcohol? Do those teens know that alcohol increases the risk of other illegal behaviors that can lead to injury or death? Why risk your own life and someone else’s when you know it could lead to death? Is it cool to drink and drive; is it cool to kill someone or yourself? It’s not cool at all.
As you can see the social issue of teen drinking is negatively affecting our society; however, if the legal drinking age is more strictly enforced and the community takes action this problem can be resolved. If it is shown to teenagers and younger members of the community the harmful effects of alcohol then the issue of alcohol in adolescence could diminish. The media also should show a better view on the effects of alcohol instead of just showing a bunch of teenagers partying. Simple actions such as making people more aware of this social issue could change it for the better. These kids are the face of the future, what future do you see?
Work Cited
Harpaz, Beth J. "Is It Ok to Give Teens a Taste of Champagne at Home New Year's Eve?." Daily Gleaner Fredericton, N.B., Canada. 30 Dec 2009: C.2. SIRS Researcher. Web. 27 Sep 2010.
Hellmich, Nanci. "Pediatric policy: Discourage teenage drinking." USA Today 12 Apr. 2010: 04D. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 16 Sept. 2010.
"Teen Social Issues." Parenting, Parenting Problems, Types of Parenting, Parenting Children. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.
.jpg)
.jpg)