Underage Drinking Essay Example for Free

Underage Drinking Essay 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 those reasons being that kids are not mature enough yet to handle the side effects that alcohol brings. Underage drinking has been around for years but it brings little to no good to our society. In the United States, there is a certain legal age that states the time in which individuals are allowed to drink or purchase alcohol. Even though you may not agree with most of the rules that the federal government has set in place, this is one rule that I am definitely in favor for. They have placed the legal age limit at 21 for all alcoholic beverages. It does not matter what state you are in; the drinking law is the same for all 50 states in the United States of America (Cost of Underage Drinking). Sadly, sometimes these laws are broken. Even with these laws in place, the alcoholic consumption by our youth still becomes an issue in the United States. After doing research I have come to find out that statistics show that at least eleven million teenagers are still underage drinkers, with about half of them being binge drinkers, meaning they usually have more than 5 drinks per occasion (Flewelling) . In my opinion I believe that America needs to have a change in culture and beliefs towards underage drinking and make it a main priority. While so many people are focused on the consumption of drugs and making that go away, underage drinking is still a humungous issue in America. The NIH News stated that, â€Å"Alcohol is the most used drug by young Americans these days.† When you have newspapers starting to agree with this theory, then you know it’s a serious issue. The risky behavior that is performed Is often associated with underage drinking can have devastating and long term consequences. â€Å"Forty percent of those who start drinking before the age of fifteen meet criteria for alcoholism at some point in their lives.† (Atwood). People often wonder the reason that makes teenagers take part in this terrible habit. There are many reasons why teenagers drink alcohol. For example many homes in America have developed a habit of sipping some alcohol before dinner every night. Another reason to use alcohol at such a young age would be to relieve stress, especially teenagers who use alcohol in time of a confrontation or an argument arises between their family and friends. I believe the main reason that teenagers use alcohol is because they do not much about their effects. In a society where the kid’s parents use alcohol on a daily basis and all the advertisement that is out there now that shows alcohol is very attractive or the cool thing to do; teenagers see these influences and think that it is the cool thing to do, and will make them be considered more of an adult. While I was conducting research I found out that those young people that start drinking at an early age are five times more likely to experience alcohol related complications later on in their lives. Studies have shown that alcohol has more harmful affects on a teenager’s brain and the giving of child birth than an adult would have (Dee) . A person’s brain usually develops the most between the ages of 12 and 21, and if you are consuming alcohol on a regular basis during that time then what do you think the effects are going to be? The use of alcohol doesn’t only have an effect on your brain, but can also drastically affect others. For example, an underage drunk driver hit my girlfriend 2 months ago, and she has to see the neurologist three times a week for treatment. All because of one man’s simple mistake, her life, my life and all of her friends and family were greatly affected. Studies have found that alcohol consumption by teenagers can cause drastic c hanges in the development in personality and general behavior. Many teenagers that drink think that they are invincible and that nothing will ever happen to them, but only if they would read and pay attention to the signs that warn them about these dangers, they would probably think differently. It is shown that those who drink for a short term or just in moderation have been found to impair their learning and memory much more in young people than in adults. It is also possible that those who drink often may not ever be able to catch up on adulthood, because alcohol prevents the growth of systems that are responsible for learning and storing new information (Kaiser). The brain isn’t the only thing in the human body that is affected. Another main body part that is affected is the liver. In many teenagers’ minds, the liver is the last thing they think about when consuming alcohol. Alcohol affects one’s liver in very large amounts. Alcohol can lead to a major liver disease known as, alcohol induced liver disease, a major cause of illness and death in the United States (Kaiser). Studies have shown that about 10 to 35 percent of those who drink heavily developed hepatitis. This causes about 10,000 to 24,000 deaths in the United States each and every year (Gruenebaum). â€Å"A serious epidemic is overtaking our country and underage drinking is spreading rapidly like a virus† (The Consequence of Underage Drinking). Teenagers in all 50 states are getting caught drinking illegally each and every day. The sad thing is, that it isn’t only teenagers in college that are doing it either. Students in high school, middle school and even elementary. How have we let the problem arise this far? There is just no excuse to be oblivious to the issue anymore. Underage drinking is right in front of our faces, and it is killing not only our children, but also the people that they hurt. Thomas Dee made a valid point by stating, â€Å"If we focused more on our children not drinking, than us needing a drink then we would be a lot better off.† It just seems that so many people are focused on getting drunk, than actually doing the right thing. I’m i n the Marines and every day on active duty it seemed that someone under the legal age was getting into trouble for drinking. Although, many believe that if you are old enough to die for your country then you should be able to drink underage. The thing is, the government has made it made very clear, and it is those duties to follow the rules of be punished for them. It is not only the health issues that make this law in effect, but the maturity level also. And teenagers over the years have proven over and over, that they are not responsible enough to handle the responsibility of alcohol consumption. On the other hand, trying to be in favor of those who are under the age, there is just no realistic solution in my opinion. Drinkers and parents need to take charge and responsibility for making sure that teenagers don’t drinks; especially don’t drink and drive. One solution for this would be to end all college sponsorships that have to do with any type of alcohol. Although it brings in big bucks for colleges and for scholarships, it’s the right thing to do to protect the students. The main target for alcohol brands is young people, especially college students. Many will say that it is the drinker’s responsibility, but according to Mark Clayton, education is just not enough. â€Å"Others will say that big companies are not a threat, it is local bars, but only big brewery companies sponsor colleges and universities† (Clayton). Another main issue for underage drinkers at college is adults providing alcohol and false identification. â€Å"Colleges should cut all sales of alcoholic beverages at sporting events, so that false identification cannot be provided.† (Cox). To prevent this problem, another way could be to educate youth about alcohol consumption well before middle school. For most students, before they even reach middle school they are already exposed to alcohol. The D.A.R.E. program teaches children about alcohol and its affects, should be taught in elementary school. My little brother who is in third grade came home and told me that he had learned about that last week, and said he never wants to drink alcohol. According to (underageddrinking.samhsa.gov), over 70% of 8th graders said alcohol is easy to get, and 30% of children age 12-14 get alcohol from a family member. These statistics just go to show how easy it is for kids these days to get alcohol. In some cases the police have no control over the issue. One example would be underground drinking. â€Å"Raising the drinking age to 21 was passed with the very best of intentions, but it’s had the very worst of outcomes. The law has pushed and forced underage drinking and youthful drinking underground, where we have no control over it.† (Hanson). This makes me think is underage drinking ever going to stop? The answer is no. Why teenagers drink is something we just do not have a definite answer for. There are many reasons why teenagers drink, and every one has their own reason for doing it. Peer pressure and stress are among the most common reasons that teenagers take up drinking (CDC). Everyone these days want to feel accepted by their peers, and they believe that drinking will give them the acceptance they seek. â€Å"Many teenagers will think they are invincible when they drink and get behind a wheel.† (American Driving Academy). Drinking and driving is just of the many issues that arise when teenagers get alcohol in them. And if you are under the age and think you can get away with it, you better think again. â€Å"If a minor who has been arrested for driving while under the influence refuses to submit to a sobriety test, the minor can be charged with a separate offense referred to as a referral† (Cost of Underage Drinking). The bottom line is if you under the age of 21, then you should never touch alcohol. If you do decide to make a stupid decision like this, then use your head and not get caught.