The effects of underage drinking are drastic, but before we discuss these, why do people that are underage drink alcohol. I have a few idea why some teens use alcohol.
Alcohol is in the media. Many celebrities make drinking seam cool and fun, but in reallity its not. When teens watch movies or tv shows with drinking it makes it look fun, for example shows like Rock of Love and the Flavor of Love glamify drinking.
Another reason that teens may drink could be because their friends do it and they are trying to fit in and become more popular. Some teens may choose to drink because they feel the need to rebel and drinking makes them feel rebeleous, but they need to face the facts.
Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of 21 die as a result of underage drinking; this includes about 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, as well as hundreds from other injuries such as falls, burns, and drownings.
Despite these facts underage drinking is continuing to become an epedemic. People are beginning to drink at younger and younger ages. In 2003, research showed that people were drinking at the age of 14 compared to 17 1/2 in 1965. People who start drinking at younger ages are more likely to get alcoholism. Underage drinking is a serious problem and it needs to be adressed.
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Very insightful Charlie. "Rock of Love" is a good example of a show that could potentially influence underaged drinking. The media really does make it look like all fun and games, but there are actually serious consequences that teens fail to realize.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Charlie, drinking is becoming a very serious problem these days. I believe another reason kids start drinking is because their parents leave the alcohol in an area accessible to their children. When families take vacations to other countries over spring break, these countries have different laws regarding the legal age of drinking. Therefore the kids may experience drinking there, and believe it's no big deal back in the United States. Unless kids themselves start speaking out about undere drinking, the problem will not improve.
ReplyDeleteVERY USEFUL INFORMATION CHARLES KING! I agree that alcohol has become a very big problem in the U.S. today. Many adults experience alcoholism and even kids under the age of 21 abuse alcohol. I do think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 years of age because i think it would reduce problems of underage drinking. Also, when you turn 18, you become a legal adult. I think once you become an adult, one should be aloud to drink. Every other country has an age of 18 or lower and some countries don't even have a drinking age. I think the United States has become too strict with the consumption of alcohol.
ReplyDeleteAlyse this is where i would have to disagree with you.
ReplyDelete" I do think that the drinking age should be lowered to 18 "
-Alyse
i do not think the age should be lowered to 18 because than alcohol would still not be accesible to most kids in highschool, probally leading to them still wanting to drink. The few students that are 18 or older would be able to easily supply alcohol. I think like so countries there should be no drinking age. if you look at other countries binge drinking is not as much of a problem, I feel this is because they are introduced to alcohol at such a young age that it is no big deal. I think the best way to reduce underage drinking would be to get ride of the drinking age, things would get worse at first, but then they would get better.
I would have to agree with Charlie's last statement. This was a topic I had to give a speech on in a public speaking class and in Speech and debate. The drinking age should be eliminated because there would be no hype or pressure to drink. Slowly exposing oneself to alcohol is what helps kids in Europe drink responsibly. College students drink dangerously because when they turn 21, they don't know how to drink. Students just entering college are pressured to drink because they are surrounded by older students who can. So, moral of the story is: eliminate the drinking age. Like Charlie said, it will be overwhelming for Americans at first, but it we will benefit in the long run. Perhaps the government should lower it steps at a time.
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