I'm tired of hearing in the hallways comments such as, "I got so wasted this week!" or, "We had so much fun at the party, to bad I don't remember…" Though I quietly chuckle to myself, I am soon over taken with confusion about the whole subject.. Aside from the point that underage drinking is illegal, it poses a potential risk for both the user and the society we live in. Teen alcohol abuse is both a serious and confrontational subject all over the country. According to an article posted by the British Medical Association, there has been a steady increase in the proportion of 11 to 15 year-olds who drink alcohol regularly. But why is this? Has this always been a part of the high school atmosphere? Questions such as these are rising up everywhere. The only true way to answer these questions is by looking at the facts themselves.
According to SAMHSA National Household Survey, testing ages 12 to 17; 7.2 million adolescents drank at least once in the past year, while 2.7 million teens drank alcohol about once a month or more in the past year. For the youth who drank in the past year, 39% had at least one serious problem related to drinking in the past year. Medicine Net states that, "About half of junior high and senior high school students drink alcohol on a monthly basis, and 14% of teens have been intoxicated at least once in the past year."
Many potential risks rise from underage drinking, and these increase even greater and faster when a car is pulled in to the mix. Alcohol abuse is the leading cause of teen deaths related to car accidents. Every year, about 2000 people under the age of 21 die in car crashes in which underage drinking is involved. Also, higher death rates are found for teens in the areas of suicide, violence, and drowning when alcohol abuse is a factor. Alcohol heightens many conditions such as depression and stress. "In one study, 37 percent of eighth grade females who drank heavily reported attempting suicide, compared with 11 percent who did not drink.", according to the Worldwide Alcohol Research and Education Center. "Alcohol is involved in nearly half of all violent deaths involving teens," reports Medicine Net Inc.
I'm simply confused… if we know the facts, the fatal effects, and the causes of underage drinking, why is it such a problem? I may not be "cool" for feeling this way about underage drinking, but I don't understand what is fun about getting drunk in high school? Is it worth putting your own life and the people around you in danger?
darth.vader
7 comments:
I wholeheartedly agree. In fact, that sounds like something I'd write. I never have understood the allure of 1) vomiting uncontrollably, 2) short-term amnesia, and 3) hangovers (among many other side effects). I'm wondering, though, how to solve this problem. Higher drinking ages haven't worked, so what will?
I totally agree. I don't drink...I don't even drink soda for goodness sakes. I have never drank underage and I don't even plan to. Honestly, I'm not even interested in drinking at a legal age. Plus I wouldn't see the light of day for at least my whole life if my parents found out that I drank. I don't care how "fun" some people think it is. I'm not into that. For some reason I don't find barfing and having a hangover being the definition of a good time. I have the talent to have a pretty darn good time with my friends and laugh until someone has to use an inhaler (yeah, thats happened). Why ruin my life with alcohol, or possibly ruin someone elses?
There is no good way to disagree with this article without looking like a bad kid or super lame. However I am still going to make an attempt. Honestly most of my friends participate in underage drinking and no one has been greatly affected. They drink only once and awhile and usually have a good time without hurting anyone. It may sound like I hang out with a bad crowd but for the most part they are pretty good kids. Besides its a part of highschool, as long as you stay under control and do not drive I don't think its that big of deal. I am sure my opinion will be met with comments about all the negative effects of drinking but honestly, its not as horrible as the people whom have never drank clame it is.
Most of the time, the reason highschool kids do illegal activities are because of the thrill you get from it being illegal. Im not gunna lie and say that ive never tried anything illegal and that im the perfect teenager but on the other hand ive never put anyone's life indanger either. In france, most kids grow up drinking a glass of wine here and there. The legal age in France to drink is 16, so when teens reach that age its not that big of deal, there's no thrill of it being illegal, and there for the most part is no rush to get drunk. I say we lower the drinking age to 16 instead of 21. And for those of you who do not know, we have the highest drinking age in the world. Look at the statistics. We have the most alcohol abuse and the highest drinking age. you do the math
I, like alpacino, do not want to sound like a bad kid. However, I also know people who drink regularly. (I don't, I just have friends who do.) I see the bad effects of drinking, but I think the first two comments, along with this blog post blow the whole situation of underage drinking out of proportion. Most teens who drink (at least the ones I know/have heard of) do not drink alcohol as carelessly as you may think. The small percentage of teens who actually get out of hand, know what they are doing and they know how they are hurting themselves. Also, you guys make it seem like simply drinking will put others at risk. That is not true, unless you do something such as drive.
p.s. tea leaf.....use proper grammar next time :)
I am in the same boat as al pacino and efarmsquack. I completely agree with them in the fact that people blow the effects and extent out of control. I know many kids that drink on regular basis. They do not harm other people unless they drive. Lovable loser is right, how are we supposed to stop it? Tea leaf...probably shouldn't be posting on the internet about their personal life, but i agree that people get a thrill out of illegal things. I personally don't think that there will ever be a perfect society where there are not people breaking these rules.
To side on the same arguement as al pacino and the other two...
I'm not a perfect teenager and i'm not going to pretend to be. I've made my share of mistakes and I've learned from them. But the point is, underage drinking will never be stopped. There is the possibility of reducing it, but it will never go away. We live in a society where we are free to do what we want to an extent. People sometimes interpret this different ways. I also know kids who drink underage; some very heavily and some just every now and then. I have also personally seen the effects it can leave as you become an adult. But as a teenager you don't think of those type of consequences. So why not show us? Add a class to our education that we attend once a month and educate us about the effects, both immediate and long term.
I also want to add that lovableloser and funky monkey, I disagree with your view of drinking. Just because you drink, does not leave you throwing up everywhere and passing out in people's bathrooms. You seem to be stereotyping everyone that might drink as someone who gets drunk. There is a big difference. It's not that it doesn't affect you, but the affects are much different between someone who is tipsy and someone who is drunk.
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