Teen Drinking
Teen drinking has been going on for a long time and it seems that teens do not understand the affects drinking puts on them. Teens often drink because they are going through a hard time, put under peer pressure, or think its okay to drink because their parents drink. It is said that more than 80% of high school students have had alcohol during their high school experience (NCA and
Everyone knows the legal age to drink is 21. So why do people under 21 drink? Many teens may say its a way to let go and forget everything bad that's happening around them, others may say that its okay to drink because their parents don’t care if they do. What these teens don’t know is that drinking, especially binge drinking, is unhealthy and can harm you. Excessive alcohol accounts for 5,000 deaths each year and can put you in risk for breast cancer, liver disease, and heart disease over time (NIH). Heavy drinking may also lead to lasting brain changes and memory deficits going into your adulthood (Jenna Iacurci). Alcohol blocks the messages trying to get to the brain and can alter a person’s emotion, movement, vision, and hearing. People aged 12 to 20 years drink 11% of all alcohol consumed in the United States. More than 90% of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinking (CDC).
Many people say it the kids fault and that they are responsible for what they do and how much they drink. I would somewhat disagree with that. Teens have their first introduction to alcohol at home, and they see how their parents use the substance to “take off the edge” or to “unwind after a long day”. Teens may take that as a sign that drinking is okay if you have been going through a rough time. Teens are also easily influenced by their friends and/or peers. They may feels like having a drink will help them gain respect for the people around them and that it will help in an uncomfortable situation. But in the end it doesn’t do anything but affect you.
