The Dangers Of Underage Drinking

Every year, thousands of minors die from the use of alcohol. Many young adults abuse the drinking age policy. It is put in effect for substantial reasons, which contribute in making the safest environment for all. Drinking underage is not only illegal, but also damages one’s health tremendously. Furthermore, drinking in large amounts is extremely dangerous and can cause detrimental things to occur. There have been numerous attempts to create a law to lower the drinking age, but none have gone through. In contrast to what some people may say, the drinking age should not be lowered because it would decrease maturity, promote poor behavior, and damage reputations.

Changes are taking place to prevent and minimize binge drinking. Colleges, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program, community and even parents are now realizing how crucial their involvement is in order to improve the situation. Law enforcement has also stepped up their game by ensuring local establishments, especially those around college campuses and high schools, abide by the rules, and punishing those adults who are willing to break them. They constantly patrol areas known to be used for “breaking the law” to create a safer environment for those around (4).

With such serious potential consequences legal alcohol drinking should be restricted to people with some adult life experience that can use wisdom in their alcohol use. Allowing 18-year=olds (just out of high school) with no previous adult life experience to add alcohol to their new found freedom can only result in trouble.

Vivian Jones, the author of “Underage Drinking”, questions the drinking age limit, and wants to decrease the age limit for consuming alcohol from twenty-one years old to eighteen. Firstly, Jones defines underage drinking as a danger to young adults and teenagers that are developing. Secondly, Jones states that raising the age limit for drinking is a controversial topic in society. Thirdly, Jones acknowledges that drinking underage is banned and as a result the young adolescents are more allured to drink alcohol and rebel. The author also states that more young Americans are drinking in excess with comparison to the UK. Then, Jones also states that raising the drinking age will not stop the violence and crime, it would only help slightly. Finally, Jones states that underage drinking is a major issue in today’s society. I disagree with the author, the drinking age should be twenty-one because it would first reduce crime, it would prevent death, and finally it would decrease medical problems.

Vivian Jones, the author of “Underage Drinking,” questions the drinking age limit, and wants to decrease the age limit for consuming alcohol from twenty-one years old to eighteen. Firstly, the author defines underage drinking as a danger to young adults and teenagers that are developing. Secondly, Jones states that raising the age limit for drinking is a controversial topic in society. Thirdly, Jones acknowledges that drinking underage is banned and as a result the young adolescents are more allured to drink alcohol and rebel. The author also states that more younger Americans are drinking in excess with comparison to the UK. The author writes that raising the drinking age will not stop the violence and crime, it would only help slightly. Also, Jones conveys that underage drinking is a major issue in today’s society. I disagree with the author, the drinking age should be twenty-one because it would first reduce crime, it would prevent death, and finally it would decrease medical problems.

An average of 88,000 people die from alcohol related deaths each year and nearly 5,000 of those deaths and 189,000 emergency room visits are due to underage drinkers (“National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism”). In 1984, when The National Minimum Drinking Act was passed, the drinking age was raised from age 18 to age 21. Even though the drinking age had only been raised a total of three years, it brought room for mental growth in the people that would then have to wait to be able to legally drink. Because of The National Minimum Drinking Act, fatalities and injuries lowered substantially in the following years creating a safer environment for everyone, especially those under the influence of alcohol. Even though alcohol is advertised to young, underage adults as a way to have fun, make friends or even relieve emotional pain, it is a killer and a serious threat to those that are not mentally ready to handle the effects it can have on the human brain. Allowing the drinking age

Proponents argue “The current underage drinking law of 21, has not stopped teen drinking, and has instead pushed underage binge drinking into private and less controlled environments, leading to more health and life-endangering behavior by teens” (ProCon, 2012, para. 2).

Interestingly, on a cultural tone, in relation to the argument against lowering the drinking age, the fact that younger teens are allowed to drink helped researchers suggest that there is an increase in binge drinking, which have been associated with a dramatic increase in harmful and fatal. accidents,

In the article “Underage Drinking” the author highlights the effects and dangers of consuming alcohol before it is legal. While it is true that “In most countries around the world where alcohol is legal, the legal drinking age is eighteen”, the author states that alcohol can still have more negative effects on those under the age of twenty one than adults. The author provides many statistics, such as “research showed a correlation between the lowered drinking age and increased car accidents” to back up these statements. It is clear that the author’s main goal in the article is to inform the public about the negative outcomes of underage drinking, but it seems that their ulterior motive is to persuade against it. This is obvious, as the author shows no positives or even opinions from the opposing side.

An obvious outcome of underage drinking is drunk driving, which we know kills thousands every year. But an effect of lowering the drinking age that escapes the minds of many is the easy access that younger teens and tweens will have to alcohol when their senior friends are allowed to partake of alcohol freely. When 18 year olds are still in high school, they can have legal alcohol at their social events and house parties. There’s no doubt that underclassmen will be allowed in to these events to enjoy the privilege of the older peers. The danger in young drinking makes itself clear in a CDC Fact Sheet: “About 2 in 3 high school students who drink do so to the point of intoxication, that is, they binge drink (defined as having five or more drinks in a row), typically on multiple occasions.”

drinkers," or people who have had more than four drinks in a row. Also, alcohol

“Every year in the U.S., roughly 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from an alcohol-related incident including car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and other related injuries” ( “11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse”). That is 5,000 more teens or young adults that could be saved from this plague in this society (11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse). Underage drinking and alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States, and as a society need to make a change with how everyone sees this problem. Adults and young teens take this topic too lightly, and it should not be taken lightly because of how many deaths there have been from poor decision making. There are many programs or events that could help this problem by fundraising, however people think this is not a very important problem. Underage Drinking and Alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States because it causes major health issues that can be very costly, personal life problems that can lead to more problems later in life, and major risks that have no benefit, but can put someone else’s life in danger.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.22.7% of individuals aged 12-20 have reported have reported having a drink in the past month. The higher drinking age has resulted in drinking at private venues with a lack of supervision where teens are more susceptible to drive a motor vehicle while under the influence or engage in other dangerous behaviors because of the lack of supervision. If the drinking age was 18, they would be able to drink in a safer environment such as a restaurant or bar where they are more likely to be controlled.

Underage alcohol drinking can have devastating effects on teenagers. It can affect teens' grades, health and many other things as well. The reasons why teenagers consume alcohol are pretty clear. What aren’t clear are the solutions to eliminating, or at least reducing the number of underage drinkers. It is vital that we do something to at least suppress this problem. By taking action, we can greatly reduce the number of underage drinkers and it could also save not only their lives, but also someone else's life as well. Underage drinking can cause many health problems as well as educational problems in a teen’s life; therefore our country needs to decrease the number of underage drinkers by increasing both the price of alcohol as well as the legal drinking age.

In conclusion, underage drinking affects should be taught at a younger age before the kids are exposed. Not only should they be educated earlier but the schools policies should be stricter as well as college policies. If schools became stricter along with clubs and bars the future of our youth would improve. These steps must be taken or our younger generations will start to spiral without