...their desire to take risks. One of these risks includes alcohol. Underage drinking is a serious health problem that is continues to grow in popularity. According to “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services”, in 2013,the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 23% of youth aged 12 to 20 years drink alcohol and 14% reported binge drinking in the past 30 days” (Administration). Teens are very curious and would rather ignore all of the negative influences around them. An unpleasant home life, the influence of media, and peer pressure can lead to underage drinking and a damaged life. One of the main reasons for underage drinking is family influence. Family and home life plays a huge role. According...
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...Each year, approximately 5,000 young people under the age of twenty-one die as a result of underage drinking; this includes approximately 1,900 deaths from motor vehicle crashes, 1,600 as a result of homicides, 300 from suicide, and as well as hundreds from other injuries (NIAA). In today’s society we are presented with a real epidemic, underage drinking. As children grow older they are brought into different environments where they are presented with different obligations. Children bring alcohol into their lives to be cool or to fit in, but dying of alcohol poisoning leaves young people to fit into which group? Teenagers begin drinking as early as middle school or even sooner. (NLM) It is said that teens who drink are more likely to be victims of violent crimes. They are more likely to have serious problems in school. They are more likely to be involved in drinking and driving accidents. Children who start drinking young are also more likely to develop problems with alcohol later in life. With such a huge epidemic in underage drinking, why would law makers want to lower the legal age? Throughout the United States, most seventeen year olds receive their drivers’ license. Seventeen year olds are still in high school and still testing different waters; some of the “water” is alcohol. It is hard to believe, but 70 percent of all teenagers drink alcohol, and 60 percent of all teen deaths in car accidents are alcohol-related (Eagle). Most parents want to believe that when they...
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...bottles. I took an Axis and only had a few sips, not liking the taste. I knew I shouldn’t have been in the environment I was in, with so much alcohol and alcohol drinking going on. I knew it wasn’t allowed on campus, yet continued to stay in the room and talk to people and listen to music. At one point during the night I noticed many people leaving the room, not realizing immediately that a resident assistant was at the door. My first instinct was to stay. I had no thought of leaving, and knew I had to take responsibility for my actions. I spoke with the RA giving him my name and telling him my ID number having left my card in my dorm room. I helped count the alcohol cans in the room and proceeded to help bring them out to the dumpster. I was very nervous as to if my parents would find out because I know that they would be extremely disappointed, possibly even pulling me out of St. Edward’s and making me go to school closer to home. So I am extremely fortunate that they did not find out and I do not plan on doing anything to get in trouble again. If I am ever put in this situation again I would leave immediately if I found out there would be drinking. I realize now how strict St. Edward’s is about drinking on campus and I will never even risk getting caught again. I always warn people if I hear that they plan on drinking on campus, having learned from this process I have had to go through for my actions. I did some research in the process of my Alcohol Education and I found that...
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...Underage madness Have you ever been to a liquor store and you are on your way to a wonderful evening of relaxation, then out of nowhere you are bombarded by a complete stranger asking you to buy them a beer? I know I have, my initial response to that individual would be “might I ask how old you are?” Then from this point you might hear a series of excuses or lies about the situation until they realize that they are getting nowhere with you and move on to the next target. What did you do in this case? Did you attempt to scare that individual, or did you just mosey on about your business? According to the CDC 11 percent of all alcohol consumed in the United States is consumed by children and young adults between the ages of 12-20. More than 90 percent of this alcohol is consumed in the form of binge drinking. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, about 5,000 kids under 21 die every year as a result of underage drinking – from crashes, homicides, and suicides. Teens that drink also are at risk for a long list of other injuries and potential life-long alcohol abuse. Reducing underage drinking can reduce drinking-related harm This problem is important to not only me as a parent but also to you as a driver on the street. Underage drinking is a rapidly growing problem that causes homicides, suicides and public intoxication. We need to put into play harsher punishments for underage drinking and aiding in underage drinking in order to prevent this problem from spreading. We can...
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...As midnight struck on November 4, 1998, the eve of Brad's 21st birthday, he went with a group of friends to Rick's American Caf� to celebrate his birthday. He began to play a game of “drink your age.” ;When he had finished 21 shots and knowing that the record among his friends was 23, he drank 3 more for a total of 24 shots of liquor. He drank them in about 1-� hours. The Media's Effect on Underage Alcohol Abuse The Media’s Effects on Underage Drinking The use of alcohol is a major aspect of our society. It is used in religious ceremonies, during socialization, and its presence ...His friends took him home and put him to bed as he passed out. His BAC continued to climb to a lethal level of .44 g/100ml, as the depressant did its work. His breathing stopped and the coroner estimates that he died at approximately 4:30 AM. He died on his 21st birthday, November 5, 1998. Tragedies similar to this one happen too often. People say that the age of 21 is an age of responsibility, and one is now responsible The Media's Effect On Underage Alcohol Abuse The Media’s Effects on Underage Drinking The use of alcohol is a major aspect of our society. It is used in religious ceremonies, during socialization, and its presence is seen ...to drink. Well in this particular case, responsibility was not there. Having an age limit for alcohol use does nothing if individuals are not educated to use alcohol properly. Lowering the age limit to 18 will not cause any more problems that are significantly...
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... Underage Drinking Alcohol has become the root of many issues in not only the United States but also around the world. There are a countless number of effects it has on your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. From all types health problems such as diseases and cancers, to the the bad decsions you make while under the influence such as drinking and driving and suicide, to the deppression and sadness it can bring. Everyone likes to go and drink to have a good time, but it has become such an abused drug that is ruining many peoples lives because they can't control it. None more than the people who drink underage. Alcohol use by people under the age of 21 is a major problem in the US. It is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth, more than tobacco and illicit drugs. Although drinking under the age of 21 is illegal, people ages 12 to 20 consume more than 11% of all alcohol in the United States each year. Underage drinking has become an epidemic, gradually getting worse every year. Alcohol is responible for the death of almost 5,000 teens each year and approximately 190,000 emergency room visits. Nearly 9 million youths, ages 12-20, report they have consumed alcohol in the past 30 days. The rate of current alcohol consumption increases with increasing age according to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 1% at age 12 to 15% at age 16 and 39% at age 20. Binge drinking is the most common pattern of excessive...
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...Most teenagers have probably explored with alcohol use in high school before college. The problem with underage drinking is a problem throughout all high school and colleges around the country. A lot of people don’t understand the consequences or the impact it can have on their lives, as they get older. Most of the time parents are unaware of the risks that their children face when they are involved in underage drinking. According to the National Survey on Drug Use, it is approximated that 24% of the population between the ages of 12 through 20 have engaged in underage drinking. Medical Experts say that alcohol can be used to increase metabolism and also helps with digestion. Despite the fact that it is against the law for college and high school students to consume alcohol, there is a large amount of teenagers experiencing the usage of alcohol. Even though it is said to be favorable, too much consumption has led to negative result and side effects. It is apparent that teenage alcohol abuses are basic problems that need to be taken up in society by our leaders, advisers and as well as the parents. Many people ask this question everyday, “Why do teenagers take prescription drugs?” Well most of the time teens wrongly believe that these drugs are more safe than regular drugs mainly because they are accessible to them from home or from friends. Breaking away from reality and being bored are the main reasons that teenagers abuse drugs. Peer pressure to continue friendships and...
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...in the documentary amongst the teenagers. Normally in middle and high schools there is some sort of segregation such as, athletes and cheerleaders, band members, honor students, and gothic kids. Because there was no segregation it made it much easier for the outbreak of syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases to spread like wildfire. Segregation wasn’t the problem in this town though; it was the lack of knowledge about safe sex and the repercussions of not practicing it. As far as the juvenile delinquency I don’t see the sex and sexually transmitted diseases as a delinquency problem, but the actions that were taken place before and after their sexual encounters is a different story. The consumption of illegal narcotics and underage drinking was indeed a very big delinquency issue. I know in a lot of cities in the United States they do not allow...
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...convictions you have. If arrested for drunk driving, you will have to take a chemical test to get a more accurate estimate of your Blood Alcohol Concentration. You are required by the Implied consent Law to take the chemical test. If you refuse to take this test, your driver’s license will be suspended and you will be hit with yet another DUI fine. Also as part of your DUI fines, you will have to attend DUI School. The length of time you have to attend the school depends on how high your BAC was. The higher you’re BAC, the longer you must attend the DUI School. In California, for example, you can get anywhere between twelve hours to thirty months of DUI school. Underage drinking is an even more serious offense. In many states, anyone under 21 years of age caught driving with a BAC level o .02% or higher can be cited for an underage...
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...It has been stated in each research source that hazing and particularly binge drinking is the most serious problem affecting social life, academic life, and health on college campuses today. The journal article pertaining to this issue, How Harvard’s College Alcohol Study Can Help Your Campus Design a Campaign Against Student Alcohol Abuse (CAS: Campus Alcohol Study for short), focuses more heavily on binge drinking and prevention than it does on the Greek system itself. The authors, Wechsler, Nelson, and Weitzman, contend that binge drinking is a nationally recognized problem but has not been studied efficiently enough to warrant effective prevention plans. The purpose of this article is to share with the public the results of a survey representing 50,000 students in 140 colleges, in 39 states. This is the first nationally representative survey of its kind and the analysis of its outcome by the authors of this article has resulted in seemingly sound prevention ideas. To begin interpreting the binge drinking phenomenon, a solid understanding of the term must be presented. Binge drinking is defined by all the articles as consuming five or more drinks in rapid succession (four or more for women) at least once in a two week period. Shockingly, the College Alcohol Study (CAS) found that two out of every five college students binge drink. The authors of this article argue that binge drinking has negative effects not only on the drinkers, but also on the entire student body. The binge...
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...inflation which has resulted in a loss of billions of dollars in potential revenue. That revenue could have help funded essential health and human needs programs or reduce the deficit. Revenue from alcohol and tobacco continues to be of more importance these days as our economy tries to overcome budget deficits. A 2008 report of the Congressional Budget Office estimated that increasing and reforming federal alcohol taxes could generate more than $28 billion in new revenue over five years. Alcohol and tobacco imposes enormous cost on society an according to the latest government estimates some $185 billion per year. Alcohol and tobacco should be taxed because health care imposes an enormous cost on society. This is associated with the underage use of alcohol and tobacco, traffic crash fatalities, certain crimes and alcohol related health problems. The author (Green, R. (2011) uses a public health nursing model, the Public Health Code of Ethics (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002), the American Nurses' Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (2001), and other relevant ethical theory to weigh and balance the arguments for and against the use of sin taxes. Some say that an increase in “sin taxes” will increase health care costs, but the government will take a greater role in regulating health care expenses. A primary argument against sin taxes is based on ethical considerations: the claim that such taxes are unfair, discriminatory, and a threat to freedom by a nanny state seeking to...
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...Teen Drinking The topic of teen drinking age is controversial and has raised lots of debate over the years. There are many that believe the drinking age should be lowered, and there are those that believe the age to drink should stay at 21. There is no benefit on allowing underage teenagers the right to drink. Keeping the legal age to consume alcohol at 21 is beneficial for the safety and well being of teenagers. In Europe the Europeans let their teens drink from an early age. They also claim they have less alcohol-related problems than the United States, and their teens learn to drink responsible and are less likely to “binge drink.” According to T. R. Reid’s May 4 [2003] op-ed piece, “Let My Teenager Drink,” amid a national outcry over an epidemic of “ binge drinking,” the politicians don’t like to admit that this problem is largely a product of the liquor laws (86). That is a total myth. Among American youth binge drinking rates are higher in European countries by almost double. According to Joseph Califano Jr’s May 11 [2003] op-piece, “Don’t Make Teen Drinking Easier,” in 2001 the Justice Department released an analysis comparing drinking rates in Europe and the United States. The conclusion: American 10th graders are less likely to use and abuse alcohol that people of the same age in almost all European countries, including Britain” (88) There is also the argument that you should be able to drink at eighteen, since at that at the age you are considered...
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...teen alcohol is home life. If you where to talk to or take a poll of teenager using alcohol most or about 85%of them would tell you that they have an alcoholic family member living in the home with them (O’Connell, 2005). This is by far one of the most disheartening facts of teenage drinking, because in most cases of teen alcohol usage it is the parent that has dropped the ball. Another reason for teen alcohol usage is peer pressure. So many teen are forced in to using alcohol because of fear of not fitting into their particular circle of friends. It is this type of social bullying that has been the reason for so many teens deciding to use alcohol. Ninety percent of high school students said that they have at one time uses alcohol. A recent poll showed that 67 percent of high school students also said that they have used alcohol in the last week, and 38 percent said that they have taken 3 drinks in a row within the last 3 weeks (O’Donnell, 2005). This is important numbers because it gives us an understanding of why we have so much calamity going on among our young people today. The numbers say that there are over 3.3milion teenaged alcoholics in America today. There is not upside to teenage drinking and if we don’t do something about it now we will only have a generation of older alcoholics. In order for us to fix this issue we must begin to aggressively educate our children on the effects of using alcohol. So many times we focus only on the outward effects and never talk about...
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...Underage consumption of alcohol is an epidemic that has spread across the nation at an almost astronomical rate. The problem is increasing especially among teens in high school. It not only affects their health, but also their attitudes about such things as, school work, socializing with peers, and their personal lives at home. The problem only seems to be progressively growing worse and worse inside of the United States, and by the law of cause and effect, this is not only affecting today’s teens inside of our schools, but also future adults in the work place. Statistics say that that by the time teens reach the eighth grade, nearly 50 percent of teens have had at least one drink, and nearly 20 percent report to have been drunk. Statistics also suggest that 50 percent of 12th graders have consumed alcohol within the past 30 days. Not only is this substance illegal, but when used underage, it poses a substantial risk to not only the individual but also to society as a whole. For example, alcohol related automobile crashes are more prevalent among the ages 16 to 20 than drivers 21 and older. Teens are also more vulnerable to alcohol related brain damaging then adults are, because of the fact that our brain is still in the process of developing, and growing. Alcohol use also interacts with conditions such as depression, and stress disorders, which induces teens to commit suicide, the third most leading cause of death between the ages of 14 and 25. In one study, 37 percent of...
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...should know that we as our nation is facing this epidemic. Drug abuse is huge problem in many countries. Billions of dollars are spent trying to preventing drug use, treating addicts, and fighting drug-related crime. Drug abuse causes multiple problems for countries and communities. The medical and psychological effects are very obvious. Addicts cannot function as normal members of society. They neglect or abuse their families, and eventually require expensive treatment or hospitalization. Jesse Heffernan is a Certified Recovery Coach. He is a creative, imaginative, forward-thinking, advocate. He is also in recovery. (Cook Alicia 8/2008) “He pretty much used whatever he could get his hands on, and he admitted that “Crack was the bottoming...
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