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Peer pressure issues for teens
Effects of peer pressure on teenagers
Underage drinking case study
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In the world today there are teenagers and adults disobeying the law. They make a decision on what kind of friends that want to hang out with either good or bad. Their decisions may or may not put them in danger. The teenagers in the world today are drinking and smoking underage. By law, the legal age to drink is twenty one years old, but for smoking the legal age is eight-teen years old. Parents that have raised their children in a nonsmoking or drinking household has no control on who they become friends with. Although, some children are raised in a good household they can still be peer pressured into drinking, smoking, and violence. Many teens are pressured into consuming alcohol by people who are twenty one and older. Teenagers want to …show more content…
A twenty one year old told the teenager “that it was fun to go out and drive while under the influence.” He or she has not had their license two days yet, so that would not know the feeling of driving while drunk. They know it is wrong because their parents had mentioned this in the list of rules, but the teenager did not listen because he or she wanted to be friends with that person. The only way that twenty one year old was letting the under aged teenager be friends with them was to drive under the influence. The teenager wanted to be friends with the group, so they knew the only way to be friends would be to go out and drive while under the influence, even though they knew it was wrong. The teenager did not think twice about what his or her parents had said all they knew was making …show more content…
They think the two of them are having a good time while driving under the influence, until they almost hit another car head on. They slowed the car down and took a deep breath, but they laughed about it and continued on. This party was on Halloween, so the cops were out. The cop was hidden in a dark parkway and as soon as they drove around the corner, he pulled out behind the under aged teenager and the twenty one year old. That cop followed the two and he noticed something was not right because they kept swerving. The cop pulled the two over and went up to the window. He asked the driver which was the under aged driver if he or she would give the cop their drivers licenses, registration. He noticed on their drivers licenses that he or she was only eight teen and they were old enough to drive, but not old enough to consume alcohol. The cop asked the teenager to step out of the vehicle, so when he or she did, they were told to blow into the breathalyzer and the under aged teenager
According to Center for Disease Control and Protection, about 4,700 people under age twenty one die from injuries involving underage drinking every year. Illegal alcohol consumption has been a major problem with high school students around the nation. Lowering the drinking age from twenty one would result in major consequences for America’s adolescents. By lowering the drinking age, alcohol would be more accessible to those who choose to participate in underage drinking. The desire to drink for teens and young adults between the ages of fourteen and twenty can be caused by peer pressure or an act of rebellion. One beer might not seem like a big deal at the time, but it could lead to a life of addiction and alcoholism.
According to “Perils of Prohibition: Why We Should Lower the Drinking Age to 18” author Elizabeth M Whelan article which she argues that now a days in society prohibiting the sale of alcohol beverages to young adults specially teens creates a bad atmosphere full of alcohol abuse. She supports this article by explaining two points: First, American teens, rather than European teens, don 't train well to know how to drink in moderation, and second, compare her daughter 's problem with her own when she was a college student, to see their differences during that time of age.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, our environment does indeed have a major influence on the things we do. Naturally as human beings, we are social creatures and thrive off of interaction. As told by Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs”, we need to feel secure in our social environment and have a sense of belonging. What do most people at a young age desire in this world? Fitting in. When talking about society and substance usage, common themes such as: peer pressure, social media, and “the party scene” are very prevalent. Stacy Zeiger (2006), stated in an article on peer pressure, “When children start school, their parents begin to lose the influence they once had. By the teenage years, peers are the most influential group as teenagers navigate finding an identity and figuring out the roles that they play. Unfortunately, teenagers who choose the wrong
Teenage drinking is something that goes on every day. No matter how many videos you show to kids about drinking they will still drink. Surveys show that the average teen seventeen and up spends $475.00 a year on liquor, mostly beer; that's more than books, soda, coffee, juice and milk combined. Most parents don't know about teenage drinking unless they catch their kids doing it. Parents usually say "oh, my my kid would never do that ", and they're the ones whose kids probably drink more that the average teen. One might ask, how do kids get alcohol? Alcohol is almost as easy to get as a carton of milk, except a teen has to get someone older like a friend, brother or even someone off of the street to purchase it. Another way underage teens get alcohol is a fake I.D. A lot of stores don't care, they just need to ask for an I.D. because they are being watched by security cameras. No matter what city your are in, one in every five stores will sell beer to a minor. If stores stop selling to minors they would lose a lot of business. Looking at the surveys I took at Lincoln on this topic it can been seen what teens think about teenage drinking. The results were shocking! The first Question I asked was "Have you ever drank alcohol?" Of the students surveyed, 16% said no and 84% said yes. The second question was, "How often do you drink?"
Nowadays, the practice of alcohol without permission in teenager is increasing especially among the age of 18-21 years old. Allowing teenagers drink when they are eighteen years old instead of twenty- one is the issue that was considered by the parents, adult, and the government. Most of them are worried that not letting teens drink may lead to the worse situations such as using drugs and other dopes. Some others said that letting teens drinking will reduce the amount of illegal drinking. For example, in my neighborhood, the young people often gather a crowd together to talk and drink when they have a free time or celebrating when they have a good news. In addition, one of them couldn’t control themselves and led
Bob Marley once said, “Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.” This is the case when it comes to teens and alcohol. In America, the National Minimum Legal Drinking Age is a topic of great debate and controversy. Many people argue that the age restriction provides a safe environment for all citizens; whereas others disagree that the law creates an untrustworthy aura among teens. If the minimum legal drinking age were to be lowered, most people would be affected by it, whether it be by an increase in drunk-driving or a rise in crimes. Although teens are legally considered adults by the age of eighteen and the minimum legal drinking age prompts underage teens to exhibit risky behavior, the age restriction should not be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen because young teens would have easier access to alcohol, the minimum legal drinking age has decreased alcohol-related problems, and alcohol can cause damage to underage drinkers.
Driving at the age of sixteen is perfectly okay with people who does not seem to care because he or she feels as if someone gets into a car they are automatically going to put all attention into driving the vehicle which is not true nowadays because teenage drivers feel the need to be on a cell phone or trying to control the radio and trying to get dressed or put on make up when he or she should only be focused on operating the car. As the CDC stated “High school students aged 16 years and older who, when surveyed, said they had driven a vehicle one or more times during the past 30 days when they had been drinking alcohol.” ("Teen Drinking and Driving"), high school students are actually drinking when they should not be anywhere neat alcohol beverages and be able to drive. Based on these facts “Teens are more likely to speed, run red lights, make illegal turns, ride with an intoxicated driver, and drive after using alcohol or drugs.” (Only the Strong Survive "Teen Driving Crash and Fatality Stats"), teenagers are most likely to one ride with a intoxicated driver, and two driver after using alcohol or drugs which proves my point that teenagers should not be able to drive at such a young
It only takes that one drink to be intoxicated and they're driving ability is not the best, going back home from the party. Teens do not think twice of what danger they are putting them or others in, when they get into the car. Either it be death or a life changing event. This all could have been different if teenagers think about they're careless actions ahead of time. Teens make careless actions.
Teenagers are constantly being educated on the seriousness of alcohol and the vast amounts of negative impacts it can have meaning every teenager understands the consequences to do with alcohol, however as we can see it hasn’t stopped underage drinking and I believe this pattern will continue into the future.
Drunk driving accidents are the number one killer of adolescents (Teenagers and peer pressures. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from). Mixing drinking while driving can be deadly. Teenage drunk driving accidents not only affect the person drinking while driving, but it also can kill or harm others (Alcohol problems and solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from) (Teen drinking and driving. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from) . Every single accident provoked by drinking and driving could have been prevented. If underage drinking is illegal, why do young people do it ? Teenagers usually are influenced by their elders (Alcohol problems and solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from). In the United States, one out of ten 12 through 14 year olds have tried alcohol and continue to do so on a regular basis . There is a more than fifty percent of probability that young adults that have tried alcohol at a younger age may become alcoholics in the near future (Alcohol fatalities. (n.d.). Retrieved November 1, 2013, from). So, why do teenagers take so many risks with their health and behind the wheel? The answer is simple teen drivers tend to think they are invincible and more needs to be done to educate teens on the dangers of drinking and driving.
One article that covers the results of a national survey states that ¡§Adolescents¡¦ levels of alcohol and drug use have been found to be strongly associated with peers¡¦ use. However, other studies have shown that a student¡¦s drinking was more strongly influenced by how much he or she thought close friends drank than by perceptions of the extent of use by students in general¡¨(Results 2). This is a statement that I can agree with because growing up I have watched many young people become greatly influenced by their friends. Now a days the phrase ¡§peer pressure¡¨ concentrates on pressure from a direct group of friends rather than a students peers as a whole. Another reason the article gives for the cause of Binge Drinking is that ¡§Students who perceive that more drinking occurs than actually does provide themselves with an excuse for drinking more because ¡¥everyone is doing it¡¦¡¨ (Results 2). Everyone knows that most youngsters want what every other kid has, this idea relates in the...
We live in a society that drinks heavily, and this influences teens. Most Americans use alcohol to celebrate wedding anniversaries, to welcome the New Year, and to enjoy many other special events. Alcohol is a legal drug for people over the age of twenty-one. By the time most teens reach senior high school, nearly all will have faced a choice about whether or not to take a drink. Although this drug is illegal for teenage use a large percentage of teens use alcohol. Many teens die in automobile accidents, which could have prevented if they had chosen to say no. Each year it is blame in the deaths of more than four thousand teens (Claypool, p. 42). No crime kills more teenagers in America. Kids who are drinking regularly in high school seem to be fully aware of the penalties and laws against underage drinking, possession but don't care. They agree that driving while intoxicated is a key role in fatal car accidents, yet they still do it. Many teens also believe cold showers and coffee can sober up a person that is drunk Teens may drink for many different reasons. A big reason for teens to start to drink is because of problems in their family life. Teens could have a bad relationship with their parents or their parents could get in a fight or even get a divorce and this could cause a drinking problem among their child. Many experts agree that the main reason teens are becoming alcoholics is low self-esteem. Sometimes these children have been neglected or abused which makes them feel unwanted or they have been pressured and feel worthless if they fail. They have to deal with problems that he is too immature to handle, or worries about problems, which are problems at all. Many kids drink to make them feel older and mature. It makes you ...
There are a number of reasons why teenagers feel the urge to drink. Social environment, peer influence, stresses, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. Peer pressure is as well known use among teens. Americans have a burning desire to be accepted and liked by their peers. Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. Many adolescents feel that they need to drink alcohol to gain this acceptance by the others around them. Stress is also another reason why teens may feel apt to drink alcohol. Stress causes teenagers to look for a quick escape from the problems, which they face, in their day-to-day lives. This quick escape can be found in the shape of a bottle. In the eyes of an underage drinker, alcohol is the cure to all problems, a way to forget all of stress and pressures that are facing them. They feel that it will numb their pain and continuing to use alcohol will result in maybe another problem, substance abuse.
One reason teens should be able to drive is because good drivers should not be penalized for the reckless driving of others. Although teens are the first name summoned upon when a reckless driver appears, it is not always a teenager speeding along the highway. Possibly, it's a businessman late for a meeting. There are mature teens out there on the road as well as immature teens. Every teen's parent worries about their children when they are handed the keys to their car. One worry is that when they arrive home, if they arrive home, they would arrive with a fine or dents upon the car. Nonetheless, a second worry is that the teen will not be arriving at the house at all, due to an accident that may have occurred. Handing a car to a teen is a test of maturity, to see whether or not they can be responsible with their parents' property. With a mixture of good and...
They begin to be social and making new friends. After being around a certain friend for so long, they will do anything to remain friends will them. If they fail at a certain point, the teenagers start to imitate them. Then the teenagers will develop low self-esteem. That is where drugs, alcohol, tattoos and disrespect are put into effect. Amy Bobrow, of the Child Study Center at New York University School of Medicine stated in the Davis’s article, “Even fewer teens regularly use illegal substances -- less than 25% of those who try them -- which means the majority do not.” Teenagers without supervision can cause them to do plenty of horrible things such as coming in late at night, sneaking out, and illegal substance use.