If you are seventeen or older but under the age of twenty-one and you are caught drinking alcohol, the average fine is around $2,000. Adolescent drinking has lead to many serious injuries to include mental and physical disabilities. Usually about five thousand people below the age of twenty-one die in a year from alcohol related injuries that involve underage drinking. Also, another major issue with teen drinking is most kids who drink are more likely to be a victim of physical or even sexual assault. When teens consume alcohol, it kills many of the brain cells, which will lead to academic failure in school. Most brain cells will grow back although, if the consumption of alcohol continues at this early of an age, they will reduce to almost …show more content…
A teenager still has the mind of a “little person” no matter how mature that person may seem, it does not take long for the brain cells to subside. “It does interfere with how neurons communicate, affecting one’s ability to perform tasks like walking, speaking, and making decisions (Walsh 1).” In teenagers, the effects of coordination on the brain are delayed and we’re still not exactly sure why that is. Therefore, this means that teens don’t experience the immediate reaction to drinking until it’s an abundant amount. Some may say that the brain cells grow back so it’s not bad for you, well this is partly true. Most brain cells do grow back except when one consumes too much at a time or is constantly drinking every day. The brain can only regenerate so much. The minimum age for drinking is twenty-one for a very good …show more content…
When a person is drunk they are no longer aware of what they can do, to not only themselves, but also to others around them. For one, why would you want to ruin a few brain cells that you will need later on in life, to just a long night of fun? Right now, speaking as a teenager, it may seem like it will be fine and the adults just say this stuff to scare us, but our brain is not fully developed yet so this is why the adults have to help us with these decisions because they actually do know better. Teen drinking leads to many serious problems starting with killing brain cells, also there is a high risk of academic failure, and it advances the physical consequences that a person under the age of twenty-one would make or do to put themselves in harm’s way, or someone
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.
First, the age limit to drink should stay the same has to do with the way the human body develops both mentally and physically. There is scientific evidence that the brain does not fully mature until the age of 21, on average. Before the age of 21, excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to permanent brain damage. Teens who have experienced alcohol withdrawal tend to have difficulties with memory. Since the teenage brain have been exposed to alcohol it will be at risk for being smaller in certain parts. Teenage alcohol can also negatively affecting a person’s memory, motor skills and test-taking ability for the rest of people lives. Research shows that because most of teenagers’ bodies are not ful...
Adolescents tend to find ways to let out their emotions and try to escape their problems, and this unfortunately leads them to make poor decisions that hurt them more than they know that it would be. Alcohol actually is a depressant because it slows down the function of the central nervous system and it cause people to lose coordination and not be able to think straight.
These consequences include homicide, physical violence, sexual assault, and suicide. Based on the statistical facts, every year almost 700,000 college students are assaulted by other drunk schoolmates, more than 70,000 students between 18 to 24 are victims of sexual assaulted related to alcohol, and nearly 300 alcohol-connected teenager suicides happen in the whole states. Young people are usually lack of self-control and careful conscious, that’s why they can be more dangerous when they get drunk and cause many serious consequences to the whole society.
As long as adolescents are informed about what is right and wrong, the drinking age being at 18 will not affect amount deaths due to alcohol. In fact, many high schools courses are being taught to teach adolescents what is right and wrong in different situations that involve alcohol. These classes usually start in middle school and go all the way to high school, and even college. They teach adolescents what binge drinking is and how it is extremely dangerous. Online lessons started in in 2001 where “outside the Classroom, Inc. introduces AlcoholEdu, a three-hour online course designed to educate college students on the dangers of excessive drinking” (ProQuest Staff). Teaching young adults how drink responsibly at a younger age allows them to learn what is right and wrong as their brain is developing. This allows them to be aware when they start drinking, instead of allowing them to make stupid mistakes on their
During the last decades, college drinking, the toll binge drinking which is taking on college campuses. Highly publicized reports have raised public awareness about the high rates of heavy drinking among college students. Also, Wechsler, Nelson and Lee JE, experts of researching the phenomenon of college drinking, have concluded that binge drinking is the most serious public health problem facing US colleges. The State had a controversial discussion about steps that can be taken to take action against the binge drinking that has become part of the so-called
The combination of driving an automobile after drinking a significant amount of alcohol has been recognized as a serious problem since the motor car was invented in the 1880s. By 1910, the law in the United States had already codified drunk driving as a misdemeanor offence. Prohibitionists used the danger created by mixing alcohol and driving as a key point in their argument in favor of the eighteenth amendment, as a result of which the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol was banned between 1920 and 1933. Apparently lessons were not learned and many decades later drunk driving has been called one of the most serious problems confronting America today” (Kinkade). This should not be a problem for any country as individuals should be able to control their drinking behavior.
I’m here to persuade you in supporting a lower legal drinking age to age 18 because 1. It would eliminate temptation of breaking law (to drink) 2. Reduce unsafe drinking activities (Binge drinking) 3. It should correspond to the age of adulthood
Many young adults and college educators argue that the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) should be lowered but I disagree. I don’t think that lowering the legal drinking age would be a good idea because alcohol is one of the main causes of deaths among young adults and also affects their academic performance. Lowering the legal age of drinking will just be a huge mistake. The government should instead raise it higher than 21 or enforce the MLDA more.
It is a factor in five of the leading causes of death among 15 to 24 year olds” Chuck Pearce (2009). Binge drinking not only can lead to fatalities but also destroys the lives of teens. It leads them down the road of misery and self-destruction. Also, teenagers are at the most developmental stage of their life. Alcohol does in fact mess with the wiring of the brain. It mainly affects the prefrontal cortex of the brain; this part of the brain is where one’s thinking, decision making, and impulse control come from. The prefrontal part of the brain develops the most through one’s years of adolescence. When one begins binge drinking at a young age, it blunts the brain cells in the prefrontal cortex (book). Research consistently shows that students who do not drink perform far better in school than those who do (book). Many negative health consequences are directed back to binge drinking; such as, abuse, violence, injury, and addiction. Also, other negative behaviors like having sex, getting bad grades, trying to commit suicide, or trying other drugs (Pruitt & Wrye
According to Windle et al. (2009) adolescents between the ages of 10 and 15 are beginning to consume alcohol. Adolescents are going through puberty at this stage. This means that they are experiencing greater emotional mood swings, greater emotions when dealing with emotional events, and tend to break more rules and exhibit rule breaking behaviors (Windle, et al., 2009). 19.5 percent of 8th graders and 42.1 percent of 10th graders reported having been drunk in their lifetime (Windle, et al., 2009). It is said that the adolescents that consistently drink through this period of time are more likely to have a harder time transitioning into adulthood (Zhong, et al., 2010).
Driving under the influence is one of the most common and dangerous situations in which anyone can be or be placed. Drinking and driving is a serious offence that can cause someone to be physically harm or even killed. Not only are you putting yourself at risk but you are also risking the lives of passengers in the car as well as any other car and occupants sharing the road with you. Many people believe that increasing fines for drunk driving offenders will play a compelling role in cutting down the occurrences of driving under the influence. However, while harsher DUI laws will look effective on paper, they will not make a significant step in the fight against drunk driving. Although there is a law enforced for drinking and driving in the
Although this may be true, some people will still argue that alcoholic drinks are not always a bad thing, especially if you are a teenager that wants to experience a little bit of danger and living to the fullest, as the Americans say live wild and free. Most of the new students in college feel that they are free from their parents; they can do anything want to do without worrying about the watchful eyes of their parents. The feelings of excitement that drive teenagers to try new things and experiment, for example drinking alcohol. Nowadays young people often ...
Underage drinking is wrong. It is very unhealthy and can be extremely dangerous. Not only is it unhealthy and dangerous it is also illegal. (Kids don’t try this at home). Underage drinking is when anyone under the minimum legal drinking age of 21 drinks alcohol. Alcoholic beverages include: beer, wine, liquor, etc. With underage drinking comes a heavy price, underage drinking carries a lot of risk and potential serious injuries. It can get teens into a multitude of troubles such as, problems with the law, with family, friends, social life, and more. The more teens know about the facts and consequences of this harmful venture the better off they are from becoming one of the many statistics associated with underage drinking.
Underage drinking causes people to make bad decisions, such as; driving while intoxicated, becoming pregnant, and making a complete fool out of themselves. While intoxicated, are just being a few instances that can and will impact your life forever. Some individuals don’t understand what alcohol really does to the body. Beer has empty calories that will make you gain weight. Which is why a lot of alcoholics have larger stomachs, or another term many people use for these large stomachs is, “beer belly.” Some people may say that alcohol helps you escape your problems and is a stress relevant. Alcohol will not only bring more stress onto your life, it will also bring more problems. As much as people may feel alcohol helps, it really won’t help.