The Problems Associated with Underage Drinking

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Curiosity to appear more grown up may be the reason why most adolescents take their first drink of an alcoholic beverage. The ability to seen more grown up can intensify drinking at a younger age. Consequently, as alcohol is seen as the “Forbidden Fruit,” it encourages the want to drink for people under the age of twenty-one. The use of alcohol by adolescents is widely viewed as disobedience in American society. Although, alcohol use is technically illegal until the age of twenty-one (in 19 states the consumption of alcohol in not specifically illegal for people under the age of twenty-one), there is still an excessive use of dinking in teenagers today. Since alcohol is associated with all three leading causes of death among teens, it can also have less life-altering consequences such as a drop in academic performances and a decline of friend and family relationships. Also, mental disorders like anxiety, depression and behavioral issues as in loss of temper, an argumentative personality, being easily angered, and blaming others for mistakes. Alcohol is the most commonly abused drug in teenagers and society contributes to abuse by linking drinking to sophistication and good times. (“Alcohol Abuse and Youth” 1) While underage drinking is a legitimate problem, it should be mainly the responsibility of the parents to decide whether their child should drink. But if allowed, it should be in a closely supervised place. Teen drinking remains problematic with one-third of American youth consuming alcohol on a regular basis since the government outlawed the consumption of alcohol by anyone underage twenty-one on 1984. Some regulators say that making the federal minimum drinking age twenty-one has made alcohol a “forbidden fruit... ... middle of paper ... ...Drug Rehab Treatment Centers. 2 Dec. 2009. http://www.drugrehabtreatment.com/girlswhoparty.html. Kramer, Liz, and Nancy Sprague “Alcohol Abuse and Youth: An Overview.” Points of View: Alcohol Abuse & Youth (2007): 1. Points of View Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 17 Nov. 2009. O’Connor, Katie. “Girls and Drinking.” Girl Talk: Choices and Consequences for Underage Drinking. 2009. 2 Dec. 2009. http://www.grltlk.wordpress.com/girls-and-drinking “Update: Alcohol Issues.” Issues and Controversies On File: n. pag. Issues and Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 6 Oct. 2006. Web. 17 Nov 2009. http://www.2facts.com/article/i1100550. U.S. Dept. Of Health and Human Services. Opposing Viewpoints: Alcohol. 3 vols. Detriot: Christine Nasso, 2008. Voas, Roberts. “Lowering the Drinkng Age is Not the Solution.” Underage Drinking. Detriot: Christine Nasso, 2008

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