JOSEPH GOLEY
Teenage Drinking Volume 1, Issue 1
11/24/09
Drinking in Teens Today
Contents: Drinking in Teens Today
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Teen Drinking Can Pose Serious
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Laws Against Teen 2 Drinking Why Do Teens Drink?
Alcohol is a common beverage among Americans today, including teens. It works as a depressant, meaning it slows the brains reaction to stimulus. According to a study conducted by the National Institution on Drug Abuse, 51.6% of Americans age 12 and older have used alcohol at least once in the thirty days prior to being surveyed.*3 This indicates that many teens are drinking steadily. Unfortunately most teenagers do not realize that their use of alcohol is threatening their health , safety, and development. There are several reasons that a teenager might try alcohol. They include: peer pressure, because they think it makes them appear
more mature, or simply because they enjoy the feeling it gives them.. There are still laws that prohibit the use of alcohol by minors, as well ash selling to minors and driving while intoxicated. Though thousands drink each year, the number is starting to decline as more effective techniques in prevention are being administered. Parents are more aware of how much teenagers are drinking and are beginning to be more involved in their choices. Simply by talking to their children about the use of alcohol, parents are helping to postpone their teenagers first drink.
Most teens are taking their first drink before the age of fifteen. *2
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Voice of a Student 2
Preventing Teen Drinking
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Teen Drinking Word Search
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Bibliography/ Resources
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Laws Against Teen Drinking: . There are many laws in place to prevent underage drinking and the risks associated with it. In Missouri driving while intoxicated (DWI) is illegal and often results in either a high fine or even prison time depending upon persons record. A DWI is not the same as a DUI. A DUI means driving under the influence. This can be because of alcohol or the use of drugs,
while the term DWI strictly refers to the use of alcohol. There are also laws in place to help prevent teens from acquiring and drinking alcohol. Companies and stores that sell alcohol have to check the age of patrons and customers to make sure they are twenty-one before they will sell them alcohol. Laws like the statutory authority for the EUDL Block Grant Program
found within Section 504 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, 42 U.S.C. 5783 stating that underage drinking is illegal and consequences will be issued to those who break them, are more prevalent and help to convince teens drinking is a bad choice.
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Teenage Drinking
Teen Drinking Can Pose Serious Risks Underage drinking is illegal, it can pose serious risks for teenagers as well. When the alcohol slows the reaction time it also affects decision making and all other executive thinking. Though many teens may think drinking makes them look cool, it can actually do the opposite. It makes people do things they would not otherwise do and makes them seem unintelligent. Drinking can also be especially dangerous for girls. Once they
have had several drinks, they become more relaxed and more apt to listen to what people tell them. Women are taken advantage of by men because they have been drinking and do not know that it is not right until it is too late. Alcohol is also one of the leading contributors to death in the united states today. More than 17,000 people are claimed victim of drunk driving accidents every year in the United States. Alcohol can also
affect the frontal lobe of a teenagers brain. The frontal lobe controls the decision making of the teenager which can result in the making of bad choices. Alcohol can ruin a teenagers life. Teenagers who drink begin to experience lower grades, separation from parents and friends, and loss of interest in activities such as sports and hobbies. By keeping alcohol out of the hands of minors, we can guarantee them a better future.
Why Do Teens Drink? “Often times, teens will drink to fit in with their peers.�
Experts believe that teens drink for a number of reasons. Alcohol works as a depressant, lowering reaction-time and causing the user to feel less inhibited. Teens drink to fit in with their peers. Alcohol causes them to feel more comfortable with their surroundings and consider behavior they might not otherwise. Another contributor is peer pressure.
When teens who have never used alcohol before see their friends drinking they think it’s safe to try and as a result use it just to fit in. Older teenagers often encourage or even force younger ones to drink as well. They threaten them with humiliation or physical abuse in some situations. This method has become ritual in some settings and can cause harm or
death. This cycle is viscious and keeps the use of alcohol in the hands of teenagers and can only be stopped by education and shifting our culture.
Voice of a Student: Personal Interview: Q: Have you ever had alcohol before? A: ha-ha yes Q: When was your first drink?
More than 17,000 people are the victims of drunk driving accidents every year. *1
A: sophomore year I was16 Q: Why did you do it? A: A senior gave me a beer and told me to drink, would have tormented me otherwise Q: Did you realize the potential consequences and/or risks? A: not at the time Q: Have you ever been caught? A: yes many times Q: Do you still drink? A: nope Q: Do a lot of your friends drink? A: ya Q: Have you ever been hurt by alcohol?
A: not me personally Q: Do you know anyone who has been hurt because of alcohol? A: yes, he had a seizure Q: If you know drinking is bad and wrong, why do you do it? A: I didn't think about consequences at time Q: What do you think is the best way to prevent underage drinking? A: spread awareness, open peoples eyes so they no what can really happen Q: What is one thing you could tell teenagers thinking about drinking? A; There is a second before you drink, think about what you are doing because if you do drinking it will appear second nature from then on.
Interview Summary:
Knowing a teenagers point of view is important to understand how much teens really drink and their perspective on drinking. This person obviously had been in several situations involving alcohol , the pressure associated with teen drinking, and had seen its effects. But this person also understood the importance of not drinking and how if someone starts it will be hard for them to stop. He believed the best way to prevent teen drinking is by spreading awareness among teens about its potential risks and making them aware of the opportunity they have to utilize that critical second before they take a drink and to remember its not the right thing to do and could end up costing them, maybe their future success or their lives.
Volume 1, Issue 1
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Preventing Teen Drinking Drinking among teens is a common problem in today’s society, but can be prevented. One major way to reduce this risk is by having parents talk to their children about the topic and how it can hurt them as well as the people around them. Teens whose parents talk to them about drinking are less likely to drink regularly or even at all. The earlier parents talk to their children about alcohol, the more likely that child will post-
pone his/her first drink. Programs within schools can also have a significant effect on whether or not a particular teen will drink. Programs like “Project TND”, a highly interactive school program designed to help students resist substance use, are becoming more common in today’s schools. Students are beginning to realize the effects it can have one their sports, grades, social lives, as well as their relationships with
family and friends. Though there are many steps parents and schools can take to aid in the prevention of teen drinking, it all comes down to the choice he or she will make. No one can make that decision for them, but what teachers, friends, parents, and neighbors can do is help the student be prepared for when that time comes and help them be able to make the right choice.
“Teens whose parents talk to them about drinking are less likely to drink .”
Teen Drinking Word Search: Words: ALCOHOL BEER CAR ACCIDENT INFLUENCE PARENTS PARTY PEER PRESSURE PREVENTION RISK SCHOOL TEENAGER TEENS
Bibliography: 1. Blunk-Piper, Daniel. Personal Interview. 2. “Why do Teenagers Drink Alcohol?” Self Help Magazine. August 18, 2008.
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Stop Teen Drinking!
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse. November 9, 2009. National Institute on Drug Abuse. 11/16/09. http://www.nida.nih.gov/ (Number of people had drank alcohol previous to the survey) *3 4. “Teens Buying Alcohol Online.” Parent Teacher Association. August 2006. http://www.ctpta.org/ 5. Sociometrics.“Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Programs Archive.” 2009. 11/15/09. http://www.socio.com/ 6. Edgar Snyder and Associates. “Drunk Driving Accident Statistics” 2008. 11/15/09. http://www.edgarsnyder.com/(People victim of Drunk Driving Accidents Statistic) 1* 7. Tuitasi, Debbie. Personal Interview. 11/18/09 8. Missouri Department of Mental Health: Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. 2009. Missouri Department of Mental Health. 11/17/09 <http://www.dmh.mo.gov/ada/facts/underage.htm> 9. Benson, Kate. “First Drink Comes Earlier For Today’s Teenagers.” The Age. November 26, 2008: B7 (How soon teens are taking their first drink) *2 10. “Alcohol.” Teens Health. April 2009. 11/17/09. <http://kidshealth.org/ teen/drug alcohol/alcohol/alcohol.html#>
Resources: 1.
National Resource: National Institute on Drug Abuse. Suarez, Fraha Department Student Intern. 1-877-643-2644.
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Local Resource: Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Mims, Kathleen Central Region Area Treatment Coordinator. 1-573-751-4942.
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School Resource: Dream Team, After school activity. Tuistasi, Debbie Director of Health Services, Upper School Nurse, co-sponsor of Dream Team. 1-314-995-7472.
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Website Resource: Teens Health: Alcohol. http:// kidshealth.org/teen/drug_alcohol/alcohol/alcohol.html# .