Underage Drinking Arguments

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Alcohol can be a problem in society because alcohol related accidents puts innocent people at risk and also increases the risk of public damages. People that drink have reduced productivity and efficiency at work, rise crime rates and health care to treat symptoms of overdrinking can cost the U.S. up to $249 billion alone (“CDC - Fact Sheets-Alcohol Use And Health - Alcohol,” n.d.).
Alcohol has excessive problems on people’s health and is seen to cause 88,000 deaths (“CDC - Fact Sheets-Alcohol Use And Health - Alcohol,” n.d.). In addition, drinking can be seen as a sign that an individual is contemplating suicide because individuals may drink to numb their pain. Additional danger to oneself may be seen through sexual assault (rape) and high-risk …show more content…
In addition, approximately 30% of 12th graders have engaged in binge drinking. The reason that underage drinking is possible is because drinking is tolerated in alcoholic families and is adolescents are not criticized for it. Some adolescents may develop this problem because they have easy access to alcohol and parents do not monitor their behaviors. (“Underage Drinking: A Major Public Health Challenge -- Alcohol Alert No. 59,” n.d.). With easy access to alcohol, younger people are more likely to drink so that they can fit in or for the rush of the experience. Adolescents can express dominance through drinking and show more aggressive behavior. In addition, people may use alcohol as a solution to their problems and use it to self-medicate. Alcohol can hide the symptoms of disorders such as depression and anxiety. (Comasco, Berglund, Oreland, & Nilsson, 2010). Social media can be a contributing factor to encourage drinking since 32% of the college students used Facebook or Twitter on the day of a huge drinking event. Among the specific heavy drinker population 46% are seen to have used these sites, but only 4% used it for arrangement of safe transportation(Whitehill, Pumper, & Moreno, …show more content…
(n.d.). Retrieved November 8, 2015, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh26-1/5-14.htm
Tan, C. H., Denny, C. H., Cheal, N. E., Sniezek, J. E., & Kanny, D. (2015). Alcohol use and binge drinking among women of childbearing age — United States, 2011–2013. MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 64(37), 1042–1046. http://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6437a3
Underage Drinking: A Major Public Health Challenge -- Alcohol Alert No. 59. (n.d.). Retrieved November 5, 2015, from http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa59.htm
Vladeck, B. C., & Weiss, R. J. (1975, December). POLICY ALTERNATIVES FOR ALCOHOL CONTROL. American Journal of Public Health, pp. 1340–1342.
Whitehill, J. M., Pumper, M. A., & Moreno, M. A. (2015). Emerging adults’ use of alcohol and social networking sites during a large street festival: A real-time interview study. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 10(1). http://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-015-0016-3

Watson, B., & Freeman, J. (2007). Perceptions and Experiences of Random Breath Testing in Queensland and the Self-Reported Deterrent Impact on Drunk Driving. Traffic Injury Prevention,
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