Drinking of alcohol by persons who are below 21 years is identified as underage drinking. In the United States of America, underage drinking is common given that around 11% of the alcohol consumed nationally is associated with people aged between 12 and 20 years (Patrick " McElrath 78). However, over 90% of the alcohol consumed by young people is like binge drinks (Fell et al., 29). Indeed, underage alcohol consumers take more drinks in every drinking session compared with adult drinkers. Therefore, underage drinking in the U.S.A. is a real issue in the society. This research paper seeks to explore the problem of underage drinking, specifically in America. The article reviews the findings of previous scholars in collaboration with personal views. Although alcohol is legally allowed to people aged 21 years and above, underage drinking is common in America.
Binge drinking
Binge drinking is the habit of drinking alcohol whereby people aim at being intoxicated through the intense intake of alcohol for a short period. However, the level or rate of intoxication is different depending on different cultural practices. The practice takes place within a few hours, but the effects last in the body for a more extended period. As the young people toss down several drinks very fast and within a short period, they do not think of the danger they put themselves in (Fell et al., 43).
Underage drinking in America- Binge drinking
Underage drinking refers to the practice of alcohol drinking which is conducted by persons under the legal age of 21 years, as per the American law. Prevalence of binge drinking is common among young people in America, especially those who are below 20 years. According to the findings by Patrick and McElrath, (79), heavy drinking is preferred by young people from high school to college given that over 23.5% of students had increased drinking during their transition out of high school. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism argue that underage drinking as something that can be caused by expectancies, hereditary factors, and tolerance at a younger age. It is apparent that young people participate in dangerous practice in large numbers and it is clear that they do so out of peer pressure. According to Bonnie, (29), binge drinking is very common to the college students, and they engage into the alcohol drinking with a common goal of intoxication. Bonnie (38) postulates underage drinking is related to issues such as suicide, violence, education, and addiction. Teen drinkers in America are more as compared with tobacco users (Bonnie, 21).
Factors leading to underage drinking in America
Although they understand that they are not allowed to take alcohol, they engage in excessive drinking to feel drunk. The young Americans between 15 to 18 years try drinking because they feel the anxiety and they are affected by peer pressure (Patrick " McElrath 81). Indeed, the majority of drunkards in America become alcoholic because of engaging in binge drinking while they are young, based on the influence from peer groups, and because of their backgrounds whereby parents might be drinkers or violent to them. Developmental issues, an environmental situation like family matters, and peer pressure are among the major factors making American youths to engage in binge drinking (Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 1). Young Americans engage in drinking as a competition and with the aim of getting drunk to be recognized by other people. Besides, the majority of young Americans participate into binge drinking because they are in most cases under custody whereby they are restrained from drinking, and yet they desire to feel what they imagine other people feel once they drink. Therefore, when one gets a chance, especially after school or when they are on holiday from school, they drink without limit to endanger their health and lives. Social media has a significant impact on underage drinking. Penn Medicine researchers lead by Brenda Curtis found that there is a connection between social media involvement and alcohol intake (Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, 1). The users of Instagram, Facebook, and other social media sites consume a lot of alcohol.
Because of the change of environment, Patrick and McElrath (88) argue that college students in America drink more during their first years, especially those staying within the campus. High school drinking may contribute to underage drinking during college years (Patrick " McElrath 89). The entertainment industry also leads to the rising minor drinking habit because it supplies the media with images and music that attract to younger audiences to alcohol. Moreover, young Americans are stereotyped as drinkers by society. The stereotype makes young people fail to show their ability to stop alcohol drinking and continue with the habit despite the dangers. Life frustrations make young Americans drop out of school early and engage in the practice of drinking alcohol.
Effects of underage drinking in America
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse also describes how during adolescent development, alcohol can harm the body. Alcohol can affect memory, liver function and the endocrine system while binge drinking. Underage drinking is associated with problems like traffic crashes and violent crime (Bonnie, 2). Underage drinking is not only related to legal consequences, but there are physical and physiological consequences as well. Binge drinking has a dangerous or negative impact to the drinker. The young Americans end up being intoxicated.
Besides, being addictive, underage drinking has health impact that is associated with issues with the urinary system, unexpected pregnancies, quick deaths, and severe hazards. Also, binge drinking affects young Americans’ performance at school and their relationships with parents, relatives, and society (Bonnie, 19). Other problems associated with binge drinking are linked to the central nervous system. Due to excessive drinking, the brain development of young people becomes slow and with issues.
Alcohol drinking has some side effects that endanger human health and binge drinking is known to be the leading public health problem. In most cases, binge drinking develops a level of blood alcohol that exceeds the recognized legal boundary of 0.08 percentages (Bonnie, 32). However, there are various dangers associated with binge drinking, and they include the following; there is a failure of harmonization, severe vomiting, and alcohol poisoning that might lead to the death of the drinker, dizziness, diarrhea, as well as inability to make critical and informed judgments. Another danger of binge drinking comprises of; getting involved in violence, accidents, bad grades in school, rape cases, as well as unprotected sex (Fell et al., 43). Indeed, underage drinking affects one’s whole life, whereby majority continue with the habit in their lifetime.
Underage drinking laws
In America, there are juvenile drinking rules and regulations, which should be adhered to. However, based on the interest of young people to take alcohol, the majority of them look for places where dealers also fail to follow the particular laws. Also, Fell et al., (31) identify that some alcohol dealers conduct fake id sales, therefore not following civil liability laws and social host laws. Such practices lead to increased underage drinking. The “Zero Tolerance laws” focus on preventing the spread of underage drinking. Laws against the possession of a fake id are also emphasized upon.
In conclusion, underage drinking in America is a significant issue, which is associated with many dangers in the lives of the victims. Excessive drinking makes young Americans irresponsible about their health or social life. However, once young Americans engage in binge drinking, they continue with the habit for an extended period, thus suffering the consequences in a hard way. Underage drinking is practiced with the aim of getting drunk and intoxication. Some of the dangers of binge drinking are associated with the health of the drinker whereby one suffers health issues, such as asthma, lung disease, and loss of memory and poor brain development. It is apparent that peer drinking is significant among young Americans who engage in binge drinking whereby they do it in groups. It is evident that students who participate in binge drinking perform poorly in their education, and they affect their relationship with the parents, the society, and the school community. The consequences of binge drinking affect the drinkers even in their adulthood because they tend to continue with the habit for an extended period. It is necessary for young people not to prove the stereotype to be the real image. Therefore, Young people should stop engaging in underage drinking because the habit makes them addicted and fail to end the practice in their adulthood. Parents and society should serve as a role model to the young people by not drinking in their presence and not being violent after drinking because this makes the young people seek to practice the same.
Work Cited
Bonnie, Richard J., and Mary Ellen. OConnell. Reducing Underage Drinking: a Collective Responsibility. National Academic Press, 2004.
Fell, James C., et al. “Scoring the Strengths and Weaknesses of Underage Drinking Laws in the United States.” World Medical " Health Policy, vol. 7, no. 1, Mar. 2015, pp. 28 58. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1002/wmh3.132.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Underage Drinking.” pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA67/AA67.htm.
Patrick, Megan E., and McElrath, Yvonne M. Terry. “High-Intensity Drinking by Underage Young Adults in the United States.” Addiction, vol. 112, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 82–93. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/add.13556.
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. “Social Media Usage Linked to Underage Drinking.” Medical Xpress - Medical Research Advances and Health News, Medical Xpress, 23 May 2018, medicalxpress.com/news/2018-05-social-media-usage-linked-underage.html.
