underage drinking

Today i realized in schools we need to teach about alcohol and the effect is has on students. For one of my other classes, I am teaching about underage drinking. Underage drinking is growing in High Schools. It scares me to think my little sister who just started High School can be peer pressure into drinking at such a young age. They made the law 21 to drink because the government feels at that age people have more responsibility and understanding of all the consequences when it comes to drinking.

Drinking has become an event of celebration for many teenagers. Alcohol is the number one drug choice among children and adolescents. A higher percentage of twelve-one year olds used alcohol rather than use tobacco (Drunk & Drugged Driving). National statistics say that if a someone starts drinking at the age of fifteen, their chances of becoming an alcoholic doubles. By the time they reach the eighth grade almost 50% of the children have had at least one drink. It has also been reported that 20% of them have been “drunk.“ About 20% of eighth graders and 50% of 12th graders have consumed alcohol within the past 30 days (Drunk & Drugged Driving)). Among 12th graders, almost 30 percent report drinking on three or more occasions per month. Drinking has become a growing problem among teens (Drunk & Drugged Driving)). Teenagers do not realize the effects it has on their bodies or others around them.

I just felt i need ed to express that we should try to send the message out about underage drinking and the effects it has on students. I feel this topic is something we do not realize we have to stress with younger students. The younger we start by telling them the effects, I feel we can get the message across that it is something to wait for.