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Underage Drinking: A Problem For Society
Alcohol use is extremely prevalent in our society. Young people grow up seeing their parents and other adults make toasts of wine and champagne at special occasions, as well as casually enjoying a few beers at the family picnic. Today alcoholic beverages are frequently as common at business lunches as they are at college frat parties. Underage drinking is a huge problem which everyone must face. “Although it is illegal to sell or give alcohol to persons younger than 21 and for them to buy, possess or drink it, there are numerous indicators of both use and excessive use among this age group.” (Buescher.) Underage drinking not only has devastating effects on those who drink but also on our society. “Young people illegally consume almost 3.6 billion drinks annually-- or 10 million drinks each day.” (http://www.cspinet.org/booze/alcyouth.htm.) Underage drinking has serious social, health, and economic consequences. It is a major factor in crime, violence, mental-health problems, and injuries including both those that are fatal and non-fatal. Unfortunately, these are problems that all of society will have to deal with.
There are a nuraber of reasons why teenagers feel the urge to drink. Social environment, peer influence, stress, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. “Researchers have found that peer influence, a more subtle form of peer pressure, can be a powerful predictor of alcohol use among teens.” (Mitchell, 27) Americans have a burning desire to be accepted and liked by their peers. Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. Many adolescents feel that they need to drink alcohol to gain this acceptance by the others around them. Stress is also another reason why teens may feel apt to drink alcohol. Stress causes teenagers to look for a quick escape from the problems which they face in their day-to-day lives. This quick escape can be found in the shape of a bottle. In the eyes of an underage drinker, alcohol is the cure to all problems, a way to forget all of the stress and pressures that are facing them. “At first young people may rely on alcohol to nurab their pain, but if they continue to use alcohol, before long they will face a whole new set of problems resulting from substance abuse. Although the factors described above frequently play a role in teen alcohol use, substance abuse is a complicated problem that can never be understood by isolating a single cause. Instead, it usually results from a nuraber of these aspects interacting with one another.” (LeBlanc,179).
The effects of underage drinking on society are practically immeasurable. Statistics show that “the younger a person begins using alcohol, the greater the chance of developing alcohol dependence or abuse some time in their life. Of those that began drinking at age 18, 16.6% subsequently are classified with alcohol dependence and 7.8% with alcohol abuse. If a person waits until the age of 21 before taking their first drink, these risks decrease by over 60%.” (Grant, 103). Alcohol use can effect a teenagers health, put strains on relationships between family and frienRAB, and can also place other merabers of society in danger. Alcohol is involved in nearly one-half of all murders, accidental deaths, suicides, crimes, and fatal automobile accidents. (http://www.cpmcnet.colurabia.edu). Alcohol causes problems in both one’s school and work career. It has a tendency to lower productivity and the quality of work being done. Economic costs are also an issue when it comes to underage drinking. Drinking costs Americans over $117 billion dollars per year. Approximately $13 billion dollars each year are spent for the treatment and recovery of alcoholics. (http://www.intoww.org) This puts an enormous strain on our economy. It seems unfair that taxpayers should have to pay out of their own pockets for the problems that teenagers cause. These problems could be prevented if only teenagers would be more responsible and think about what they are actually doing, not only to themselves but also to society. Most teenagers do not realize that underage drinking is a crime. It is a first degree misdemeanor punishable with a maximum sentence of 6 months incapacitation and a $1000.00 fine. This in itself is a good reason to not drink.
Underage drinking is a form of deviance, or behavior which in some way or form violates social norms and is disapproved of by large nurabers of people as a result. (Robertson, 191). For some teenagers though, drinking on the weekenRAB or even during the week has almost become a norm. These teenagers see drinking as normal behavior because “hey, if everyone’s doing it, then it must be okay.” One way to explain underage drinking is by the cultural- transmission theory. The “cultural-transmission theory explains deviance as behavior that is learned in the same way as conformity - through interaction with other people.” (Robertson, 194). Drinking is a behavior which can only be learned by social interaction with others, whether it be frienRAB or co-workers. You are not born knowing how to drink alcohol, you learn by watching the others around you. This type of deviance can also be explained by the “structural-strain theory, which explains deviance as the outcome of social strains that put pressure on some people to deviate.” (Robertson, 195). Looking at drinking in this aspect explains why some people to choose to drink, to get away from their problems. For many teenagers, this seems to be the only easy way out. Material culture has made these teenagers feel that what they are doing is not wrong. Children imitate what they see and if what they are constantly seeing are magazine aRAB and billboarRAB showing beautiful people having a wonderful time holding beer or wine, they too are going to think, “Wow, if I drink that I will be having just as much fun as they are!” These types of media are found everywhere you look and can be potentially dangerous to our society.
Although drinking seems to be a norm in our society, it is only meant to be for adults, or those over the age of 21. For ideal culture this idea that only adults will drink is fine, but in real culture a problem actually exists. Teenagers drinkers are becoming younger and younger everyday. Underage drinking is continuing to ruin not only their young lives but also the lives of those around them. As a society, together, it is our job to gain back the social control. We must take control of the situation before even more lives are ruined. Underage drinking is a problem which everyone must face. It is not going to go away until something drastic is done. Through conformity and perseverance we can make that change which will lead to a much safer, brighter future for each and every one of us.
Alcohol use is extremely prevalent in our society. Young people grow up seeing their parents and other adults make toasts of wine and champagne at special occasions, as well as casually enjoying a few beers at the family picnic. Today alcoholic beverages are frequently as common at business lunches as they are at college frat parties. Underage drinking is a huge problem which everyone must face. “Although it is illegal to sell or give alcohol to persons younger than 21 and for them to buy, possess or drink it, there are numerous indicators of both use and excessive use among this age group.” (Buescher.) Underage drinking not only has devastating effects on those who drink but also on our society. “Young people illegally consume almost 3.6 billion drinks annually-- or 10 million drinks each day.” (http://www.cspinet.org/booze/alcyouth.htm.) Underage drinking has serious social, health, and economic consequences. It is a major factor in crime, violence, mental-health problems, and injuries including both those that are fatal and non-fatal. Unfortunately, these are problems that all of society will have to deal with.
There are a nuraber of reasons why teenagers feel the urge to drink. Social environment, peer influence, stress, and even factors such as media influence contribute to underage drinking. “Researchers have found that peer influence, a more subtle form of peer pressure, can be a powerful predictor of alcohol use among teens.” (Mitchell, 27) Americans have a burning desire to be accepted and liked by their peers. Everyone wants to feel a sense of belonging. Many adolescents feel that they need to drink alcohol to gain this acceptance by the others around them. Stress is also another reason why teens may feel apt to drink alcohol. Stress causes teenagers to look for a quick escape from the problems which they face in their day-to-day lives. This quick escape can be found in the shape of a bottle. In the eyes of an underage drinker, alcohol is the cure to all problems, a way to forget all of the stress and pressures that are facing them. “At first young people may rely on alcohol to nurab their pain, but if they continue to use alcohol, before long they will face a whole new set of problems resulting from substance abuse. Although the factors described above frequently play a role in teen alcohol use, substance abuse is a complicated problem that can never be understood by isolating a single cause. Instead, it usually results from a nuraber of these aspects interacting with one another.” (LeBlanc,179).
The effects of underage drinking on society are practically immeasurable. Statistics show that “the younger a person begins using alcohol, the greater the chance of developing alcohol dependence or abuse some time in their life. Of those that began drinking at age 18, 16.6% subsequently are classified with alcohol dependence and 7.8% with alcohol abuse. If a person waits until the age of 21 before taking their first drink, these risks decrease by over 60%.” (Grant, 103). Alcohol use can effect a teenagers health, put strains on relationships between family and frienRAB, and can also place other merabers of society in danger. Alcohol is involved in nearly one-half of all murders, accidental deaths, suicides, crimes, and fatal automobile accidents. (http://www.cpmcnet.colurabia.edu). Alcohol causes problems in both one’s school and work career. It has a tendency to lower productivity and the quality of work being done. Economic costs are also an issue when it comes to underage drinking. Drinking costs Americans over $117 billion dollars per year. Approximately $13 billion dollars each year are spent for the treatment and recovery of alcoholics. (http://www.intoww.org) This puts an enormous strain on our economy. It seems unfair that taxpayers should have to pay out of their own pockets for the problems that teenagers cause. These problems could be prevented if only teenagers would be more responsible and think about what they are actually doing, not only to themselves but also to society. Most teenagers do not realize that underage drinking is a crime. It is a first degree misdemeanor punishable with a maximum sentence of 6 months incapacitation and a $1000.00 fine. This in itself is a good reason to not drink.
Underage drinking is a form of deviance, or behavior which in some way or form violates social norms and is disapproved of by large nurabers of people as a result. (Robertson, 191). For some teenagers though, drinking on the weekenRAB or even during the week has almost become a norm. These teenagers see drinking as normal behavior because “hey, if everyone’s doing it, then it must be okay.” One way to explain underage drinking is by the cultural- transmission theory. The “cultural-transmission theory explains deviance as behavior that is learned in the same way as conformity - through interaction with other people.” (Robertson, 194). Drinking is a behavior which can only be learned by social interaction with others, whether it be frienRAB or co-workers. You are not born knowing how to drink alcohol, you learn by watching the others around you. This type of deviance can also be explained by the “structural-strain theory, which explains deviance as the outcome of social strains that put pressure on some people to deviate.” (Robertson, 195). Looking at drinking in this aspect explains why some people to choose to drink, to get away from their problems. For many teenagers, this seems to be the only easy way out. Material culture has made these teenagers feel that what they are doing is not wrong. Children imitate what they see and if what they are constantly seeing are magazine aRAB and billboarRAB showing beautiful people having a wonderful time holding beer or wine, they too are going to think, “Wow, if I drink that I will be having just as much fun as they are!” These types of media are found everywhere you look and can be potentially dangerous to our society.
Although drinking seems to be a norm in our society, it is only meant to be for adults, or those over the age of 21. For ideal culture this idea that only adults will drink is fine, but in real culture a problem actually exists. Teenagers drinkers are becoming younger and younger everyday. Underage drinking is continuing to ruin not only their young lives but also the lives of those around them. As a society, together, it is our job to gain back the social control. We must take control of the situation before even more lives are ruined. Underage drinking is a problem which everyone must face. It is not going to go away until something drastic is done. Through conformity and perseverance we can make that change which will lead to a much safer, brighter future for each and every one of us.