Alcohol

Why Prevent Underage Drinking?

• Drinking alcohol is particularly dangerous for young people because their bodies are still developing.
• Alcohol impairs physical and mental coordination.
• Underage drinking is linked to reckless sexual behavior, including date rape and unprotected sex.
• Alcohol is linked to violence and crime.
• Many young people do not realize that ingesting too much alcohol can be fatal.
• Underage drinking can impede one of the most critical tasks of adolescence — the development of coping skills.
• As they grow older, young people must learn how to deal with the ordinary stresses of everyday life.
• Alcohol is a depressant that alters behavior and reactions.
• Drinking can cause individuals to lose their inhibitions and be willing to engage in behavior they might not embrace if they were sober, including experimentation with marijuana, cocaine, and other drugs.
• When young people begin to drink illegally, they often keep that behavior a secret from their parents and other adults. Experts believe that engaging in covert behavior may make young people more willing to break other “taboos,” including using other drugs.
• The earlier young people start drinking, the greater the chances of developing alcohol dependence.
• Research shows that young people who drink before they reach age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence (alcoholism) than those who begin drinking at age 21.
• The expanding science of prevention seeks to stop the tragedies associated with underage drinking before they occur by creating a climate in which young people do not drink alcohol before they attain the minimum drinking age of 21. With so many lives at stake, the effort devoted to prevention is worthwhile.