Causes Of Underage Drinking

Cherif Ibaroudene

Causes of Underage Drinking

Today, many teenagers experience different things in the world. Whether it is their first date or first day in high school, teens are always eager to try something different or new. One of the things that teenagers try is drinking alcohol. Unfortunately, underage drinkers often abuse alcohol. In this paper, I will try to shed some light on some of the reasons why teenagers drink alcohol at such premature age.

The causes of underage drinking include peer pressure, family problems, low self-esteem, and of course curiosity. Must students who enter college in the United States are about eighteen years of age. They find a new kind of freedom on college campuses away from the supervisory eyes of their parents being away from home gives these students the freedom to make their own decisions regarding school, their finances, and their social lives. Some students feel that they finally can do what ever they want including drinking alcohol even though they perfectly know that the drinking age in many states, including Texas, is twenty-one. According to Dr. Richard Yoast, Ama's director of the office alcohol and other drug abuse, says that 80 percent of students have consumed more than a few sips of alcohol by the time they finish high school. "Among youth 12 to 20, an estimated 10.1 million used alcohol," he says. "Of these, 6.8million were binge drinkers and 2.1 millions were heavy drinkers." Dr. Yoast continues to illustrate the seriousness of the situation by pointing out that alcohol use among young people increased from 2000 to 2001, and the number of death due to drinking and driving increased. " although there hadn't been much change in recent years, this upturn is cause for concern," he says. "Furthermore, the age at which youth first drink has steadily declined since 1965- it's now about 12- and the number who first drink,ages12 to 17, has significantly increased from 2.2 million in 1995 to 3.1 million in 2000." (n.p) All of this shows the increase of underage drinking.

The environment in which we live, grow, and work affects each of us. All communities have norms or standard behaviors, which are those actions we expect of others and copy ourselves. This " copied behavior" is especially true of young people, as you search for your own identity and struggle to fit in.

It is hard not to join in when everyone is enjoying himself and having so much fun. Besides, all the "cool" people in the party are having a drink in their hand, so why not me. Many people who are easily influenced by others to drink alcohol usually have low self-esteem. They always follow what others do including drinking. They feel that they need to loosen up and have a drink before talking to others in a party. Without the effect of alcohol, some people with low self-esteem do not have the nerve to approach girls at a party. They need to gather momentum by having a few drinks before having the courage to initiate a conversation with others. They think that they need to drink to loosen up.

Parents often are unaware that alcohol has become a problem for their child until the condition is well advanced.

They are so hurt that, sometimes, they seek relief through drinking alcohol. After a divorce, since both parents are not at home, there is nobody to supervise the children after