“Every year in the U.S., roughly 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from an alcohol-related incident including car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and other related injuries” (11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse). That is 5,000 more teens or young adults that could be saved from this plague in our society (11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse). There are many programs or events that everyone could fundraise for, however people think this is not a very important problem and that is what people have to realize: this is a serious problem. Thesis:Underage Drinking and Alcoholism is a huge problem in the United States because it causes major health issues that can be very costly, personal life problems that can lead to more problems later in life, and major risks that have no benefit, but can put someone else’s life in danger. BODY 1: Alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a huge problem and portrays many risks, one of the risks being the major health issues that come along with excessive drinking.
This is double the amount of licensed drivers in that age group. Inexperience with both drinking and driving may contribute to this disproportionate rate. Nationwide in 1996, people ages 15 to 24 died in fatal motor vehicle crashes and 45 percent of those deaths were a result of alcohol (NHTSA 4). So it comes to no surprise that traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in the United States for people younger than 25 (NCHS 98). Specific factors that pertain to this fatal problem are blood alcohol content (BAC), failure to wear seatbelts, and inexperienced driving.
The topic is very controversial with several factors weighing in such as religion, family background, and health. Despite the differing views, statistics have shown that underage drinking has reached a new height this past year. What is the cause of this rise in adolescent drinking? I will be reviewing the work of four different authors in an attempt to answer this question. Dina Berta grew up with alcohol in her home and believes that alcohol is a part of American life, and is a normal accompaniment to most social events.
Today’s youth have far more confusing and complex issues to deal with than those youth of earlier generations. Maxwell states that as teenagers engage in the process of trying out new behaviors and values to see what feels right, they must make decisions regarding the use of alcohol and drugs-decisions that often bear serious consequences. “The teenage years can be turbulent, but many of the problems teens face seem to go away as they grow older and enter the adult world. If an adolescent is drinking heavily, there’s a good chance that this behavior will continue beyond the teen years and into adulthood” (Roxanne Nelson). If a teen’s drinking problem goes unnoticed and is not dealt with, there is a chance the... ... middle of paper ... ... Nelson, Roxanne.
Over the years many people have had the question, Should the drinking age be lowered back down to 18? Or Should the drinking age stay at 21? There are many factors that go into this question from binge drinking to drunk driving. Binge drinking in the United States has led to many serious health consequences, social consequences, and traffic fatalities. Since the drinking age was raised from 18 to 21, college and teenage drinking has not decreased.
Each year, approximately 5,000 persons under the age of 21 die from causes related to underage drinking” (NIH, n.d.). Another statistic provided by the NIH is “people who begin drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence during their lifetime than those who began drinking at age 21 or later” (NIH, n.d.). These two statistics, alone, show just how serious of an issue underage drinking is. Possible
One of the largest causes of teenage deaths is automobile accidents that are related to alcohol. On average, eight teenagers die every day in America because of a driver that is intoxicated. In the next ten years twenty-four percent more automobile accidents will be caused by teenagers between the ages of fifteen and seventeen (Los Altos Town Crier 1). Drinking in excess is the cause of one hundred thousand deaths per year in America. Eleven thousand of these one hundred thousand deaths are alcohol-induced murders.
Statistics are one of the main contributors to the argument that the driving age should be raised. One in five 16-year-olds will have a reportable car crash within their first year of driving. In 2003 there were 937 drivers age 16 involved in fatal crashes; in those wrecks, 411 16-year-old drivers were killed and 352 of their passengers were killed. In 2005 on average two people across the U.S. die every day in vehicles driven by 16 year old drivers. 16 year old drivers are involved in fatal crashes at a rate nearly five times more than the rate of those over 20.
Difficult deliveries often contribute to the lack of oxygen for a baby (Colledge, 1999). Lack of oxygen causes brain damage and the longer a baby is without it the more extreme the damage can be. Furthermore, there are many other factors during pregnancy that could cause CP. If a woman is expecting twins or triplets there is an increase chance that one child will have CP (Colledge, 1999). Infections, poor nutrition, and exposure to toxic substances such as nicotine and alcohol are other factors that can contribute to CP (Colledge, 1999).
In addition, many people abuse drugs and then suffer the consequences from it yet they still abuse these drugs. Methamphetamine is another drug that can also affect your health immensely. Meth can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature elevating it to sometimes toxic levels causing Hyperthermia (Weistheit, Willam L.70). Meth can also affect a pregnant wom... ... middle of paper ... ...orrors and effects of drugs and it harmful consequences. While the younger new generation does not get to see the negative repercussions that drugs have on people’s lives.