So if you hear someone say they feel as if they're still drunk the next day, they probably are. (Alcohol Tune In) As drinking occurs, the heart pumps the alcohol into the body. It first enters the central nervous system. This is when people start to feel more social, and relaxed. This is because alcohol slows or stops the communication within the nerve cells in the brain, which is why people feel slowed down.
Newly-legal drinkers often purchase alcohol for their underage peers, creating a "trickle-down" effect. [34] Surveys show that the most common source of alcohol among 18- to 20-year olds is their 21- to 24-year-old peers. [35] MLDA 21 helps prevent underage binge drinking by making it harder for people under 21 to obtain alcohol. Binge drinking peaks among 21- to 25-year-olds at 45.9%, while the binge drinking rates of those aged 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, and 18-20 are 1.5%, 7.8%, 19.4%, and 35.7% respectively. [23][36] MLDA 21 exerts valuable social pressure on potential underage drinkers.
Alcohol is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the United States. In 1995, the average adult drank about 36 gallons of alcoholic drinks, (or "hard liquor"). In comparison, the typical American drank about 25 gallons of milk, 21 gallons of coffee and 47 gallons of soft drinks (Drinking Habits). In studies through the 1990s by the Harvard School of Public Health, the percentage of college students who reported binge drinking within the previous two weeks remained steady at 44% (Update: Alcohol Issues). If the age is lowered, young adults won't binge as often making it safer and not something that's done to be “cool”.
In “Perils of Prohibition”, Elizabeth M. Whelan talks about the effects of the drinking age at 21 and how it effects underage drinkers, primarily college students. Elizabeth and her Harvard School of Public Health colleagues studied teenage drinking. They found out that college students drink “early and … often,” commonly to the point of getting ill or developing alcohol poisoning. Being a college student myself, I have seen things that many college students do in their free time, primarily drinking alcohol. While I admit to going to parties with alcohol present at them, I have observed that the things that Mrs. Whelan studied are in fact entirely true.
You may also be more likely to binge drink if you are feeling peer pressure to do so. Or, you may be feeling anxious or socially awkward, for example at a party, and you may binge drink with the aim to reduce those feelings. 14 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women drink every day Half of Britain's young adults first got drunk before the age of 15. liver disease could become one of the biggest killers as a result of the country's binge drinking culture. 48 per cent of those in the 18 to 24 age group were between the ages of 13 and 15 when they first got drunk, while 6 per cent were aged under 12. It also found that 14 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women drink every day and 6 per cent of men drink more than a week's recommended alcohol intake in one night.
Those under the age of 21 are more likely to be heavy -- sometimes called "binge" -- drinkers (consuming over 5 drinks at least once a week). For example, 22% of all students under 21 compared to 18% over 21 years of age are heavy drinkers. Among drinkers only, 32% of under age compared to 24% of legal age are heavy drinkers. Research from the early 1980s until the present has shown a continuous decrease in drinking and driving related variables which has parallel the nation's, and also university students, decrease in per capita consumption. However, these declines started in 1980 before the national 1987 law which mandated states to have 21 year old alcohol purchase laws.
“More than 1,700 college students in the U.S. are killed each year—about 4.65 a day—as a result of alcohol-related injuries” (The Marin Institute). With a number as high as this, lowering the drinking age would only increase this ongoing problem of underage drinking. It has even been proven by the Marin Institute to be the leading cause of death among teenagers. Many adults feel as if the 18 to 21 age groups cannot handle drinking responsibly, then they should not be permitted to use it. Alcohol is a very serious depressant and one of the leading problems for death (Hanson, 2007).
If you answered yes to previous question, how many drinks did you have before you drove under the influence? One drink | Two drinks | 3-5 drinks | More than 5 drinks | 18. Do you drink to feel good/to function better? Yes | No | 19. Have you ever become violent or aggravated while drinking?
It is known in our country that one of the main things college students are good at is partying. Everyone knows that college students drink way too much than they need to, we hear about this in the media when they mention a case of alcohol poisoning on campus or in the dorms. We also see it in many Universities across the country; such as Chico State in California and UCSB, two of the biggest party schools in California, however the question is what causes these students to binge drink so much? As a college student this question has more than one answer to it; some of the factors that explain why college students binge drink is because they are either involved with greek life or they do it for social acceptance around others that binge drink, others might not binge drink because they are more responsible and aware of their actions and some don’t drink at all because of religious reasons. Certain college organizations such as fraternities and sororities can also influence binge-drinking.
ALCOHOL USE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS According to a 2009 study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, each year, more than 1,825 college students die from alcohol-related accidents and nearly 600,000 are injured while drunk. Another 696,000 are assaulted by another student who has been drinking and 97,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape. (Dejong, W., Larimer, M.E., Wood, M.D., and Hartman, R.) In college, beer is typically cheap and easily attainable even for underage students. All too often, drinking gets out of control. This is a problem not only for students but also for the University and the Community as well.