Elevated liver enzymes indicating liver damage have been found in some adolescents who drink alcohol. Young drinkers who also shown elevated liver enzymes are subjected to be overweight or obese do to modern levels of drinking. Alcohol is a central nervous system depressant, drinking too much, slows bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing to a dangerous level, causing the drinker to lose consciousness, which can result in alcohol poisoning. Alcohol has harmful effects on developing brain cells and bodies. Heavy drinking during adolescence years, when the brain is still developing causes lasting impairment functions such as memory, coordination, and motor skills.
The article goes on to say that several studies show that the lowered MLDA in the 29 states had an immediate impact on motor vehicles crashes increased among teens. This shows that the decrease in the MLDA affected the teenagers in a negative way by allowing them to drink at a younger less mature age. Another concern with lowering the drinking age is negative on teen’s health. Under the age of 21 your brain is still developing. During this development alcohol negatively affects all parts of the brain, including coordination, motional control, thinking, decision making, hand-eye movement, speech, and memory (Pg.2 Par.6).
Daughters are apt to be more vulnerable than sons to become addicted to alcohol and drugs. | | 1. APA Style Reference: Kim, H., Tiberio, S., Pears, K., Capaldi, D., & Washburn, I. (2013). Growth of men's alcohol use in early adulthood: intimate partners' influence.
Others may argue that lowering the drinking age could produce negative results. There would be an increase in teenage drunk driving, which could lead to an increase in alcohol related car accidents amongst teenagers. Adults are more responsible and mature mentally at the age of 21 rather than the age of 18. High school students would be exposed to more alcohol, which could result in even more underage drinking. Consuming alcohol at a young age could damage a teenager’s body badly.
The need for more promotions on alcohol and teenagers is indicative by costs to the NHS is estimated at £2.7 billion (NHS, 2011). Fears of a further rise in the consumption of alcohol by teenage drinking will lead to more people suffering from alcohol related ailments at a much earlier age (Casswell and Thamarangsi, 2009). The need to target parents and children are pivotal in breaking cycles of drinking alcohol which perpetuates from one generation to the next (Naidoo and Wills, 2007) In conclusion this summary has shown the impact that binge drinking has on a young adult their family and society as a whole. The need to further raise the profile of illness prevention is a critical necessity (Frances and Mzwandile, 2009). Health promotion is an essential tool directing services at persons and societies making them more suitable and acceptable (Hubley and Copeman,
The age limit for alcohol is based on research showing that young people respond differently to alcohol. Teenagers get drunk twice as fast as adults, but have more difficulty knowing when to stop. Adolescents exaggerate and compulsive more often than adults. Alcohol is the drug of choice among youth. Many young people are experiencing the consequences of drinking too much, at too early an age.
Why can’t kids do the same thing? As “Fact Sheet” states there are an abundant amount of consequences to underage drinking. Youth who choose to drink before the age of 21 are more likely to experience school problems such as higher absence and poor or failing grades. Also the issues of social problems (such as fighting and lack of participation in youth activities), legal problems (arrests for driving or physically hurting some while drunk), physical problems (hangovers or illnesses), and unwanted/unplanned/ unprotected sexual activity are consequences. Along with disruption of normal and sexual development, physical and sexual assault, higher risk for suicide and homicide, alcohol-related car crashes and other unintentional injuries (burns, falls and drowning), memory problems, abuse of other drugs , changes in brain development that may have life-long effects, and death from alcohol poisoning.
As a parent, I know we have to be informed about all the problems our kids may be involved in. A first drink of alcohol at an early age increases the risk for heavier drinking, and more negative consequences of drinking later. According with Dr. Morean; “15-year-olds who start drinking are at greater risk for subsequent heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems than teens that do not begin drinking until age 17. However, if those 15-year-old drinkers also drank to intoxication at 15, their risk would be greater than if they had their first drink at age 15 but did not become intoxicated until age 17”. Furthermore teen’s alcohol problems are a social problem that we have to take an action on.
Since the government gives 18 year olds those responsibilities, young American adults should legally be allowed to drink alcohol. The drinking age needs to be lowered from 21 to 18 because it could prevent alcohol-induced accidents and more enforcement should be put on preventing drunk driving. Drunk driving is a serious issue that occurs in the United States. According to the website The Cool Spot, “…alcohol is linked with an estimated 5,00 deaths in people under age 21 each year” (Too Much Online). Something must be done to reduce those innocent children from dying and it can happen by lowering the drinking age.
Most kids binge drink when they drink they don’t do it in moderation or casual drink. When kids drink it’s mostly on the weekend and parties so they want to have a fun good time as fast as they can so they drink the alcohol fast so it will hit them harder than just drinking them regularly. Binge drinking is associated with a serious social harm, economic costs as well as increased disease burden. Binge drinking is more common in males, during adolescence and young adulthood. Most binge drinkers are not familiar with the risks associated with binge drinking.