Velasquez

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Alexis Velasquez
Professor Noh
English 114
2 November 2015
The Effects of Alcohol

Substances are consumed to alter the perception of reality. In Everyday, A awoke in

a body that was heavily addicted to a drug; A never mentioned the drug but Levithan made
it obvious it tormented the body. Usually, Teenagers are open to the idea of using and
experimenting with the substance of alcohol in college for the first time because they are
on their own for the first time in their lives. Teenage college students are most likely to
binge drink since they are not educated on alcohol. The possibility of underage drinkers
putting themselves in danger increases substantially. Therefore I believe alcohol should be
restricted and limited, and teenagers should be taught about alcohol in their schools and by
their parents. Only citizens of legal drinking age, who have taken and passed a drinking
awareness course, should be allowed to purchase and consume alcohol.

Ten percent of licensed drivers are under the age of twenty-one, and they are

unfortunately responsible for the seventeen percent of fatal alcohol-related crashes.

Driving intoxicated is a crime, period. The consequences of a minor to break the law are far
worse, than an adult. Underage drinking is an issue common not only amongst the college
community but also among high school students. This is a problem that plagues our
communities and hurts our economy. Alcohol related crashes cost American taxpayers 100
billion dollars ever year according to the National Council On Alcoholism and Drug
Dependence. Alcohol is easily accessible to college students and since they are very nave to

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the effects of drinking because of inexperience. The majority of unintended accident
happened between the ages of eighteen through twenty-four (NCADD).

Whenever the topic of substance abuse is discussed, it is sometimes assumed that

the harder drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, and crack cocaine do the most harm to
our health, which affects our lives. However, that assumption is incorrect because alcohol is
the most easily accessible substance in most communities. Liquor and other alcoholic
beverages can be bought in local grocery stories and gas stations. Knowing someone over
the age of twenty-one is one manner in which minors have access to drinks. Alcohol abuse
can lead to the serious problem of addiction. One of the outcomes of addicts is losing track
of what priorities are in life. In particular, college students who drink excessively may miss
opportunities to participate in the social, athletic, and cultural activities that are part of
college life. The excessive use of alcohol and binge drinking can also affect the academic
success of a student. Students that drink often, two or three times a week, are reported to
have lower then average grades and have a high rate of dropping out of school according to
the organization of college drinking prevention (The cost of Alcohol).

Accidents that occur under the influence of alcohol can be prevented through

changing cultural misconceptions and behaviors about alcohol use through education.
Consistent enforcement of existing laws and regulations of alcohol purchases will help
prevent any more alcohol abuse. Expanding access to treatment and recovery support
services for adolescents and their families will help communities improve this issue. Due to
increased public awareness and enforcement, alcohol impaired driving deaths have
decreased 48.5% from 1982 which was 26,172 to 2006 which was 13,470 (Problem

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Drinking Among College Freshmen). Alcohol awareness should be talked about in common
household discussions.

Alcohol abuse in college may lead to alcoholism after college which affects

relationships with family and friends. If you are consuming alcohol in a college setting,
people around you may be consuming harder drugs, which can make alcohol a gateway
drug. Alcohol shortens life span as well if it is done excessively; kidney and liver failure
rates go up substantially.

College students are burdened with the fact that they have not been educated when

they were younger. They enter college, ignorant to the consequences of drinking too much.
The only way to fix this problem is to attack at the source, teach students at age where they
are mature enough to understand. Around the age of fourteen or fifteen is a good time to
start educating and informing about the consequences of drugs in general.

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Problem drinking among College Freshmen

Werner, Mark J, and John W Greene. "Problem Drinking Among College Freshmen." Journal
of Adolescent Health, 13.6 (1992): 487-492.

Prevention and Intervention Research with Latino Families: A Transitional

Approach
Stein, GL, and LE Guzman. "Prevention and Intervention Research with Latino Families: A
Translational Approach." Family Process, 54.2 (2015): 280-292.

The Cost of Alcohol

Rosen, Simon M, Ted R Miller, and Michele Simon. "The Cost of Alcohol in California."
Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research, 32.11 (2008): 1925-1936.