Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Alaini Abrego
English 1
Ms. Chiodini
10 May 2019
Colby
Alcohol Abuse
“Over 4,300 youth deaths occur each year from abuse of underage drinking in the united
states”(“Underage Drinking Center”). Compared to other countries where drinking is legal at 18.
It is not untouchable it is used for family celebrations, food pairings, and it is not considered
glamorous or the “in” thing to do from ads, tv/media, and music. If this issue is not addressed
teen deaths are only going to increase. Americans tend to glamorize drinking in America the
legal drinking age is 21 Underage teenagers look at drinking as “untouchable” and the “in” thing
to do. It is believed this is the leading cause for the high number of underage drinking in the
United States. This essay will be about the causes of teenage drinking, the effects, and the steps
Underage drinking begins with the positive endorsement of alcohol on television and
social media, and the pressure put on them from peers. “More than $25 billion per year is spent
on advertising for tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drugs, and such advertising has been shown
types of substances that are to harmful teens, it makes sense that teens are going to want to
experiment when they are being advertised in such positive ways. The amount of money given to
media and television medias to advertise alcohol gives a greater exposure of this dangerous
substance to young children. In addition to the amount of money used to advertise on T.V and
media, another reason teens want to drink is because of peer pressure. “Drinking games may be
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very common at this age, and can help to foster the impression that drinking alcohol is not a
serious matter”(“Teen Problems with”). Peer pressure into fitting in at the party, or the fact that
they want to play and their friends keep telling them to join them, it leads to drinking
irresponsibly. In the minds of teens it is not a serious matter, it is not being treated as serious as it
should be, it is to accepted now. The pressure put on teens for acceptance creates such a big
problem the not even they can tell it is gonna lead to such a greater problem. In conclusion
underage drinking is such a big issue in the United States is because it is positively portrayed on
Glamorization of alcohol on media, music, and advertising gives many types of negative
effects on teenagers and society itself. For example, “School problems, such as higher absence
and poor or failing grades, social problems, legal problems, physical problems, disruption of
normal growth, physical and sexual assault, higher risk of suicide and homicide etc”(“Underage
Drinking Center”). Alcohol affects both teenage brains and their physical appearance. The effect
it causes brings them to a point of weakness in which if they are in danger there is not much
strength to fight off. Who does abuse affect? Teens! Not society, not their friends, it affects them
mentally and emotionally, leading to more drinking. Besides just main effects on teenagers it has
a great effect on society. For example, “Although alcohol’s social effects are often less visible,
the effects on on society, in general, are not. From an increased chance of being involved in
crime, to drink driving, or to be sexually irresponsible, alcoholism creates dangers” (“The Social
Effects”). Crime, drunk driving, sexual irresponsibility, the effects on society which people don’t
see how great the problem is. When one walks out their home they should not be scared an
intoxicated person will commit a crime on them or near them. Alcoholism is now so glamorized
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that the media does not realize it is great effect on society and teenagers, this is a problem that
must be addressed.
To create a solution for all the underage drinking there are many steps that can be taken
but here are two. For instance, “There is value in entertainment, and there are probably a lot of
positive messages. However, the problem lies not just in media content, but in one's ability to
DIFFERENTIATE. Ultimately, our teens must be taught to differentiate and identify the
techniques that advertising and media have on their emotions and attitudes so they will not be so
easily manipulated” (“What is the”). Once teenagers are educated on the substance and the many
different reactions is when teens will actually think before doing it, it starts a solution. Before
just start saying “do not drink” explain why because teens see the opposite from T.V, friends,
even adults and then they hear a whole difference from their parents, it confuses them, a reason
to start educating teenagers before just telling them what to do. To add onto just educating
teenagers, limiting many television sights is a way to start another solution. For example,
“Pediatricians should encourage parents to limit access by children and young adolescents to
television venues with excessive substance use depictions (eg, MTV, HBO, Showtime, Comedy
Central)” (Strasburgers). Pediatricians should have to encourage parents to limit the access to
those television medias, not only because it influences them to do the same but because they
have no idea their true reactions to alcohol and the consequences it brings along. It is a point of
either parents can open their eyes to see what the children are watching or medias change but
everyone knows medias will not change so this is up to the parents. Two steps taken to create a
solution for such a great problem can create such a huge difference in this society.
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The more alcohol is glamorized among the media, the pressure for teens to drink will
only cause more deaths. Underaged drinking begins wit their exposure at a young age of medias
and the amount of peer pressure put on them. The negative effects alcohol has on teens are
various, starting with lack of strength that can cause sexual and physical abuse, and self
destructive behavior. Educating and influencing teens to not drink alcohol will keep so many
teens from the effects. Society must begin viewing the great impact of underage drinking as a
issue and stop motivating it in this society and in the medias. Future teenagers will be exposed to