“About 5.6 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 20 report current alcohol consumption,” reported responsibility.org. This surprising statistic has quickly become normalized in today’s society.
Many people may think drinking underage is just going to happen. “It’s just a teenager thing,” or, “They’re just living that typical teenage life.” But oftentimes, people are overlooking the extreme consequences that can follow along with drinking.
Many teens believe that underage drinking is okay and not that big of a deal. But many clearly forget the damaging results that come with underage drinking. The obvious one is legal trouble, with up to a $500 fine and probation if someone is found with possession of alcohol.
Along with that, the occurrence of driving under the influence can result from drinking underage. “More than one in ten high school students reported riding in the past month with a driver who has been drinking alcohol,” stated cdc.org. The results of driving with someone under the influence can be so damaging, including injuries and legal trouble.
Legal trouble can be the least severe consequence. “About 4,000 young people (under 21) die from excessive alcohol use each year,” wrote cdc.gov. Many teens have the mindset of “it won’t happen to me,” and thinking they are invincible. But nobody ever truly knows what will and won’t happen. In the end, the smart decision is to never become a person who could be put in one of these situations.
Drinking alcohol can not only impact your current state, but it can also impact your future. “Adults who had taken their first drink of alcohol before the age of 15 were 6.5 times more likely to experience an alcohol use disorder than those who didn’t start drinking before age 21,” reported responsibility.org. The choices teens choose now can have such a drastic effect on the future.
According to cdc.org, the amount of teenagers who drink has decreased over the years, but the number is still not extremely low. Considering underage drinking is illegal and knowing the extreme consequences coming from these actions, underage drinking should never be considered normal and a typical teenager thing.