Underage Drinking Research Paper

Underage Use of Alcohol and Tobacco There is a big problem in the United States when it comes to the underage use of alcohol and tobacco. According to the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health published in September 2017, almost 2.3 million Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 report drinking alcohol each month. There are many negatives outcomes to drinking underage such as accidental death and injury, or they can be the accumulated and diverse effects of a chronic pattern of drinking, such as poor performance in school and daily activities. Underage drinking can also lead to brain effects on adolescents. It can also fracture relationships and it may lead to alcohol abuse and addiction. Underage smoking also has its negatives according …show more content…
This machine would have to be a must for any establishment that is legally aloud to sell alcohol. My second solution would be to increase the punishment for selling or giving alcohol to a minor. According to LegalMatch, “Each state's agency will have specific enforcement provisions about the punishments for violating a liquor license. In general, the agency is free to revoke a license for ANY offense, even a first one, but in practice they will usually give first time offenders a fine, warning, and/or a suspension of the license (usually a week or so). However, if the offense is particularly blatant, the license may be revoked. Also, if you are cited for selling to a minor again within a year of your first citation, many boards automatically revoke your license”. If we can make these consequences much more stricter then this would highly discourage anyone with a liquor to sell alcohol to a minor. My third solution would be to create awareness in public areas about the negative legal consequences of underage drinking and smoking and also the health hazards of these substances. Another solution would be to completely ban alcohol and …show more content…
A desire to appear older and more mature or to rebel against parents often prompts kids and teens to experiment with tobacco. Peer pressure and a desire to fit in with other smokers plays a role for many children, while media influence and general curiosity about the effects of cigarettes can also sway the decisions of underage smokers. Other potential causes include tobacco advertisements, enjoyment of the effects of cigarettes and ignorance of the health risks.”(Tracii Hanes). Of course the child is responsible for smoking and drinking and if continues to smoke or drink he or she will experience the health risks that come with it. But how does the child acquire the cigarettes or the alcohol? In most cases it's acquired by someone who is allowed to buy the alcohol or cigarettes such as the parents, older friends and family or even strangers and in some cases the teenager will use a fake

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