Allison Krumsiek - Teens and Alcohol: A Dangerous Combination

Published in 2019 by

Lucent Press, an Imprint of Greenhaven Publishing, LLC

353 3rd Avenue Suite 255

New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2019 Greenhaven Press, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning

Gale and Greenhaven Press are registered trademarks used herein under license.

All new materials copyright 2019 Lucent Press, an Imprint of Greenhaven Publishing, LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Designer: Deanna Paternostro Editor: Jennifer Lombardo

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Krumsiek, Allison, author.

Title: Teens and alcohol : a dangerous combination / by Allison Krumsiek.

Description: New York : Lucent, [2019] | Series: Hot topics | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018017599 (print) | LCCN 2018018419 (ebook) | ISBN 9781534564992 (eBook) | ISBN 9781534564985 (library bound book) | ISBN 9781534564978 (pbk. book)

Subjects: LCSH: Teenagers-Alcohol use-United States-Juvenile literature. |

Drinking of alcoholic beverages--United States--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC HV5135 (ebook) | LCC HV5135 .K78 2019 (print) | DDC 362.2920835--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018017599 Printed in the United States of America

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INTRODUCTION
I Paid with the Life of a Good Friend

CHAPTER 1
A Widespread Drug

CHAPTER 2
Why People Drink

CHAPTER 3
The Dangers of Underage Drinking

CHAPTER 4
Choosing Wisely: Prevention

CHAPTER 5
The Age of Experience: 18 or 21?

A dolescence is a time when many people begin to take notice of the world around them. News channels, blogs, and talk radio shows are constantly promoting one view or another; very few are unbiased. Young people also hear conflicting information from parents, friends, teachers, and acquaintances. Often, they will hear only one side of an issue or be given flawed information. People who are trying to support a particular viewpoint may cite inaccurate facts and statistics on their blogs, and news programs present many conflicting views of important issues in our society. In a world where it seems everyone has a platform to share their thoughts, it can be difficult to find unbiased, accurate information about important issues.

It is not only facts that are important. In blog posts, in comments on online videos, and on talk shows, people will share opinions that are not necessarily true or false, but can still have a strong impact. For example, many young people struggle with their body image. Seeing or hearing negative comments about particular body types online can have a huge effect on the way someone views themselves and may lead to depression and anxiety. Although it is important not to keep information hidden from young people under the guise of protecting them, it is equally important to offer encouragement on issues that affect their mental health.

The titles in the Hot Topics series provide readers with different viewpoints on important issues in todays society. Many of these issues, such as domestic abuse and free speech rights online, are of immediate concern to young people. This series aims to give readers factual context on these crucial topics in a way that lets them form their own opinions. The facts presented throughout also serve to empower readers to help themselves or support people they know who are struggling with many of the challenges adolescents face today. Although negative viewpoints are not ignored or downplayed, this series allows young people to see that the challenges they face are not insurmountable. Abusive relationships can be ended, the internet can be navigated safely, and the environment can be saved.

Quotes encompassing all viewpoints are presented and cited so readers can trace them back to their original source, verifying for themselves whether the information comes from a reputable place. Additional books and websites are listed, giving readers a starting point from which to continue their own research. Chapter questions encourage discussion, allowing young people to hear and understand their classmates points of view as they further solidify their own. Full-color photographs and enlightening charts provide a deeper understanding of the topics at hand. All of these features augment the informative text, helping young people understand the world they live in and formulate their own opinions concerning the best way they can improve it.

A fateful decision to drink and drive ruined the lives of three young men and their community. In the small community of Olney, Maryland, 17-year-old Austin Hall was leaving a party on Labor Day weekend in 2014. Two classmates from Sherwood High School asked for a ride home. Hall, who had been drinking heavily, agreed to drop them off. It was a decision only two of the boys would live to regret.

Neither of the passengers15-year-old Shawn Gangloff and 17-year-old Max Dechterhad been drinking that night. He simply chose the wrong person to get a ride home from,

The dangers teens face when they drink have been well documented for years. In 2007, acting U.S. Surgeon General Kenneth P. Moritsugu issued a report on the scope of underage drinking. The surgeon general, the nations top public health official, wrote,

Underage alcohol consumption in the United States is a widespread and persistent public health and safety problem that creates serious personal, social, and economic consequences for adolescents, their families, communities, and the Nation as a whole. By age 15, approximately 50 percent of boys and girls have had a whole drink of alcohol; by age 21, approximately 90 percent have done so.

The legal drinking age in all 50 states is 21, which means that the millions of teenagers who drink are breaking the law. Because drinking is illegal for teens, police can arrest them just for possessing alcoholic beverages. School officials can also punish students for drinking even if it did not take place in school. For example, schools often ban athletes from participating in sports if they consume alcohol, and those who post pictures of themselves drinking on social media may find themselves suspended or expelled. While the legality of schools punishing students for off-campus actions has been debated, it has happened more than once. Teenage drinkers can also expect to be disciplined by their parents or guardians.