The War On Underage Drinking
...like a virus. Teenagers are drinking everywhere you look. It is not just teenagers in college that are drinking; there are numerous teenagers in high school, middle school, and even elementary school! How have we let it get this far? As a society, are we oblivious? Do we think there is nothing wrong with some underage drinking, or are we just incapable of fixing this problem? There is no excuse to be oblivious anymore. Underage drinking is right in front of our faces. It is killing our children. The good news is that this is a problem that can be fixed. There is no way of completely eliminating underage drinking, but it can be greatly reduced. With efforts from the government, parents, and the media, we can diminish underage drinking a great deal. We need to start educating our children that alcohol is a dangerous drug. We need to start setting better examples for our children. The government needs stricter laws for underage drinkers. The government needs to also enforce these laws more effectively. The media needs to quit targeting today's youth. Our society needs a change of mind. Drinking at a young age is happening; it is severe, but it can be prevented.
Drinking starts at a young age. One third of fourth graders have been pressured to drink alcohol and more than half have been pressured by sixth grade. By eight grade, nearly fifty percent of all teenagers have had at least one drink. Then by the twelfth grade over eighty percent of all teenagers have had a drink and sixty-four percent have been drunk (Youth and Underage Drinking: An Overview). These are shocking and startling facts for some. But the truth is, it's there.
What is the problem with all of these minors drinking? There are quite a few people who do not think that drinking at a young age is bad for you. There have even been advocates for changing the drinking age...
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