Presentation Td
- 1. Underage Drinking By Kara Lignos
- 2. If someone were to say the world ‘alcohol’ to you, what comes to mind? People all over the world of all different ages would have something to say. Whether they’re learning about it, studying it, or drinking it, alcohol is everywhere.
- 3. Think about it- alcohol is in the churches we go to, the restaurants we eat at, the grocery stores we shop at, the commercials we watch, and the magazines we flip through. For many, it may be the ice-breaker, the cultural icon, or the painkiller. Among many teens, it’s (illegally) the Friday night out. For Tyler Miller in the novel Twisted, a night out where alcohol was involved turned his whole life upside down.
- 4. When alcohol is involved, it’s hard to recall what really happened. Too often, teenagers get themselves in trouble while under the influence. Bethany Milbury fell victim one night, and her entire reputation was ruined when nude pictures of her were taken and sent. She would’ve known what happened and who to hold responsible, except she was passed out drunk. I believe these are the most stupid mistakes that can be made as a teen. Many will make them, and hopefully they will learn from them, too.
- 5. Here's what I've found..
- 6. The consumption of alcohol alters: Perception Emotions Movements Vision Hearing Alcohol is a sedative. It is absorbed into the bloodstream and affects the central nervous system, which controls all bodily functions.
- 7. Bethany was 17 years old. What about everybody else? 72% of 12th graders say they’ve tried alcohol (more than a few sips). 16% of all total drinkers are underage.
- 8. Where does the youth get their alcohol? They’re not old enough to buy it, but they still get it.. 65% friends or family 20% didn’t know 7% store/bar that didn’t check ID 5% stranger 3% fake ID
- 9. Of those who are underage.. freshman in college are most likely to binge drink . Most binge drinkers.. are more likely to engage in risky activity . 19 % of all fatal car crashes.. involve drinkers between the ages of 16 and 20. Young males.. are twice as likely to drive drunk than females.
- 10. These are the national statistics. I surveyed 20 students from my class to see the results on a smaller scale. Here's what I found..
- 11. 100% of students say they’ve consumed alcohol (more than a few sips). 85% say they got it from a friend or family. 15% said they used a fake I.D. at a store/bar. 60% of the survey say they’ve gotten in the car with a drunk driver. 35% say they’ve driven drunk. Although my survey wasn’t completely accurate because it wasn’t completely random, it still says something. Out of every student I surveyed here at West, they’ve all experimented with alcohol. Also, 60% of them have gotten in the car with a drunk driver. These statistics come together to show us that underage drinking is indeed a problem, and can be quite dangerous. Drunk driving and engaging in risky activities are just what I meant when I said our worst mistakes are made while we’re drinking.
- 12. Ever ask WHY? It’s clear that underage drinking can be common, especially among highschool seniors and college freshmen. But why do they do it? I didn’t find any statistics on this. But, here are my personal thoughts.. Alcohol is used socially to “break the ice”. The more drinking, the more fun time there will be. It’s commonly seen among facebook, people post pictures of the party the night before and receive comment after comment about how funny or awesome of a time it was.
- 13. I believe pretending that young people will grow up in a world of abstinence and naiveté is unrealistic and irresponsible.
- 14. To me, it is the abuse of alcohol that is the problem, not alcohol itself. Teenagers were born to experiment. Can we can experiment responsibly? That is the question.
- 16. Works Cited “ Drug Facts.” Above the Influence . 4 January 2010. < http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/drugs-alcohol.aspx> “ Statistics.” SADD Statistics . 4 January 2010. <http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm>